The British policy of effective control and gradual
extinction of the native Indian States was one of the major grievances of the
Indian rulers. The British expanded their influence in the following ways as follows -
1. By Outright Wars-
The battle of Buxar (1757) established the British as the masters of Bengal,
Bihar and Orissa. Their success in Anglo-Mysore Wars (1767 to 1797), the East
India Company annexed most of the territories of the Mysore States. After the
Third Anglo Mysore War, the Maratha territories north and south of the Narmada
River were acquired by the British. Punjab was annexed in 1849 after the Sikhs
were defeated in the Second Anglo Sikh war. From 1823 to 1856, The British
further extended their empire by conquering Sindh, territories of Assam, Arakan
and Tenasserim and Pegu in Myanmar.
2. Subsidiary
Alliance- It was introduced by Lord Wellesley. An Indian power who accepted the
Subsidiary Alliance had to observe the following conditions-
(1) Had to accept the British as the Supreme power.
(1) Had to accept the British as the Supreme power.
(2) Agreed to maintain
British troops at their own costs.
(3)Virtually lost their
Independence.
3. Doctrine of
Lapse-Lord Dalhousie, Governor General of India, annexed many Indian States
using the principle of Doctrine of Lapse. According to this, heirs adopted
without the consent of the English East India Company, could inherit only the
private property of the deceased ruler, and not his territory which would come
under the Company’s rule. When the ruler of Jhansi died in 1853 leaving no male
heir, the widowed Rani was pensioned and their adopted son, Anand Rao, was not
recognised as a lawful successor to the throne. The other prominent States
which became victim of the Doctrine were Satara, Jaitpur, Sambalpur, Udaipur
and Nagpur. The principle also implied to take away titles and pension of the
ruler of some States. This caused discontentment among the rulers and among the
people in general.
4. Pretext of
Alleged misrule- On February 13, 1856, Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh to the
Company’s dominion on the pretext of alleged misrule. The annexation of Awadh
was arbitrary as the British seemed to have broken their promises made to the
ruling chiefs. This caused resentment among the Indians in general and Awadh in
particular. Lord Dalhousie justified the annexation of Awadh on the pretext of “good
of the governed”. But there was nothing to be worth “good”. The dissolution of
the Nawab of Awadh’s army and administration threw thousands of nobles,
officials and soldiers out of jobs. The British confiscated the estates of the
zamindars and talukdars. The dispossessed Zamindars became enemies of the
British. The annexation also affected the Sepoys from Awadh in the British
army-‘s financial position. They had to pay higher taxes for the lands their
families held in Awadh.
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