what was the major political cause of sepoy mutiny?
Answers
The British under Richard Daalhousie annexed Awadh.And the reason they gave was that they were obliged by the duty of the Nawab and wanted to protect people from hi misgovernance.
Short Note on Revolt of 1857
Political Factors (Political causes of Revolt of 1857 in points)
1. a) Due to the British expansionist policies, most of the Raja’s, Nawab’s and the zamindar’s, were either dispossessed from their state or became subsidiary to the British. b) The East India Company (EIC) had a planned way of expansionism and many Indian states easily fell prey to the policies of the East India Company. c) The policy of Trade and Commerce subjugated the state, the policy of indirect subordination (subsidiary alliance), policy of war and annexation, policy of direct subordination (doctrine of lapse), policy of misgovernance (in which Awadh was annexed). d) These policies greatly hampered the interests of the rulers of the native states, and they one by one became victims of British expansionism. e) Therefore, those rulers, who lost their states to the British, were naturally against the British and took sides against them during the revolt. f) However, some of the rulers were in active connivance and collaborated with the British in suppressing the revolt.
2. The period of Dalhousie (1848-1856) is marked as a major factor in the revolt of 1857. A famous policy under his period was ‘Doctrine of Lapse’. Under this, many states, like Satara, Jaitpur, Sambhalpur, Jhansi, were captured by the British who expanded recklessly. Thus the political factors, i.e. expansionary policy of the British greatly contributed towards the revolt of 1857.
3. The other factor was that Indian judges were not allowed to try the criminal cases of Europeans- thus discrimination was at all levels.
Hope this helps :)