The Revolt of 1857 was a major armed uprising against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power in India. Variously termed the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence, it was a widespread rebellion that began on May 10, 1857, in Meerut as a mutiny of sepoys of the Bengal Army.
The revolt was a culmination of political, economic, social, and military grievances, not a single event. Political discontent stemmed from the annexation policy, particularly Lord Dalhousie's Doctrine of Lapse, which annexed states like Jhansi and Nagpur, and the annexation of Awadh in 1856. The immediate spark was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle cartridges, rumored to be greased with the fat of cows and pigs, which offended the religious sentiments of both Hindu and Muslim sepoys.
The uprising quickly spread across the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with key centers like Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Jhansi led by figures such as Bahadur Shah II, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Nana Sahib, and Rani Lakshmibai. The rebellion was effectively crushed by the British with the defeat of the rebels in Gwalior on June 20, 1858.
The most significant consequence was the end of the East India Company's rule, which was replaced by the direct governance of the British Crown. This transfer of power was formalized by the Government of India Act 1858, which abolished the Company and established the office of the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy of India. The Act also abolished the dual government system and the Doctrine of Lapse. The subsequent Queen Victoria's Proclamation of November 1, 1858, promised non-interference in religious matters and respect for the rights of Indian princes, marking the beginning of the British Raj.