In the mid-nineteenth century, the East India Company's policies drastically undermined the power of Indian rulers and fueled widespread unrest. Nawabs and rajas sought to protect their sovereignty but faced relentless annexations, culminating in the loss of authority and income.
Peasants grew restless due to high taxes and oppressive revenue collection practices, while sepoys in the Company's army felt a strong discontent over their pay, conditions of service, and the imposition of rules that clashed with their religious beliefs. Notably, the introduction of new rifle cartridges that allegedly contained animal fat incited mutinies.
The discontent catalyzed the massive uprising of 1857, wherein sepoys revolted beginning in Meerut and quickly spread to Delhi, led by figures such as Bahadur Shah Zafar, who was proclaimed a leader amidst the turmoil. This rebellion saw the solidarity of various social classes and marked a significant resistance to colonial power, leading to harsh British reprisals but also precipitating changes in colonial governance.