The Company Fights Back
The section discusses the intense response of the British East India Company following the popular uprising in 1857, which threatened its rule in India. The Company reacted decisively by sending reinforcements from England, implementing new laws to facilitate the prosecution of rebels, and focusing military resources on key battlegrounds. Notably, the recapture of Delhi in September 1857 symbolized a crucial moment in this effort.
Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was tried and exiled, his authority effectively dismantled, which further emphasized the Company's resolve to assert control. Amidst persistent uprisings, the British adapted their governance, instituting changes like reducing the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army while increasing European soldiers, and deciding to acknowledge Indian rulers’ territories under British sovereignty, making them subordinate to the Crown. By the end of the conflict, the British government assumed direct responsibility for Indian administration, marking a critical shift in colonial policy and setting the stage for future governance.