1857

The year 1857 marked a significant uprising in India known as the Indian Rebellion or Sepoy Mutiny. Indian soldiers in the British East India Company's army, called sepoys, revolted against British officers due to cultural insensitivity, poor treatment, and new rifle cartridges rumored to be greased with animal fat. The rebellion spread across northern India, challenging British rule and highlighting widespread discontent. Although ultimately suppressed, it led to the end of the East India Company and the establishment of direct British Crown control over India in 1858, transforming India into a formal British colony.