Question

What could be the reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about their position in India before May 1857?

Answer 1

Hint :The Revolt of 1857 was an important event in the Indian history. It is also known as Indian Mutiny, Sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence. Indian troops or Sepoys who were in the service of the British East India Company started the revolt from Meerut and later it spread to several other places.


Complete answer :
The British were confident about their military strength as the Indian soldiers were loyal to them and faithful. Many Zamindars and Kings were the supporters of the British.Before 1857, the riots and rebellions that took place were localized and were easily suppressed by the British.
The main reasons for the British rulers to be confident about their positions in India before May 1857 are as follows:-
In the mid 18th century, the powers of the rajas and Nawabs were limited. The armed forces were disbanded and the revenue earning territories were taken from the Nawabs and Rajas.
By this time, the Mughal Empire was weekend. India was united and in many courts and provinces the British had stationed their residents.
The British governor would get each and every detail of the Kingdom from the residents. There was no unity among the Nawabs.
The Mughal ruler helped the British to have a strong hold in the Indian society, starting from the state of Bengal.


Note :The British policies like Subsidiary alliance, helped the British annex territories one after the other without using any military power, and the revolt of 1857 led the way to British supremacy in Indian society. The Mughal rulers after Aurangzeb were not strong and powerful hence, it was easy for the British to annex the Indian states.