Awadh in revolt

The essentials

In 1851 Governor-General Lord Dalhousie described Awadh as "a cherry that will drop into our mouth one day". The subsidiary alliance had been imposed on Awadh in 1801: the Nawab had to disband his own army, allow British troops in the kingdom and act on the advice of the British Resident. In 1856 Awadh was formally annexed on the grounds of misgovernment, and Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta.

The annexation caused emotional upheaval: the Nawab was popular, and people followed him to Kanpur with laments. The removal of the Nawab also led to the dissolution of the court and its culture; musicians, dancers, poets, cooks, retainers and administrators lost their livelihood.

Key points

• Taluqdars: landholders of Awadh with forts and armed retainers. The British disarmed them and destroyed their forts.
• The Summary Settlement of 1856 removed taluqdars wherever possible, aiming to settle revenue with the actual owners of the land. Taluqdars lost much land and power.
• Peasants did not gain much: revenue demand was high and the old ties of support between taluqdars and peasants (help in hard times, loans, festivals) were broken.
• Many sepoys came from peasant families of Awadh, so grievances flowed between the countryside and the army; Awadh was called the "nursery of the Bengal Army".
• In Lucknow, Birjis Qadr, son of the deposed Nawab, was declared the new Nawab, and Begum Hazrat Mahal played a leading role.

Common mistakes

• Awadh was annexed on grounds of misgovernment, not under the Doctrine of Lapse.