What was the Revolt of 1857? In 1857–59, the Indian Mutiny, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence, was a massive but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against British control in India. It began in Meerut and spread to Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, and Lucknow, with Indian troops (sepoys) serving in the British East India Company. It was long described by Western historians as the “Indian Mutiny,” or “Sepoy Mutiny.” In India it is also called the “First War of Independence” and other similar names. The Indian Rebellion, also known as the Indian Mutiny of 1857, was a major revolt orchestrated by Indians to oppose the authority of the British East India Company (EIC), a multinational trade company that ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent beginning around 1757. This widespread revolt was arguably the highest threat to British colonialism in India until the country’s independence in 1947. Spanning about two years (from May 10, 1857 to July 8, 1859), this historic uprising came ... Learn how the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny challenged British rule in India, sparked by unrest, cultural tensions, and rebellion against the East India Company's control.
