Such an interesting story Chris ...the historical art work is a treat too . Nicholson may have been mad , but he's the kind of leader needed in an attack... and Cawnpore ...what a nightmare ...and brought on what followed
My great grandfather Daniel Egan was wounded in the hand during the attack on Delhi on Sept 14 as a soldier in the 81st Regiment of foot. For his service, he was one of the 50,700 British troops who fought in this campaign, he was awarded the Indian Mutiny medal. He returned to England with his Regiment in Oct 1865, having completed his enlistment he mustered out and immediately left England to join family Philadelphia.
Thank you. Many years ago I was fortunate to read a copy of Major Reid of the Sirmoor Rifles account of the siege of Hindoo Rao's house. It belonged to a fellow student whose brother in law was a former officer of 2nd Gurkha Rifles , King Edward VII 's . Now the Royal Gurkha Rifles. The Bengal Fusiliers later became the Royal Munster Fusiliers, and was disbanded after the republic of Ireland became independent. Thank you for covering this episode.
And the glorious invaders continued their brutal occupation of India. The Brit’s seem to love their control of foreign lands and continue to brag about their ability to corrupt local forces and use their sacrifice to subjugate their fellow countrymen.
What a fantastic story and what incredible and nice memories you brought back! When I was 10 years old, I used to read the wonderful novels by Emilio Salgari (1862-1911) an Italian writer who, like Sir Walter Scott, based his novels on historical facts. One of my favourites was "The Two Tigers" set in India during the Great Mutiny. As incredible as it may seem, at 10 I was a little expert on the Great Mutiny as Salgari's novels were packed with accurate historical data. Thank you for bringing back those happy memories of my childhood!
Ah, remember "Fkashman in the Great Game" (methinks, or was it called differently?) escaping the Crimean war, russian captivity and the horrors of the russian invasion of the caspian region, just to make it straight in time for the indian mutiny? Also good read "the siege of Krishnapur"..
@@adammerrrick3509 Hello Adam! How nice to get feedback. Well, if my memory serves me right Emilio Salgari's novels followed a chronological order, therefore, they must be read in that order. Having said that, I remember well "The Two Tigers" and that novel can be read without a previous knowledge of the others. I have just read the English Wikipedia article on Salgari and is excellent with as much information as the Italian page. Good luck and have a nice day!
That was excellent, thank you. There's a lot of misinformation about the events of 1857, particularly the way it was taught to me in school. It's good to hear a factual, evidence-based account, which is what the study of history should always be, of course. Thanks again.
Bravo Sir! Thank you for narrating another riveting example of daring, guts, and military skill and old fashioned determination to win. Brilliant video on the subject. Aces Sir! God bless you and I look forward to your next offering. 👊👍c
Gripping, tragic and insightful narrative of this conflict. Interesting history of the Gurkhas, Pathans (Pashtuns) and Sikhs serving loyally with the British during this conflict. The Sikhs fought the British in the mid 1840s Anglo-Sikh Wars. The Sikhs and the Gurkhas will serve in the British army in the following decades including WW1 and WW2. Really appreciate your videos.
One of main reason for British victory over outnumbered Indian sepoy was helping hand of Sikhs, Gurkha and Pashtun and Punjabi Muslim. Punjab remains helpfull to British. The British rule just started in Punjab and they not experience the oppressive and exploiting British policies like sepoy, and farmers and former kings of northern part of India face in last 100 years.
Nicholson is buried in a cemetery called Nicholson cemetery in an area called Kashmere Gate in north Delhi I studied in a school called st Xaviers which abutted the cemetery and a couple of our teachers had the misfortune of being buried there !
Rivetting stuff! Detailed, objective, exciting, and perfectly paced. You've done excellent work here. I'm hooked and binge watching through to the end. Had only planned to watch the first one!
Wonderful narration ! William Dalrymple's The Last Mughal brought me here :) Even though we studied about 1857 in high school History, there are so many details and events which we are not aware of.
People might have questions about why the sikhs did not support this so called "war of independence". One merely has to look at the history of sikhs vs. mughals to understand the reasons. I am a sikh and we had a very long troublesome history with the Mughal empire and there was no way in hell that sikhs could fight to allow a Mughal emperor to become powerful again.
In hindsight though that actually doesnt seem like the smartest decision they could have made. I mean lets be honest the last capable emperor of the Mughals was Aurangzeb. The others were just namesakes. This mughal emperor they rallied behind was a puppet whose face was being used to gather support. If the war succeeded to kick out the British the actual guy who would have been chosen to rule definitely wouldn't be him.
Well done a great talk as always. One of the reasons why the majority of sepoys did not join the mutiny was religion. The mutiny was seen as largely a Muslim affair and other religious groups would have none of it. India has a long memory and many had suffered under Muslim rule before the British arrived. I am looking forward to the Cawnpore episode covering the infamous Bibigar Massacre.
@@TheHistoryChap Certainly Hindus played a substantial part in the revolt. But British soldiers and historians blame the Muslims who had been calling for Jihad years before the mutiny. The 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry which trigged the mutiny were Muslim.
@@TheHistoryChap Did some more research. 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry was Muslim and the soldiers were Sowars not sepoys. All 11 Muslim Cavalry Regiments of the Bengal Army mutinied and were disbanded. The 20th Native Infantry Regt, the second unit to Mutiny at Meerut was also Muslim raised by the Vizier of Oude.
this is objectively wrong. it was most definitely NOT seen a Muslim affair. neither from the perspective of the Sepoys, nor the other powers that joined.
The first Canadian to win the VC William Hall, a black sailor, won it working artillery during the attack on the grand Mosque. He and a ships cabin boy worked the gun under heavy and relentless sniper fire, where other crews retreated. They eventually blew a hole large enough for the infantry to charge into and clear the mosque. His story was forgotten for a while, an old book my mother got for my birthday on Canadians and military decorations didn't even mention him, Old wrongs are being righted and one of our new APB's is named after him.
I read about him, a free man that sided with the British against the upstart British of the 13 colonies, upon the treasonous British with French and Dutch assistance victory. The brave honorary Brit fled to Canada with thousands of other sensible free black peoples they fled to the safety of the British Empire
When it comes to Hobson and really the mutiny in general the factor of group psychology was key, the reason he shot the men wasn't because the mob had decided on attack but rather that they were indecisive, weakness or fear from the British would have given them confidence and made them aware of their numbers, likewise if they had had leadership of one of the prince's had been charismatic and daring then it is almost certain the British would have been ripped to pieces. Instead due to his actions they lost their nerve and dispersed, the moment of decision was marked by inactive tension and I'm sure that Hobson could have danced an Irish jig if he had wanted, the confusion that would have caused would certainly have brought him time. Time and time again throughout the mutiny decisiveness was proven the most valuable attribute, men like Nicholson were so effective because they could push a fine balance in their favour and that change would snowball as all the fence sitters stampeded to line up behind the path of least resistance. Without such men and actions the British would have found that even those who hated the rebels would look to their own interests and the sudden realisation of British weakness and indecision would have caused a spiral into chaos. Hodson's horse is still an active unit of the Indian Army, at current they are the 4th horse of the armoured corps.
Interesting, but I don't think it was that finely balanced. Indians in battles against the British had always been incredibly hopeless though - many decisive British victories from 1754 - 1860 were fought at odds like 10 to 1. Also, many of the Hindu maharajahs of princely states were really semi-autonomous, they didn't even have to pay taxes, they led good lives and only had to put up with a British "political officer" who made sure that they didn't fight their princely neighbours etc. or strike up dialogues with other European powers (that's it) - for those rulers it was "better the devil you know" rather than throw their weight behind a resurgent Islamic Empire ruling from Delhi who were going to do God knows what with their territories - the Sikhs felt the same way. And the Gurkhas were not even Indian - they didn't care, and they were happy with the pay, treatment and with the equipment from their British paymasters who offered guaranteed long term employment. As professional mercenaries, the rebels would have always seemed a dubious prospect as a future employer.
The native soldiers who mutinied were led by what was known as "Native Officers" (Subedar, Risaldar etc.). These officers had command over a small group of men who were mainly from same area and religion etc. These officers never could get the "big picture" (the latest jargon) of waging a war. Planning large military operations, troop movements and even maintaining a supply line was not their skill. The British Generals were smart here. They knew which soldiers (Sikhs/Gorkhas) remained loyal to them and could bring in a large number of troops from Karnal etc. And simply put the British officials knew the Indian society and it's differences better than Indians themselves .
I first time I heard about the siege of Delhi was from Martin Carthy a Folk guitarists so learning the history behind the song has been very interesting.
I served in 1st Bn The Light Infantry and they through previous county Light Infantry Regiment inherited part of the Union Flag that was recaptured from the battle of Lucknow, found throw down a well along with bodies of British men , women and children.
I've recently have watched "55 Days in Peking" and I was wandering whether you have any plans to talk about the Boxer Uprising and the involvement of England in it?
What an intriguing and eye-opening explanation. We were taught about this event in our textbooks as the Sepoy Revolt, and some historians refer to it as the First Freedom Struggle. However, as a software engineer with a passion for history, I believe that the East India Company's victory in this rebellion set the stage for positive transformation in India. The rebellion ultimately led to the end of Mughal rule in India, paving the way for a unified and independent country where Hindus could live in peace and harmony. While the rebellion undoubtedly was a time of great upheaval and suffering, it also marked the dawn of a new era for India. I understand that this may be a controversial opinion, but I believe it is crucial to recognize the multifaceted and complex nature of this historical event. Furthermore, I would like to emphasize that the failure of the Sepoy Revolt ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise, a felix culpa. While the rebellion itself was a tragic event, it ultimately led to the dismantling of the Mughal Empire, which had become increasingly oppressive and inefficient. This paved the way for India's eventual independence from British rule, which in turn laid the foundation for the establishment of a democratic system of government. Under Mughal rule, democracy would have been virtually impossible to achieve.
Sepoy mutiny is rise of Indian nationalism. It was first time when Indian rebels against foreign rules. Thanks to Britishers for their suppressing and looting policies. Salute to 60,0000 Indian who was killed by Britishers for 6000 British casualties.
Dude, you have a very binary view of history which is far from the truth!!. I suggest you study history by reading primary sources and not on narratives. Lack of depth of knowledge shows in your round figure numbers. Investigate why the rani of jhasi joined the rebellion after a whole year and only after the negotiations on doctrine of lapse failed.
@@surajbiradar9827 East India Company official backed by British parliament harassed kings, nawab, Native Soldiers , as well as farmers artisan. As well as trying to hurt religious sentiments. .It was cause uprising against British
@@amitmangsulikar7153 This seems like a movie dialogue and not history which is more nuaanced hahha. I suggest you read the book 'False allies' by Manu s Pillai on this topic.
This is fascinating. Perhaps consider the story of Baird Smith. A canal engineer who saved many British lives and the total destruction of a masque in old Delhi. Buried in Madras. A Victorian hero !!
A great summary, but one question. A lot of pictures feature the Foreign Service helmet (adopted in the 1870's) rather than the Kepi style cap covered by the Havelock cap and neck cover which was standard headgear in the 1857 - 58 period. Am I being picky? As an aside, the Havelock is now usually associated with the French Foreign Legion without acknowledgement of its British origins.
Though part of "bengal presidency" many of these regions weren't bengal region. Bengal region is the land consisting of Bangladesh and west bengal while there was awadh region or oudh, rohilkhand, bihar, bhojpur,etc.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. You are right that the Bengal Presidency was growing way beyond Bengal. That in itself was adding to internal differences in the Bengal army.
Another great Video . Always amazes me how different historically North and South India are to each other . For a South Indian the Delhi Sultanate seems another world away .
The best part is that the British were smart enough to understand Indian society and identify the fissures/differences between them. So they could get Sikhs and Gorkhas (Hindus) to fight the Bengal troops (Hindus from another area and Muslims). And later got Gorkha and Pathan (Muslim) troops to fire at Sikhs in Amritsar. And during the 1921 Moplah riots in South India, got Gorkhas and Assam Rifles troops to flatten the Moplah (Muslim) religious terrorists.
This is a period of history that is rarely taught, so it's with great appreciation that I thank you for yet another lecture on the history of Britain and the Commonwealth.
@6:10 - That "junior officer, Frederick Roberts" went on to win a V.C. for his actions on 2 January 1858 at Khudaganj (later during the Mutiny) and eventually become Field Marshal Lord 'Bobs' Roberts of Kandahar... @12:23 - The 75th Foot were not merged with the Gordon Highlanders (the 92nd) until the reforms of 1881. During the Indian Mutiny they were the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot. Originally raised in October 1787, in Stirling, by Colonel Robert Abercromby as the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot the regiment was formed for service in India with the forces of the East India Company. Although the EIC was charged with the regiment’s upkeep while in India, it was still a British Army unit. Peviously serving in India from 1788 to 1807 it had fought in the Third & Fourth Mysore Wars and the Second Maratha War.
@@TheHistoryChap Chris if I close my eyes I won't see it anyway, praps I should avoid that one eh, and wait for something less blood thirsty. See you then, have a good week
Excellent! Congratulations from France. I know the Sepoy Mutiny since, when I was a a child, I read La Maison à vapeur (The Steam house) by Jules Verne, a novel describing a journey in India in 1867, ten years after the mutiny, in a sort of curious camping-car tracted by a power-engine looking at an elephant ! Colonel Munro's wife has been killed in the Cawnpore massacre (or the Colonel thinks so). The Colonel and his friends are going to travel through part of India, passing through the famous places of the revolt, without knowing that Nana Sahib, one of the chiefs of the revolt, who survived, has decided to set a trap for them because he wants to revenge on Colonel Munro who (in the novel) killed the Rani Jansi, another head of the revolt. Eventually Munro and his friends will discover that Munro's wife is not dead : she has gone mad after the massacres, and she wanders in the forests and the villages, respected by the population; the entire story is a very interesting description of the northern India, with recollections of the Mutiny, until all the characters meet for the final fight... Talking of the Mutiny, Jules Verne perfectly describes the situation of the British during the revolt, facing an enemy superior in number and compensating for this inferiority with courage and tenacity. He gives the French point of view upon the Mutiny at the time (the book was published in 1880, I think), a revolt maybe caused by British bad treatments of Indians, but admitting without seeing contradiction that British cause is that of civilization ....
"British cause is that of civilization" 😂. You misspelled exploitation bub. Didn't know Jules Verne prescribed to the "white man's burden" line of thought. He must've been a product of the times i guess, sadly.
@@kupamanduka9218t was the occidental point of view of his time, at least the dominant one. Jules Verne in his novel says shortly and cautiously Britain is not without reproach in India, but when dealing with the Mutiny, he is on the British side. His views about colonization have been discussed by scholars, they seem not to have been single - minded, but he believed in the superiority of occidental people.
@simeonstilite Yeah, race theory was the predominant idea then, a way to sell Colonialization as a noble cause. Even Gandhi used to believe in it initially..
@@simeonstilite Jules Verne's views on the subject may have been complex. My reason for saying this is that Captain Nemo of the Nautilus was later revealed by Verne to be an Indian prince whose family had been killed during the revolt/mutiny - and the race he so hated were the British.
I love these videos. Entertaining and I believe educational. I say believe because I am not well versed in the history of India or of the British administration in India. Even so, I believe it is clear that India benefited then and even more so now from British involvement in the subcontinent
Great series, it was definitely the Indian mutiny, never mind that a few present day Indians get all upset about it, in 1857 India my have been a generic name for the sub continent, but there was no such thing as India the country. That's something else we gave them. Their callous butchery of women & children, had to be avenged, unfortunately this vengeance probably went too far as well, although having said that they had to make this a lesson, that rebellion would never be tolerated as to prevent this happening again, by their standards of those times were far more severe, even on our own people, rebellion meant death.
@Sahitya oh arent you the wise one? Or smart alec? There was never a unified India until the area was reduced by modern rapid 19th century transportation, the railway, otherwise it took days & sometimes weeks to cross the vast distancees as the roads were rudimentary at best. Same for communication, 19th century telagraph meant news & info could pass very rapidly, the whole process making in what it is today, never mind going back millenia, what difference does that make? It was British western modern technology of the 19th century that only began to create the country you have today. We even gave you a common language, English. Stop being so butt hurt because it was Britain itself that helped make your country what it has become today, not some long dead empire from 4 millenia ago. Similarly Britain became a country because at the beginning it was occupied by Rome, for nearly 400 years, several centuries after their departure we had established a kingdom. But their occupation basically made us one country as they had more advanced technology of their day.
Did the young officer named Roberts go on to become Field marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar? I have a copy of his book "My 41 years in India" fascinating reading.
@@hardeepsingh-sg2kz yes and England belongs to the English but seeing as no one seems to think they should have to respect that anymore so guess it's all just a free for all worldwide
The King's Royal Rifle Corps Association still celebrates the Siege with an annual Delhi Day Lunch in September in London. If you once wore the badge come and meet old comrades.
No need to go woke & mealy mouthed my friend, check the definition in a dictionary. It was an attack by soldiers who had sworn loyalty against those to whom they had sworn loyalty to. That is defined as a mutiny & this is why 1857 is referred to as the (great) Indian mutiny.
It's no breavery of any British soldier or officers but Madras and Bombey regiments went with the British was the main reason behind India failed to ger her freedom in 1857 .
1858 the Direct rule of the British Crown began after dissolution of the East India Company as a result of 1857 uprising. From 1858 queen Victoria was known as Empress of India just to be clear.
On leaving school in 1949 my brother began working in the Paymaster General's Office in Whitehall. he found that they were still paying pensions to widows of Officers who had been serving in the East India Company and had been granted pensions when the EIC had been dissolved in 1858. Some of these men had been still alive in the 1920s and, either widowed or unmarried, had married young women purely to give them an income since they were unlikely to marry due to the carnage of young men in the Great War.
I greatly enjoy your stories of the colonial era. I visit India often and have many friends there. They seem to hold Britain in great respect which I find odd given the current narrative. They are less keen on the Russians who bribe their corrupt politicians. Things I guess never change.
Don't worry about us Indians who are rapidly advancing in power and prosperity rather worry about your irrelevant small country which is an American vassal state 😂,and yaar we are pals with the Russians who helped us against you Brits in 1971 war . You have any problem with it?
@@harshitthakural3262 Exactly. What did the British ever do for you, except hospitals, infrastructure, roads, railroads, ports, civil servce, judicial systems and banking...?
It's a very over from old Indian posts like Jamadar, Naik, Subedar etc. But don't get confused by "Major", as these were all NCOs (one advantage of British not letting Indians become commissioned officers was leaderless rebels promoting dismally here)... Also those ranks still exists for NCOs of today's Indian Army.
Actually the vellore mutiny on 10july1806 was the first mutiny / rebellion .lasted one day.maj gen sir hugh robert rollo gillespie led the counterattack.
Such an interesting story Chris ...the historical art work is a treat too .
Nicholson may have been mad , but he's the kind of leader needed in an attack...
and Cawnpore ...what a nightmare ...and brought on what followed
Unfortunately Cawnpore spawned a retribution out of all proportion. A classic case of unintended consequences
My great grandfather Daniel Egan was wounded in the hand during the attack on Delhi on Sept 14 as a soldier in the 81st Regiment of foot. For his service, he was one of the 50,700 British troops who fought in this campaign, he was awarded the Indian Mutiny medal. He returned to England with his Regiment in Oct 1865, having completed his enlistment he mustered out and immediately left England to join family Philadelphia.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing
😅No(
Also the European members HEIC Bengal Army also received the same medal
Are you a British American?
Colonizer bhadwe
Thank you.
Many years ago I was fortunate to read a copy of Major Reid of the Sirmoor Rifles account of the siege of Hindoo Rao's house.
It belonged to a fellow student whose brother in law was a former officer of 2nd Gurkha Rifles , King Edward VII 's .
Now the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
The Bengal Fusiliers later became the Royal Munster Fusiliers, and was disbanded after the republic of Ireland became independent.
Thank you for covering this episode.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your book read.
And the glorious invaders continued their brutal occupation of India. The Brit’s seem to love their control of foreign lands and continue to brag about their ability to corrupt local forces and use their sacrifice to subjugate their fellow countrymen.
You didn't mention much about the Gurkhas or did I miss it? They received the Truncheon which is quite unique in the British Army.
Brilliant selection illustrations along with a gripping story. Thanks Chris!
Thank you.
What a fantastic story and what incredible and nice memories you brought back! When I was 10 years old, I used to read the wonderful novels by Emilio Salgari (1862-1911) an Italian writer who, like Sir Walter Scott, based his novels on historical facts. One of my favourites was "The Two Tigers" set in India during the Great Mutiny. As incredible as it may seem, at 10 I was a little expert on the Great Mutiny as Salgari's novels were packed with accurate historical data. Thank you for bringing back those happy memories of my childhood!
Thanks for watching & I'm pleased that you are enjoying.
@@TheHistoryChap love the way u narrate the wars.. Please give more stories about British wars in India
Ah, remember "Fkashman in the Great Game" (methinks, or was it called differently?) escaping the Crimean war, russian captivity and the horrors of the russian invasion of the caspian region, just to make it straight in time for the indian mutiny? Also good read "the siege of Krishnapur"..
Thanks for the wonderful Salgari tip. I have just 'Wikipedied' him. There are four Sandokan novels before Two Tigers. Should I read these first?
@@adammerrrick3509 Hello Adam! How nice to get feedback. Well, if my memory serves me right Emilio Salgari's novels followed a chronological order, therefore, they must be read in that order. Having said that, I remember well "The Two Tigers" and that novel can be read without a previous knowledge of the others. I have just read the English Wikipedia article on Salgari and is excellent with as much information as the Italian page. Good luck and have a nice day!
I've been looking forward to this after your excellent first, scene setting, video. You do great work with great clarity. Thank you Chris.
My pleasure. Glad you are enjoying.
That was excellent, thank you. There's a lot of misinformation about the events of 1857, particularly the way it was taught to me in school. It's good to hear a factual, evidence-based account, which is what the study of history should always be, of course. Thanks again.
Glad you found it both interesting and useful.
Thank you Chris, I was looking forward to part 2!
More to come.
Bravo Sir! Thank you for narrating another riveting example of daring, guts, and military skill and old fashioned determination to win. Brilliant video on the subject. Aces Sir! God bless you and I look forward to your next offering. 👊👍c
Next one coming later this week.
You mean, Old fashioned determination to be a virus in another civilization and subjugate the native and destroy their culture and economy...
@@TheRforravi that's war and conquest.
Don't act as if Indians weren't killing each other before
I am really enjoying this series. I know very little about these events and I'm learning a lot. Great job!
Thanks for watching my video
Another great eye opening series, never knew this,look forward to the next one 👍
Just released:
th-cam.com/video/MJyRJlcSxQ8/w-d-xo.html
That was an outstanding presentation. It provided information that I did not obtain from Churchill's coverage of that subject.
Thanks for watching
Gripping, tragic and insightful narrative of this conflict. Interesting history of the Gurkhas, Pathans (Pashtuns) and Sikhs serving loyally with the British during this conflict. The Sikhs fought the British in the mid 1840s Anglo-Sikh Wars. The Sikhs and the Gurkhas will serve in the British army in the following decades including WW1 and WW2. Really appreciate your videos.
Thanks for your support.
Conan Doyle paid due tribute to the Sikhs via Dr Watson "I know the Sikh he's not a man to be triffled with"
@@jasoncornell1579 an excellent quote (and very true!)
One of main reason for British victory over outnumbered Indian sepoy was helping hand of Sikhs, Gurkha and Pashtun and Punjabi Muslim. Punjab remains helpfull to British. The British rule just started in Punjab and they not experience the oppressive and exploiting British policies like sepoy, and farmers and former kings of northern part of India face in last 100 years.
Observe the divide and rule of the British.The sikhs and Gurkhas could have turned their guns towards British
Looking forward to more! I spent an hour or thereabouts wandering around the graveyard where Nicholson's buried in Delhi a few years ago.
Thanks for sharing the visit.
Nicholson is buried in a cemetery called Nicholson cemetery in an area called Kashmere Gate in north Delhi I studied in a school called st Xaviers which abutted the cemetery and a couple of our teachers had the misfortune of being buried there !
Hi Chris, very well narrated and editted, look forward to the next episode. Good luck from Spain!!
Thank you. Cawnpore Massacre released yesterday.
Rivetting stuff! Detailed, objective, exciting, and perfectly paced. You've done excellent work here. I'm hooked and binge watching through to the end. Had only planned to watch the first one!
Wonderful narration ! William Dalrymple's The Last Mughal brought me here :) Even though we studied about 1857 in high school History, there are so many details and events which we are not aware of.
Thanks for watching my video & your feedback.
People might have questions about why the sikhs did not support this so called "war of independence". One merely has to look at the history of sikhs vs. mughals to understand the reasons. I am a sikh and we had a very long troublesome history with the Mughal empire and there was no way in hell that sikhs could fight to allow a Mughal emperor to become powerful again.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. Appreciated.
And it was jihad...it was good sikhs didn't support....
In hindsight though that actually doesnt seem like the smartest decision they could have made. I mean lets be honest the last capable emperor of the Mughals was Aurangzeb. The others were just namesakes. This mughal emperor they rallied behind was a puppet whose face was being used to gather support. If the war succeeded to kick out the British the actual guy who would have been chosen to rule definitely wouldn't be him.
So they Allied with a force that destroyed the whole subcontinent.
Uh... shows how much we should care for them
@@arifahmedkhan9999 ''''destroyed the subcontinent''''? 😂 What the hell are you talking about? 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
I’ve been looking forward to this video! Thank you for your excellent content and knowledge!
Thanks for watching
Another superb episode sir. Looking forward to more.
Certainly more on the way!
Well done a great talk as always. One of the reasons why the majority of sepoys did not join the mutiny was religion. The mutiny was seen as largely a Muslim affair and other religious groups would have none of it. India has a long memory and many had suffered under Muslim rule before the British arrived. I am looking forward to the Cawnpore episode covering the infamous Bibigar Massacre.
Thanks for contributing. My understanding is that the initial rising in the Sepoy Army was from Hindus, as I suggested in my first episode.
@@TheHistoryChap hey!! You should look into 1st siege of bharatpur and 2nd siege of bharatpur, it's quiet interesting i think.
@@TheHistoryChap Certainly Hindus played a substantial part in the revolt. But British soldiers and historians blame the Muslims who had been calling for Jihad years before the mutiny. The 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry which trigged the mutiny were Muslim.
@@TheHistoryChap Did some more research. 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry was Muslim and the soldiers were Sowars not sepoys. All 11 Muslim Cavalry Regiments of the Bengal Army mutinied and were disbanded. The 20th Native Infantry Regt, the second unit to Mutiny at Meerut was also Muslim raised by the Vizier of Oude.
this is objectively wrong. it was most definitely NOT seen a Muslim affair. neither from the perspective of the Sepoys, nor the other powers that joined.
Great video today thanks for what you do and I'm looking forward to the next one 😊😊
Very kind of you. Thanks
Thanks. Informative as always, and questions that are covered before I can ask!
Thanks for watching
I remember asking you to do a series on the Indian Mutiny and you are doing us proud, thanks.
Glad you are enjoying.
Absolutely fascinating! Great production.
loved this story , i think i`ve watched all your history story`s and have loved them all .... many thanks .. Simon
Thanks for your support.
The first Canadian to win the VC William Hall, a black sailor, won it working artillery during the attack on the grand Mosque. He and a ships cabin boy worked the gun under heavy and relentless sniper fire, where other crews retreated. They eventually blew a hole large enough for the infantry to charge into and clear the mosque. His story was forgotten for a while, an old book my mother got for my birthday on Canadians and military decorations didn't even mention him, Old wrongs are being righted and one of our new APB's is named after him.
Guess whose story I intend to tell later in this series?
Can't wait to hear that story get the History Chap treatment
I read about him, a free man that sided with the British against the upstart British of the 13 colonies, upon the treasonous British with French and Dutch assistance victory. The brave honorary Brit fled to Canada with thousands of other sensible free black peoples they fled to the safety of the British Empire
@@TheHistoryChap
Can you make a video about British taking over of Sokoto caliphate.
Huzzah!
Appreciate you covering this, alot of people are oblivious to the cawnpore massacre.
Cawnpore Massacre released last night.
The saxon shall learn to hate...
Thanks, excellent as always!! Really looking forward to the next episode.
Thanks . I’m glad you enjoyed it
Nicely put together and Narrated. Thanks Chris.
My pleasure.
I just discovered this history channel, and it's the very topics I want to hear! Best part, a Brit with a good voic is narrating
Very kind of you, thanks
@@TheHistoryChap You're welcome, and it's true. It's a fascinating part of history. I've had trouble finding info on the mutiny. Thanks again 😊
Once again full of good stories, even though some were tragic. Nice mentions of Frederick Roberts.
Roberts will appear in future videos.
Great video and so interesting, thanks for all your time and effort you put into these fascinating stories and stay well.
Thanks for your support.
Excellent once again Chris, can't wait for the next one 👌.
Glad that you are enjoying. Next one later this week.
Thanks, Chris, another brilliant telling, I am looking forward to the next episode, Cheers
Thanks for your kind words
Thanks for the videos
Take care 🙂
Thanks for your support.
Loving this series. You really need a decent microphone, Chris.
Thanks for the feedback.
Where i first heard the term 'forlorn hope' Brilliant as per!
Many thanks.
Such fascinating history that I am learning about for the first time. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure.
When it comes to Hobson and really the mutiny in general the factor of group psychology was key, the reason he shot the men wasn't because the mob had decided on attack but rather that they were indecisive, weakness or fear from the British would have given them confidence and made them aware of their numbers, likewise if they had had leadership of one of the prince's had been charismatic and daring then it is almost certain the British would have been ripped to pieces. Instead due to his actions they lost their nerve and dispersed, the moment of decision was marked by inactive tension and I'm sure that Hobson could have danced an Irish jig if he had wanted, the confusion that would have caused would certainly have brought him time. Time and time again throughout the mutiny decisiveness was proven the most valuable attribute, men like Nicholson were so effective because they could push a fine balance in their favour and that change would snowball as all the fence sitters stampeded to line up behind the path of least resistance. Without such men and actions the British would have found that even those who hated the rebels would look to their own interests and the sudden realisation of British weakness and indecision would have caused a spiral into chaos.
Hodson's horse is still an active unit of the Indian Army, at current they are the 4th horse of the armoured corps.
Thanks for taking the time to contribute. Appreciated.
Interesting, but I don't think it was that finely balanced. Indians in battles against the British had always been incredibly hopeless though - many decisive British victories from 1754 - 1860 were fought at odds like 10 to 1. Also, many of the Hindu maharajahs of princely states were really semi-autonomous, they didn't even have to pay taxes, they led good lives and only had to put up with a British "political officer" who made sure that they didn't fight their princely neighbours etc. or strike up dialogues with other European powers (that's it) - for those rulers it was "better the devil you know" rather than throw their weight behind a resurgent Islamic Empire ruling from Delhi who were going to do God knows what with their territories - the Sikhs felt the same way. And the Gurkhas were not even Indian - they didn't care, and they were happy with the pay, treatment and with the equipment from their British paymasters who offered guaranteed long term employment. As professional mercenaries, the rebels would have always seemed a dubious prospect as a future employer.
The native soldiers who mutinied were led by what was known as "Native Officers" (Subedar, Risaldar etc.). These officers had command over a small group of men who were mainly from same area and religion etc.
These officers never could get the "big picture" (the latest jargon) of waging a war. Planning large military operations, troop movements and even maintaining a supply line was not their skill.
The British Generals were smart here. They knew which soldiers (Sikhs/Gorkhas) remained loyal to them and could bring in a large number of troops from Karnal etc.
And simply put the British officials knew the Indian society and it's differences better than Indians themselves .
British will pay for their karma... Karma is a bitch...
I first time I heard about the siege of Delhi was from Martin Carthy a Folk guitarists so learning the history behind the song has been very interesting.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
Outnumbered and out-gunned the Brits attacked a walled city. Incredibly brave, and stupid. This, in large part, is how the empire was won.
Their casualty rate was roughly 30%
Man thank you for your incredible videos!
Glad you like them!
I served in 1st Bn The Light Infantry and they through previous county Light Infantry Regiment inherited part of the Union Flag that was recaptured from the battle of Lucknow, found throw down a well along with bodies of British men , women and children.
Thank you for sharing
I've recently have watched "55 Days in Peking" and I was wandering whether you have any plans to talk about the Boxer Uprising and the involvement of England in it?
I recommend The Boxer Rebellion by Diana Preston. A wonderful compilation of that summer of 1900 in China. I just finished rereading that book again.
@@cynthiaalver Thanks, I will try to get it ❤
Yes, later this year. Please subscribe or sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss (www.thehistorychap.com)
Excellent as always ... I'm looking forward to next episode.
Thanks for your support
Very informative thanks for showing your respect over our Indian history.
Thanks for watching.
Enchanted! Bring more!
Will do. Thanks for your support.
Thank you for making wonderful informative videos about history.
My pleasure
Always a pleasure when one of your vids pops up
Glad you enjoy them. Thanks for your support
Brilliant and, as Always, Fascinating!!!!
Thank you
Thanks for this series. Interesting and informative.
Thanks for watching
What an intriguing and eye-opening explanation. We were taught about this event in our textbooks as the Sepoy Revolt, and some historians refer to it as the First Freedom Struggle. However, as a software engineer with a passion for history, I believe that the East India Company's victory in this rebellion set the stage for positive transformation in India. The rebellion ultimately led to the end of Mughal rule in India, paving the way for a unified and independent country where Hindus could live in peace and harmony. While the rebellion undoubtedly was a time of great upheaval and suffering, it also marked the dawn of a new era for India. I understand that this may be a controversial opinion, but I believe it is crucial to recognize the multifaceted and complex nature of this historical event.
Furthermore, I would like to emphasize that the failure of the Sepoy Revolt ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise, a felix culpa. While the rebellion itself was a tragic event, it ultimately led to the dismantling of the Mughal Empire, which had become increasingly oppressive and inefficient. This paved the way for India's eventual independence from British rule, which in turn laid the foundation for the establishment of a democratic system of government. Under Mughal rule, democracy would have been virtually impossible to achieve.
Thank you for taking the time to add this perspective to Indian history. I hadn’t seen it in that light before.
Listening to the whole series. YOu do great presentations. Thank you.
Thank you for watching this miniseries
Very good. I was glued to every word👍
Thanks for watching.
I'll garden later!
New History Chap!
Always a good reason to put off gardening :)
So glad that I found this channel ⚔️ amazing contents ❤
Thanks for your support
Sepoy mutiny is rise of Indian nationalism. It was first time when Indian rebels against foreign rules. Thanks to Britishers for their suppressing and looting policies. Salute to 60,0000 Indian who was killed by Britishers for 6000 British casualties.
Thank you for taking the time to comment
Dude, you have a very binary view of history which is far from the truth!!.
I suggest you study history by reading primary sources and not on narratives. Lack of depth of knowledge shows in your round figure numbers.
Investigate why the rani of jhasi joined the rebellion after a whole year and only after the negotiations on doctrine of lapse failed.
@@surajbiradar9827 East India Company official backed by British parliament harassed kings, nawab, Native Soldiers , as well as farmers artisan. As well as trying to hurt religious sentiments. .It was cause uprising against British
@@amitmangsulikar7153 This seems like a movie dialogue and not history which is more nuaanced hahha. I suggest you read the book 'False allies' by Manu s Pillai on this topic.
Mutiny to bring Mughals back in Power .....hahaha, no wonder Punjab didnt support the Mutiny
This is fascinating. Perhaps consider the story of Baird Smith. A canal engineer who saved many British lives and the total destruction of a masque in old Delhi. Buried in Madras. A Victorian hero !!
Thanks for the suggestion. I will add to my (ever-growing) list.
Excellent
Thanks for watching
A great summary, but one question. A lot of pictures feature the Foreign Service helmet (adopted in the 1870's) rather than the Kepi style cap covered by the Havelock cap and neck cover which was standard headgear in the 1857 - 58 period. Am I being picky?
As an aside, the Havelock is now usually associated with the French Foreign Legion without acknowledgement of its British origins.
Thanks for taking the time to post
Though part of "bengal presidency" many of these regions weren't bengal region. Bengal region is the land consisting of Bangladesh and west bengal while there was awadh region or oudh, rohilkhand, bihar, bhojpur,etc.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. You are right that the Bengal Presidency was growing way beyond Bengal. That in itself was adding to internal differences in the Bengal army.
Excellent, so well told.
Thank you
Thanks so much Chris
My pleasure
Great vid,Thank You.
My pleasure. Thank you for watching
Very interesting, thank you!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Another great Video . Always amazes me how different historically North and South India are to each other . For a South Indian the Delhi Sultanate seems another world away .
Interesting thought.
The best part is that the British were smart enough to understand Indian society and identify the fissures/differences between them.
So they could get Sikhs and Gorkhas (Hindus) to fight the Bengal troops (Hindus from another area and Muslims). And later got Gorkha and Pathan (Muslim) troops to fire at Sikhs in Amritsar. And during the 1921 Moplah riots in South India, got Gorkhas and Assam Rifles troops to flatten the Moplah (Muslim) religious terrorists.
This is a period of history that is rarely taught, so it's with great appreciation that I thank you for yet another lecture on the history of Britain and the Commonwealth.
Thanks for watching.
@6:10 - That "junior officer, Frederick Roberts" went on to win a V.C. for his actions on 2 January 1858 at Khudaganj (later during the Mutiny) and eventually become Field Marshal Lord 'Bobs' Roberts of Kandahar...
@12:23 - The 75th Foot were not merged with the Gordon Highlanders (the 92nd) until the reforms of 1881. During the Indian Mutiny they were the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot. Originally raised in October 1787, in Stirling, by Colonel Robert Abercromby as the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot the regiment was formed for service in India with the forces of the East India Company. Although the EIC was charged with the regiment’s upkeep while in India, it was still a British Army unit. Peviously serving in India from 1788 to 1807 it had fought in the Third & Fourth Mysore Wars and the Second Maratha War.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Again very well presented
Thank you
Well done Chris keep it up.👍👍👍
Thank you. Glad you are enjoying.
excellent video Chris
Thank you.
Excited to learn about this history
Glad you enjoyed
Excellent !
Thanks for watching.
Very interesting Chris, not as gory as the last one. Have a good week
Thank you. You might want to close your eyes in the next one!
@@TheHistoryChap Chris if I close my eyes I won't see it anyway, praps I should avoid that one eh, and wait for something less blood thirsty. See you then, have a good week
Excellent! Congratulations from France.
I know the Sepoy Mutiny since, when I was a a child, I read La Maison à vapeur (The Steam house) by Jules Verne, a novel describing a journey in India in 1867, ten years after the mutiny, in a sort of curious camping-car tracted by a power-engine looking at an elephant ! Colonel Munro's wife has been killed in the Cawnpore massacre (or the Colonel thinks so). The Colonel and his friends are going to travel through part of India, passing through the famous places of the revolt, without knowing that Nana Sahib, one of the chiefs of the revolt, who survived, has decided to set a trap for them because he wants to revenge on Colonel Munro who (in the novel) killed the Rani Jansi, another head of the revolt. Eventually Munro and his friends will discover that Munro's wife is not dead : she has gone mad after the massacres, and she wanders in the forests and the villages, respected by the population; the entire story is a very interesting description of the northern India, with recollections of the Mutiny, until all the characters meet for the final fight...
Talking of the Mutiny, Jules Verne perfectly describes the situation of the British during the revolt, facing an enemy superior in number and compensating for this inferiority with courage and tenacity. He gives the French point of view upon the Mutiny at the time (the book was published in 1880, I think), a revolt maybe caused by British bad treatments of Indians, but admitting without seeing contradiction that British cause is that of civilization ....
Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment.
"British cause is that of civilization" 😂. You misspelled exploitation bub.
Didn't know Jules Verne prescribed to the "white man's burden" line of thought. He must've been a product of the times i guess, sadly.
@@kupamanduka9218t was the occidental point of view of his time, at least the dominant one. Jules Verne in his novel says shortly and cautiously Britain is not without reproach in India, but when dealing with the Mutiny, he is on the British side.
His views about colonization have been discussed by scholars, they seem not to have been single - minded, but he believed in the superiority of occidental people.
@simeonstilite Yeah, race theory was the predominant idea then, a way to sell Colonialization as a noble cause. Even Gandhi used to believe in it initially..
@@simeonstilite Jules Verne's views on the subject may have been complex. My reason for saying this is that Captain Nemo of the Nautilus was later revealed by Verne to be an Indian prince whose family had been killed during the revolt/mutiny - and the race he so hated were the British.
Well Done and Subscribed.
Thanks for your support.
The casualty numbers are staggering. Also the simple decision to storm the city in such a brazen manner
Huge % of casualties - over 30% of British attacking force.
I love these videos. Entertaining and I believe educational. I say believe because I am not well versed in the history of India or of the British administration in India.
Even so, I believe it is clear that India benefited then and even more so now from British involvement in the subcontinent
Thank you for taking the time to watch my video
Great series, it was definitely the Indian mutiny, never mind that a few present day Indians get all upset about it, in 1857 India my have been a generic name for the sub continent, but there was no such thing as India the country. That's something else we gave them. Their callous butchery of women & children, had to be avenged, unfortunately this vengeance probably went too far as well, although having said that they had to make this a lesson, that rebellion would never be tolerated as to prevent this happening again, by their standards of those times were far more severe, even on our own people, rebellion meant death.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
It was fight for independence for Hindus and jihad for muslims....many innocent British civilians were killed consciously by Jihadis......
@Sahitya oh arent you the wise one? Or smart alec?
There was never a unified India until the area was reduced by modern rapid 19th century transportation, the railway, otherwise it took days & sometimes weeks to cross the vast distancees as the roads were rudimentary at best.
Same for communication, 19th century telagraph meant news & info could pass very rapidly, the whole process making in what it is today, never mind going back millenia, what difference does that make?
It was British western modern technology of the 19th century that only began to create the country you have today.
We even gave you a common language, English.
Stop being so butt hurt because it was Britain itself that helped make your country what it has become today, not some long dead empire from 4 millenia ago. Similarly Britain became a country because at the beginning it was occupied by Rome, for nearly 400 years, several centuries after their departure we had established a kingdom. But their occupation basically made us one country as they had more advanced technology of their day.
Did the young officer named Roberts go on to become Field marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar?
I have a copy of his book "My 41 years in India" fascinating reading.
He did indeed.
Dam good work putting down those damned rebels!!😊
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
The country belonged to those dammed rebels😊😊
@@hardeepsingh-sg2kz yes and England belongs to the English but seeing as no one seems to think they should have to respect that anymore so guess it's all just a free for all worldwide
Wonderful presentation, thank you.
My pleasure. Thanks for your support
This is known as First War of Independence in India. Although it didn't end the british empire but it was the start of end of british empire in India.
Thanks for watching my video
@@TheHistoryChap Welcome, Can you please make a video on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
do you intend to bring to the channel the opium wars this year?
Yes, I’m intending to. Going where other historians dare not tread.
The King's Royal Rifle Corps Association still celebrates the Siege with an annual Delhi Day Lunch in September in London. If you once wore the badge come and meet old comrades.
Thanks for taking the time to share
The thing I've wondered about was, did any crews on the indiamen mutiny?? Be fascinating to know
Great question.
No need to go woke & mealy mouthed my friend, check the definition in a dictionary. It was an attack by soldiers who had sworn loyalty against those to whom they had sworn loyalty to. That is defined as a mutiny & this is why 1857 is referred to as the (great) Indian mutiny.
Thanks for sharing.
18:05 One look at the bloody handprint and I know exactly where this is. I believe there's a well located somewhere nearby.
and here is the story:
th-cam.com/video/MJyRJlcSxQ8/w-d-xo.html
@@TheHistoryChap Hail and well met, brother. Well done.
The Indian Mutiny was always the way it was known.
I’ve seen Victorian memorial tablets with the words Sepoy Mutiny and also Sepoy rebellion.
Very nice video
Thank you.
Outstanding, ready for Cawnpore.
Thanks.
Fantastic video
Thanks for watching.
@@TheHistoryChap my pleasure sir 🙏🏻
It's no breavery of any British soldier or officers but Madras and Bombey regiments went with the British was the main reason behind India failed to ger her freedom in 1857 .
Thanks for sharing your perspective.
1858 the Direct rule of the British Crown began after dissolution of the East India Company as a result of 1857 uprising. From 1858 queen Victoria was known as Empress of India just to be clear.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
On leaving school in 1949 my brother began working in the Paymaster General's Office in Whitehall. he found that they were still paying pensions to widows of Officers who had been serving in the East India Company and had been granted pensions when the EIC had been dissolved in 1858. Some of these men had been still alive in the 1920s and, either widowed or unmarried, had married young women purely to give them an income since they were unlikely to marry due to the carnage of young men in the Great War.
I greatly enjoy your stories of the colonial era. I visit India often and have many friends there. They seem to hold Britain in great respect which I find odd given the current narrative. They are less keen on the Russians who bribe their corrupt politicians. Things I guess never change.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Don't worry about us Indians who are rapidly advancing in power and prosperity rather worry about your irrelevant small country which is an American vassal state 😂,and yaar we are pals with the Russians who helped us against you Brits in 1971 war . You have any problem with it?
Must be kidding. Any Indian knowing their history would see the arrogant British for what they are. Very evil episode of the British arrogance.
@@harshitthakural3262 Exactly. What did the British ever do for you, except hospitals, infrastructure, roads, railroads, ports, civil servce, judicial systems and banking...?
@@Lassisvulgaris we could have had our own meiji restoration under maratha empire but you b@stards had to butt in
Was Subadar Major a post 1857 development in the British Indian Army?
Not that I am aware of.
It's a very over from old Indian posts like Jamadar, Naik, Subedar etc. But don't get confused by "Major", as these were all NCOs (one advantage of British not letting Indians become commissioned officers was leaderless rebels promoting dismally here)... Also those ranks still exists for NCOs of today's Indian Army.
Unbelievable both Field Marshals Gough and Roberts served dueing this war
Thanks for watching my video
Actually the vellore mutiny on 10july1806 was the first mutiny / rebellion .lasted one day.maj gen sir hugh robert rollo gillespie led the counterattack.
Thank you for sharing.
I called it the revolt of 1857
There are so many different names for it. Type in any of them into Google and you will get some sort of answer.