Modern History – Set 36
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📌 Modern History • Maratha Empire
Q.1) Which treaty, signed in December 1802, reduced the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao II to British vassalage?
Ans > Treaty of Bassein
- The Battle of Poona Context: The Treaty of Bassein, signed on December 31, 1802, was a decisive pact between the British East India Company and Baji Rao II, the Maratha Peshwa of Pune. This treaty was precipitated by the Battle of Poona, where Yashwantrao Holkar overwhelmingly defeated the combined armies of the Peshwa and the Scindia. Fleeing for his life, Baji Rao II sought British refuge, leading to this humiliating agreement.
- Stringent Subsidiary Terms: Under the treaty’s stringent terms, the Peshwa agreed to maintain a British subsidiary force of no less than 6,000 regular infantry, complete with artillery, stationed permanently in his territory. To fund this massive military presence, he ceded territories yielding a massive annual revenue of 26 lakh rupees.
- Loss of Sovereignty: Furthermore, the Peshwa surrendered his sovereign right to enter into treaties or wage war with any other power without explicit British consent. He also agreed to dismiss any Europeans hostile to the British from his service. This treaty effectively sounded the death knell for the Maratha Empire’s independence.
- Trigger for the Second War: The treaty deeply offended other proud Maratha chieftains like the Scindias and Bhonsles, who viewed it as an utter national humiliation. Their subsequent refusal to accept the treaty’s terms directly triggered the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), permanently altering the political landscape of the Indian subcontinent.
📌 Modern History • Anglo-Sikh Wars
Q.2) During the First Anglo-Sikh War, the Sikhs suffered five successive defeats. Which of the following was NOT one of those battle sites?
Ans > Ramnagar
- Origins of the First War: The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-1846) erupted following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, which plunged the formidable Sikh Empire into severe internal political chaos and factional assassinations. Provoked by British military build-up, the Sikh Khalsa army crossed the Sutlej River.
- The Five Disastrous Defeats: Despite fighting with incredible ferocity and valor, the Sikh army was repeatedly betrayed by its own commanders, Lal Singh and Tej Singh. The Sikhs suffered five consecutive, bloody defeats at the hands of the British at the battles of Mudki (December 1845), Ferozeshah (December 1845), Baddowal (January 1846), Aliwal (January 1846), and finally, the decisive and devastating Battle of Sobraon (February 1846).
- The Exception (Battle of Ramnagar): The Battle of Ramnagar does not belong to this sequence. It took place much later, in November 1848, marking one of the opening engagements of the Second Anglo-Sikh War. At Ramnagar, the British forces under Sir Hugh Gough faced off against the Sikh army led by the fiercely capable Sher Singh Attariwalla.
📌 Modern History • Punjab Annexation
Q.3) The Treaty of Lahore (March 8, 1846) resulted in the annexation of which region to the Company’s dominions?
Ans > Jalandhar Doab
- Concluding the First War: Signed on March 8, 1846, the Treaty of Lahore formally ended the First Anglo-Sikh War. The victorious British imposed incredibly harsh and punitive terms on the defeated Sikh Empire, fundamentally crippling its military and economic power.
- Annexation of Jalandhar Doab: A primary condition of the treaty was the forced ceding of the highly fertile Jalandhar Doab. This region, geographically positioned between the Beas and Sutlej rivers, was a massive economic loss for the Sikhs and provided the British with a crucial strategic foothold deep inside the Punjab.
- Military Restrictions & Indemnity: Furthermore, the treaty mandated a massive war indemnity of 1.5 crore rupees. It also severely restricted the size of the legendary Khalsa army, limiting it to a mere 12,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry. To ensure compliance, Henry Lawrence was appointed as the first British Resident at Lahore, effectively reducing the young Maharaja Duleep Singh to a subordinate ruler.
📌 Modern History • Treaties
Q.4) After the First Anglo-Sikh War, Kashmir was sold to Gulab Singh for what amount?
Ans > 75 lakh rupees
- The Indemnity Crisis: Following the disastrous Treaty of Lahore, the Sikh Darbar was ordered to pay a crushing war indemnity of 1.5 crore rupees. The financially depleted Sikh state could only muster 50 lakh rupees, leaving a massive shortfall of 1 crore rupees that they simply could not pay.
- The Treaty of Amritsar (1846): To settle this massive debt, the British essentially partitioned the Sikh Empire. Through the infamous Treaty of Amritsar signed on March 16, 1846, the British officially sold the scenic and strategically vital region of Kashmir to Gulab Singh, a powerful Dogra general who had served the Sikh Empire but remained notoriously neutral (or pro-British) during the war.
- Formation of Jammu and Kashmir: Gulab Singh paid exactly 75 lakh Nanakshahi rupees to the British East India Company. In return, the British recognized him as the independent Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. This controversial transaction completely altered the geopolitics of the Himalayan region and birthed the modern princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under Dogra rule.
📌 Modern History • Punjab Annexation
Q.5) The Treaty of Bhairowal in December 1846 removed whom from the position of regent in Punjab?
Ans > Rani Jindan
- Tightening the Noose: Following the Treaty of Lahore, the British were still dissatisfied with the level of control they exerted over the Punjab. Suspecting the Sikh leadership of plotting rebellions, the British effectively forced the signing of a new, supplementary agreement known as the Treaty of Bhairowal in December 1846.
- Establishment of the Regency Council: This new treaty placed the entire civil and military administration of the Punjab directly under a Council of Regency. While this council ostensibly consisted of eight Sikh Sardars, they were completely subordinate to the British Resident, Henry Lawrence, who was granted ultimate veto power over all decisions.
- Deposition of Rani Jindan: The most significant personal consequence of this treaty fell upon Maharani Jind Kaur (Rani Jindan), the fiery and deeply anti-British mother of the minor Maharaja Duleep Singh. She was completely stripped of her political power, officially removed from her position as regent, and pensioned off with an annual sum of 1.5 lakh rupees. She was subsequently exiled from Punjab entirely, eventually being moved to Benares to prevent her from rallying Sikh loyalists.
📌 Modern History • Anglo-Sikh Wars
Q.6) The Battle of Gujarat in February 1849 led to the final surrender of which army?
Ans > Sikh army
- The Climax of the Second War: Fought on February 21, 1849, the Battle of Gujarat was the final, decisive, and bloodiest engagement of the Second Anglo-Sikh War. It is historically referred to as the “Battle of Guns” because both sides relied heavily on massive, sustained artillery bombardments rather than traditional infantry charges.
- The Opposing Forces: The British forces were commanded by Lord Hugh Gough, while the fiercely determined Sikh Khalsa Army was led by the veteran commanders Sher Singh Attariwalla and his father Chattar Singh. Uniquely, the Sikhs had also managed to secure a brief alliance with their traditional enemies, the Afghans under Dost Mohammad, receiving a contingent of Afghan cavalry support for this final stand.
- The Fall of the Khalsa: Despite their immense bravery, the Sikh lines were eventually broken and utterly destroyed by the overwhelmingly superior range and rate of fire of the British artillery. This crushing defeat forced the unconditional surrender of the entire Sikh Khalsa Army at Rawalpindi a few weeks later. This directly paved the way for Lord Dalhousie to formally annex the entire Punjab on March 29, 1849, permanently ending the sovereign Sikh Empire.
📌 Modern History • British Administration
Q.7) Following the annexation of Punjab in 1849, a three-member board was set up comprising Charles Mansel and which two brothers?
Ans > Henry and John Lawrence
- The Challenge of Governance: After officially annexing the vast, highly militarized territory of Punjab in 1849, Governor-General Lord Dalhousie faced the monumental task of pacifying and governing the hostile region. Instead of appointing a single governor, he established a specialized three-member Board of Administration endowed with supreme civil, military, and judicial powers.
- The Board Members: The board famously consisted of the highly capable Lawrence brothers—Sir Henry Lawrence (who served as the President) and John Lawrence—alongside Charles Grenville Mansel. Henry focused heavily on political reconciliation with the defeated Sikh aristocracy (Sardars), while John, a strict utilitarian, concentrated on reforming revenue collection and protecting the peasantry. Mansel handled the overhaul of the judicial system.
- The “Punjab School” Legacy: This board birthed the famous “Punjab School” of administration. They rapidly disarmed the entire civilian population, dismantled the old forts, and initiated massive infrastructure projects, including digging complex canal networks and paving the Grand Trunk Road. Their administration was so ruthlessly efficient and surprisingly popular with the agricultural classes that the Punjab remained largely pacified and actively supported the British during the massive Revolt of 1857 just a few years later.
📌 Modern History • Subsidiary Alliance
Q.8) Which Indian state was the first to fall into a protection trap anticipating the Subsidiary Alliance system in 1765?
Ans > Awadh
- The Aftermath of Buxar: Following the decisive British victory at the Battle of Buxar in 1764, Robert Clive dictated terms to the defeated powers. He forced Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah of Awadh to sign the highly consequential Treaty of Allahabad in 1765. This treaty marked the beginning of a subtle but lethal political entrapment for Indian states.
- The Buffer State Strategy: Rather than annexing Awadh directly—which would have been too costly to defend against the Marathas and Afghans—Clive deliberately restored Awadh to the Nawab. However, he turned it into a dependent “buffer state” designed to shield the wealthy province of Bengal. Awadh was forced to pay a crippling war indemnity of 50 lakh rupees.
- The Precursor to Wellesley’s System: Crucially, the Nawab was forced to agree that the British East India Company would defend Awadh’s borders, but the Nawab would have to bear the entire financial cost of these British troops stationed within his territory. This extortionate “protection” arrangement was the exact blueprint and direct precursor to the formal “Subsidiary Alliance” system later institutionalized and aggressively expanded by Lord Wellesley in 1798.
📌 Modern History • Doctrine of Lapse
Q.9) Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh in 1856 on the grounds of misgovernment, deposing which Nawab?
Ans > Wajid Ali Shah
- The Pretext for Annexation: Lord Dalhousie annexed the wealthy kingdom of Awadh (Oudh) in February 1856. Unlike his annexations of Satara, Jhansi, or Nagpur, Dalhousie could not use the controversial “Doctrine of Lapse” because Awadh had a clear, natural male heir. Instead, he relied heavily on a scathing report prepared by the British Resident, James Outram.
- Charges of Misgovernance: Outram’s report painted a picture of chronic internal misgovernment, rampant corruption, and the Nawab’s complete failure to reform the administration or protect the peasantry. Using this claim of chronic maladministration as a moral pretext, Dalhousie unilaterally dissolved the kingdom and absorbed it into British India.
- Exile and Fallout: Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last ruler of Awadh and a renowned patron of the arts, poetry, and Kathak dance, was unceremoniously deposed. He was sent into permanent exile to Metiabruz, a suburb of Calcutta, granted an annual pension of 12 lakh rupees. This high-handed annexation deeply alienated the Awadh Talukdars (landlords) and the thousands of Company sepoys recruited from the region, acting as a massive catalyst for the bloody Revolt of 1857.
📌 Modern History • Anglo-Nepalese War
Q.10) The Treaty of Sagauli (1816) concluded the Anglo-Nepalese War. Which districts did Nepal cede to the British?
Ans > Garhwal and Kumaon
- Origins of the Conflict: The Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816), initiated during the tenure of Governor-General Lord Hastings, was triggered by aggressive Gorkha territorial expansion southward into the fertile Terai region, directly clashing with British East India Company borders in Awadh and Gorakhpur. The British faced intense, difficult mountain warfare against highly skilled Gorkha troops.
- Harsh Treaty Terms: The war finally concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Sagauli in 1815 (ratified in 1816). The treaty dictated massive territorial concessions from Nepal. The Gorkhas were forced to cede the entire, highly strategic mountainous regions of Kumaon and Garhwal, abandon all claims to the disputed Terai lowlands, and completely withdraw from the state of Sikkim.
- Long-Term Strategic Impact: Beyond territorial losses, the treaty mandated that a British Resident be permanently stationed in Kathmandu, curbing Nepal’s foreign policy. Crucially, the British, deeply impressed by the martial prowess of their enemies, secured the right to recruit Gorkha soldiers directly into the British Indian Army—a military tradition that continues to this day. The treaty successfully established the modern borders of Nepal.
📌 Modern History • Anglo-Burmese Wars
Q.11) The Treaty of Yandabo in 1826 ended the First Anglo-Burmese War. It required the Government of Burma to pay a war compensation of what amount?
Ans > One crore rupees
- A Disastrously Expensive War: The First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826), initiated by Governor-General Lord Amherst, was triggered by Burmese expansion into Assam, Arakan, and Manipur, directly threatening the borders of British Bengal. While the British eventually won, the war was notoriously mismanaged, extremely protracted, and cost the Company a staggering financial sum and heavy casualties due to tropical diseases.
- Crippling Territorial Concessions: The war was concluded on February 24, 1826, with the signing of the incredibly harsh Treaty of Yandabo. The Burmese Empire was forced to cede the vast, vital coastal provinces of Arakan and Tenasserim to the British. Furthermore, Burma had to permanently surrender all claims and interference in the kingdoms of Assam, Cachar, Jaintia, and recognize Manipur as a fully independent state.
- The Financial Ruin: Perhaps the most crippling clause was the massive war indemnity imposed on the defeated nation. The Burmese royal treasury was forced to pay one million pounds sterling, which was roughly equivalent to one crore rupees at the time. This massive extortion completely bankrupted the Burmese economy and necessitated the permanent placement of a British Resident in the capital of Ava.
📌 Modern History • British Conquests
Q.12) During the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, the British occupied which remaining coastal province of Burma?
Ans > Pegu
- Commercial Pretexts for War: The Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) was aggressively initiated by Governor-General Lord Dalhousie. The conflict was largely driven by the powerful commercial interests of British timber merchants and traders in Rangoon who complained of mistreatment by local Burmese officials. The immediate trigger was the highly aggressive and unauthorized actions of Commodore Lambert, who blockaded the port and seized the King’s royal ship.
- Swift Military Victory: Unlike the disastrous first war, the British forces were highly organized, utilizing modern steamships to swiftly navigate the Irrawaddy River. They easily overwhelmed the outdated Burmese defenses, capturing critical strongholds including Martaban, Rangoon, and Prome with minimal British casualties.
- Strategic Landlocking of Burma: The most critical outcome of the war was Dalhousie’s unilateral annexation of the entire province of Pegu (often referred to as Lower Burma). By seizing Pegu, the British effectively gained complete control over the entire eastern coastline of the Bay of Bengal, the vital Irrawaddy delta’s rich rice-growing regions, and immensely valuable teak forests. This annexation effectively landlocked the remaining independent Burmese kingdom (Upper Burma), cutting it off from all maritime trade and rendering it totally economically dependent.
📌 Modern History • Viceroys
Q.13) Which Viceroy ordered the invasion and final annexation of upper Burma in 1885 following the hostile actions of King Thibaw?
Ans > Lord Dufferin
- French Intrigue and Commercial Disputes: The immediate pretext for the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885 was a bitter commercial dispute where King Thibaw levied a massive, crippling fine on the British-owned Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation for allegedly under-reporting teak timber extraction. However, the true British motivation was deep alarm over King Thibaw’s attempts to establish strong diplomatic, military, and commercial treaties with the French, who were aggressively expanding their empire next door in Indochina.
- The Swift Invasion: Fearing a French stronghold on their eastern flank, Viceroy Lord Dufferin issued an ultimatum to King Thibaw that would have essentially reduced him to a British puppet. When Thibaw inevitably rejected it, Dufferin authorized a rapid, massive invasion up the Irrawaddy River in November 1885. The Burmese army, poorly equipped and suffering from low morale, collapsed almost immediately.
- The End of an Empire: The British forces captured the royal capital of Mandalay within mere weeks. King Thibaw and his queen, Supayalat, were forced to surrender and were unceremoniously exiled to Ratnagiri on the western coast of India. Lord Dufferin officially proclaimed the annexation of Upper Burma on January 1, 1886, completing the total British conquest of Burma and incorporating it entirely as a province of British India.
📌 Modern History • Foreign Policy
Q.14) Under the Treaty of Lhasa (1904), the Indian Government was to occupy which valley as security for the payment of an indemnity by Tibet?
Ans > Chumbi Valley
- The Younghusband Expedition: Driven by intense paranoia regarding rumors of secret Russian infiltration and influence over the Dalai Lama, Viceroy Lord Curzon dispatched a heavily armed military expedition to Tibet in 1903-1904. Led by Colonel Francis Younghusband, the expedition ruthlessly gunned down poorly armed Tibetan militia at Guru and marched all the way to the forbidden capital of Lhasa, forcing the Dalai Lama to flee to Mongolia.
- The Treaty of Lhasa (1904): With the capital occupied, the British forced the remaining Tibetan officials to sign the humiliating Treaty of Lhasa. The treaty mandated that Tibet pay a massive war indemnity of 75 lakh rupees (which was later reduced on the orders of the British cabinet). It also established new British trade marts at Yatung, Gyantse, and Gartok.
- Strategic Occupation: Crucially, to guarantee the payment of this massive indemnity, the British military occupied the highly strategic Chumbi Valley. This valley is the vital, primary trade and transit route connecting Sikkim to Tibet. The British maintained their occupation of the valley for three years until the indemnity was finally paid off, effectively turning Tibet into a British sphere of influence and blocking Russian ambitions.
📌 Modern History • Anglo-Afghan Relations
Q.15) The Tripartite Treaty of 1838 involved the British, the Sikhs, and which exiled Afghan ruler?
Ans > Shah Shuja
- The Great Game and Russophobia: During the 1830s, the “Great Game”—the geopolitical struggle between the British and Russian Empires for dominance in Central Asia—was at its peak. Governor-General Lord Auckland was gripped by intense Russophobia, fearing that the sitting Afghan Amir in Kabul, Dost Mohammad, was aligning too closely with Russian envoys and the Persians, threatening British India’s western frontier.
- The Puppet King Strategy: To secure the frontier, Auckland devised a highly flawed, aggressive plan to overthrow Dost Mohammad. He decided to replace him with Shah Shuja, a former Durrani monarch of Afghanistan who had been deposed decades earlier and was living as an exiled pensioner in Ludhiana under British protection.
- The Tripartite Alliance: To execute this regime change, the Tripartite Treaty was signed in June 1838 between three parties: the British East India Company, the powerful Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire, and the exiled Shah Shuja. The treaty outlined a joint military invasion to forcefully install Shah Shuja on the throne in Kabul. This aggressive alliance directly triggered the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842), which ultimately resulted in the horrific slaughter of the retreating British army and became one of the greatest military disasters in British history.
📌 Modern History • Foreign Policy
Q.16) Which Governor-General followed a policy of “masterly inactivity” as a reaction to the disasters of the First Afghan War?
Ans > John Lawrence
- The Trauma of the First Afghan War: Following the horrific annihilation of the British Army retreating from Kabul in 1842, British policymakers developed a deep-seated paranoia and extreme reluctance regarding any political or military entanglement in the volatile, unforgiving terrain of Afghanistan. The consensus shifted entirely toward fortifying the Indian border rather than venturing beyond it.
- Formulating the Policy: Governor-General John Lawrence (1864-1869) officially formulated and rigorously adhered to this cautious approach, which became famous as the policy of “Masterly Inactivity.” It dictated a stance of strict, absolute non-interference in the brutal Afghan civil wars of succession that erupted following the death of Amir Dost Mohammad in 1863.
- Pragmatic Recognition: The core tenet of Lawrence’s policy was that the British would not provide money or arms to back any specific candidate fighting for the Kabul throne. Instead, they would remain totally aloof and only officially recognize and establish diplomatic relations with whichever faction emerged victorious and proved capable of solidly maintaining control. This pragmatic policy successfully avoided costly military entanglements while maintaining a relatively secure North-West frontier for a generation.
📌 Modern History • Viceroys
Q.17) The policy of “proud reserve” towards Afghanistan was started by which Viceroy in 1876?
Ans > Lord Lytton
- A Shift in Global Politics: The election of Benjamin Disraeli’s Conservative government in Britain marked a dramatic shift away from cautious diplomacy toward an aggressive, imperialistic “Forward Policy” against perceived Russian expansion in Central Asia. Lord Lytton was specifically chosen and sent to India as Viceroy in 1876 with an explicit mandate to implement this aggressive stance on the North-West frontier.
- Discarding Masterly Inactivity: Lytton completely discarded the established, cautious policy of “masterly inactivity.” He replaced it with what he termed a policy of “proud reserve”—a euphemism for aggressive intervention, coercion, and forcing a subservient relationship upon the Afghan Amir, Sher Ali.
- Triggering the Second War: Under this new policy, Lytton demanded that Amir Sher Ali accept a permanent British military and diplomatic mission stationed in Kabul to counter Russian influence. When the Amir desperately tried to remain neutral and refused the British envoy—but was subsequently forced to welcome an uninvited Russian envoy—Lytton used this as a pretext to launch a massive invasion, igniting the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880).
📌 Modern History • Boundaries
Q.18) In 1893, a boundary line was drawn between Afghan and British territories, known as what?
Ans > Durand Line
- The Need for Demarcation: By the late 19th century, the British realized the urgent need to establish a clearly defined buffer zone and officially delimit the exact frontier between the expanding British Indian Empire and the Emirate of Afghanistan. The primary goal was to prevent continuous, exhausting border skirmishes with fiercely independent Pashtun tribes and to solidify the defense against potential Russian incursions.
- The Negotiations: In 1893, a formal agreement was successfully negotiated in Kabul between Sir Mortimer Durand, a highly experienced British diplomat representing the Government of India, and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, the formidable ruler of Afghanistan. This agreement established a 2,640-kilometer border demarcation.
- A Divisive Legacy: The resulting border became internationally known as the Durand Line. However, it was drawn with blatant disregard for local demographics, arbitrarily cutting straight through the Pashtun tribal heartlands, deeply dividing tightly knit families, clans, and confederacies (like the Mohmands and Afridis). Because of this unnatural division, the Durand Line remains the highly volatile, heavily disputed international border between modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan to this day.
📌 Modern History • Administration
Q.19) Which Viceroy created the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) directly under the Government of India?
Ans > Lord Curzon
- The Administrative Problem: Prior to 1901, the highly volatile, deeply militarized Pashtun tribal areas bordering Afghanistan were administered as a part of the massive, primarily agricultural Punjab province. Viceroy Lord Curzon recognized that the slow, rigid bureaucratic machinery of the Punjab government was completely unsuited for handling rapid military emergencies and complex tribal diplomacy on the restive frontier.
- Carving Out a New Province: To solve this, Curzon executed a major administrative reorganization in 1901. He officially detached the crucial trans-Indus districts—specifically Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan—from the jurisdiction of the Punjab province. He amalgamated these districts with the adjacent, unadministered tribal agencies to form an entirely new entity: the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).
- Direct Control and New Tactics: Curzon placed the new NWFP under the authority of a specialized Chief Commissioner who reported directly to the Viceroy in Calcutta, ensuring rapid decision-making. Concurrently, he altered military strategy by withdrawing regular British troops from isolated, exposed forward positions in tribal territory, replacing them with highly mobile, locally recruited tribal militias (like the Khyber Rifles) commanded by British officers to maintain the peace.
📌 Modern History • Peasant Uprisings
Q.20) The Sanyasi Revolt (1763–1800) in Eastern India was also sometimes referred to by what name due to the participation of Muslim ascetics?
Ans > Fakir Rebellion
- Roots of Despair: The massive, decades-long uprising was primarily triggered by the devastating Bengal Famine of 1770, which completely wiped out a third of the region’s population. This tragedy was massively exacerbated by the East India Company’s ruthlessly high revenue extractions and the harsh eviction of peasants by the newly empowered zamindars. This caused massive social and economic displacement across Bengal and Bihar.
- A Unique Coalition: The displaced, starving peasants and disbanded soldiers from the old Nawabi armies found leadership among nomadic religious ascetics. The rebellion saw an unprecedented, powerful coalition between armed Hindu ascetics belonging to the Dasnami sect (the Sanyasis) and armed Muslim mendicants belonging to the Madariya sect (the Fakirs).
- The Sanyasi-Fakir Rebellion: Because these Hindu and Muslim groups fought fiercely side-by-side against a common colonial enemy, the conflict is widely documented as the Sanyasi-Fakir Rebellion. Prominent leaders like Majnun Shah, Musa Shah, and Bhabani Pathak led thousands in a highly effective guerrilla war, constantly plundering Company treasuries and oppressive landlords. It took Warren Hastings decades of sustained military campaigns using regular army battalions to finally suppress the revolt.
📌 Modern History • Literature & Resistance
Q.21) Which prominent female leader’s participation in the Sanyasi Revolt was recognized in a novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay?
Ans > Debi Chaudhurani
- A Leader of the Resistance: Debi Chaudhurani emerged as one of the foremost and most formidable female leaders during the widespread Sanyasi and Fakir rebellion in late 18th-century Bengal. Rejecting the traditional confines placed on women, she actively commanded a large, well-organized armed force, operating largely from the dense, inaccessible forests and complex riverine networks of the Rangpur and Dinajpur districts.
- Robin Hood of Bengal: She effectively funded the massive peasant rebellion by launching daring, highly coordinated attacks to plunder East India Company treasuries, commercial boats, and the estates of deeply oppressive, British-backed zamindars. She became a folk hero among the starving peasantry because she actively distributed the plundered wealth to alleviate their suffering during a period of intense colonial exploitation.
- Literary Immortality: Her immense legacy as a powerful symbol of early anti-colonial resistance and women’s empowerment was firmly immortalized a century later by the great Bengali nationalist writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. In 1884, he published the famous patriotic novel “Devi Chaudhurani”, which romanticized her fight for justice and heavily inspired later generations of freedom fighters in Bengal.
📌 Modern History • Regional Rebellions
Q.22) In 1769, which low-caste peasants revolted and posed a potent challenge to the Ahom kings of Assam?
Ans > Moamarias
- Social and Religious Friction: The Moamarias were a large community consisting mostly of low-caste peasants and artisans in the Brahmaputra valley. They were devout followers of the egalitarian Vaishnavite teachings of Aniruddhadeva (the Moamara Sattra). They heavily resented the orthodox, aristocratic Ahom kings who subjected them to severe religious persecution and grueling, unpaid forced labor under the oppressive Paik system.
- The Eruption of Rebellion: Driven by deep socio-economic and religious grievances, the Moamaria rebellion erupted violently in 1769. It was characterized by massive, relentless popular uprisings against the Ahom state. The rebels fought with such ferocity that they actually managed to capture the Ahom capital of Rangpur on multiple occasions, forcing the king to flee.
- Long-term Geopolitical Impact: Although the Ahom monarchy eventually managed to suppress the uprisings with great difficulty (and only by desperately requesting British military assistance under Captain Welsh), the decades-long guerrilla war completely decimated the Ahom military, depopulated the region, and shattered the economy. This profound internal weakness eventually paved the way for the devastating Burmese invasions of Assam, which in turn inevitably brought the British East India Company into the region to stay.
📌 Modern History • Civil Uprisings
Q.23) The oppressive revenue demands of which British izaradar triggered the 1781 civil uprising in Gorakhpur and Bahraich?
Ans > Major Alexander Hannay
- The Revenue Farming System (Izara): In 1778, Governor-General Warren Hastings was facing severe financial crises trying to fund the expensive wars against the Marathas and Mysore. To raise funds, he forced the Nawab of Awadh to hand over the revenue collection (Izara) of the wealthy districts of Gorakhpur and Bahraich directly to British military officers.
- A Reign of Terror: Major Alexander Hannay was appointed as the primary izaradar (revenue farmer) for these regions. Upon taking control, Hannay unleashed an absolute reign of terror. He exponentially increased the revenue demands to impossible levels. He ruthlessly used his armed troops to imprison, torture, and terrorize local zamindars and cultivators who simply could not meet his extortionate demands.
- The Boiling Point: Driven to massive despair and complete economic ruin, the local population finally reached a breaking point. In 1781, a massive, spontaneous agrarian uprising erupted across the region. Thousands of armed peasants and displaced landlords temporarily drove Hannay and his forces out of the districts. Order was only restored when the British deployed regular, heavily armed army battalions to violently crush the revolt.
📌 Modern History • South Indian Resistance
Q.24) Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a prominent rebel who fought the British between 1795 and 1799, was the poligar of which estate?
Ans > Panjalankurichi
- The Rise of the Poligars: Veerapandiya Kattabomman was a legendary and fiercely independent Palayakarrar (Poligar) who ruled the heavily fortified estate of Panchalankurichi, located in the present-day Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. The Poligars were traditional regional chieftains who maintained their own private armies and collected taxes.
- The Dispute over Sovereignty: During the late 18th century, the East India Company signed a treaty with the Nawab of Arcot, assuming the direct right to collect taxes from the Poligars. Kattabomman staunchly refused to recognize British sovereignty or pay the humiliating taxes, famously questioning by what right a foreign trading company demanded tribute from a sovereign Indian ruler. This blatant defiance sparked the First Polygar War.
- Betrayal and Execution: Kattabomman fought valiantly against the heavily armed British columns led by Major Bannerman, utilizing effective guerrilla tactics. However, after the fall of his fort, he was betrayed by the neighboring ruler of Pudukottai and captured. As a brutal warning to other rebellious chieftains, the British publicly hanged Kattabomman from a tamarind tree in Kayathar on October 16, 1799, cementing his status as a legendary martyr in Tamil history.
📌 Modern History • Civil Uprisings
Q.25) The ‘Massacre of Benares’ in 1799 was led by which deposed Nawab of Awadh?
Ans > Wazir Ali Khan
- A Short-Lived Reign: Wazir Ali Khan ascended to the throne as the Nawab of Awadh in 1797. However, his fiercely independent nature and clearly anti-British stance deeply alarmed the East India Company. Within a mere four months, Governor-General John Shore deposed him, installed his uncle Saadat Ali Khan II as a compliant, subservient puppet, and exiled Wazir Ali to Benares on a pension.
- The Breaking Point: Simmering with humiliation and anger in Benares, Wazir Ali was pushed over the edge when the British further ordered him to relocate to Calcutta in 1799, fearing he was fomenting rebellion. Enraged by this final insult, Wazir Ali and his heavily armed retainers visited the home of the British Resident, George Frederick Cherry, under the pretense of a meeting.
- The Bloodshed: During the meeting, Wazir Ali’s men launched a sudden, brutal attack, assassinating Cherry and several other European officials in what became historically known as the Massacre of Benares. Wazir Ali immediately raised a small army but was quickly defeated by superior British forces. He was eventually hunted down, captured, and spent the rest of his life imprisoned in an iron cage inside Fort William, Calcutta.
📌 Modern History • Civil Uprisings
Q.26) During the disturbances in Bundelkhand (1808–12), which famous military adventurer eluded British forces for four years over a dispute with his uncle?
Ans > Gopal Singh
- The Dispute over Succession: Gopal Singh was a highly prominent military adventurer and a local chieftain in the deeply fractured, rugged region of Bundelkhand. When the British began aggressively asserting their control over the area following the Second Anglo-Maratha War, they officially recognized Gopal Singh’s rival uncle as the legitimate ruler of his hereditary estate, bypassing Gopal Singh’s claims.
- Taking to the Jungles: Feeling deeply betrayed and robbed of his rightful birthright by the colonial authorities, Gopal Singh refused to submit. He took to the dense jungles and ravines of Bundelkhand, rallying a significant force of loyal followers, disbanded soldiers, and disgruntled local elements to his cause.
- A Masterclass in Guerrilla Warfare: From 1808 to 1812, Gopal Singh waged an incredibly effective, relentless guerrilla war against the heavily armed, slow-moving British columns. He masterfully used the difficult terrain to his advantage, constantly evading capture for four long years. He proved to be such a persistent and expensive thorn in their side that the exhausted British were finally forced to negotiate a peace settlement, officially granting him an independent jagir (estate) to end the hostilities.
📌 Modern History • South Indian Resistance
Q.27) Diwan Velu Thampi issued the Kundara Proclamation in 1808, calling for an armed uprising against the British in which state?
Ans > Travancore
- British Interference and Extortion: Velu Thampi Dalawa was the highly capable and fiercely proud Prime Minister (Diwan) of the princely state of Travancore (modern-day Kerala). Following a subsidiary alliance treaty, the British Resident, Colonel Colin Macaulay, constantly and aggressively interfered in the state’s internal administration. Furthermore, he demanded massive, crippling financial tributes to pay for the British subsidiary force, pushing the kingdom to the brink of bankruptcy.
- The Historic Proclamation: When his appeals were ignored, Velu Thampi decided on armed rebellion. In January 1809, he issued the historic Kundara Proclamation from the Kundara temple. It was a deeply passionate, open, and powerful call to the masses, urging all castes and religions to unite, take up arms, and fiercely expel the British from Indian soil to protect their culture, religion, and sovereignty from foreign corruption.
- A Valiant but Doomed Struggle: His proclamation struck a massive chord, and his rebellion enjoyed massive popular support, resulting in heavy fighting across the region. However, despite their bravery, the local forces were eventually crushed by heavily reinforced, superior British military columns. Facing imminent capture, Velu Thampi tragically took his own life, though the British still brutally publicly hanged his body as a deterrent.
📌 Modern History • Civil Uprisings
Q.28) Dayaram, a talukdar who rebelled against the progressive revenue hikes by the British in 1817, held a strong base at which fort?
Ans > Hathras
- The Squeeze on the Landlords: Dayaram was an incredibly powerful Talukdar (landlord) who held the massively fortified estate of Hathras in the highly fertile Doab region (between the Ganges and Yamuna) of modern-day Uttar Pradesh. After the British acquired the territory, they rapidly introduced aggressive revenue settlements, continually hiking the tax demands to extortionate levels while systematically attempting to dismantle the traditional, semi-autonomous authority of the powerful Talukdars.
- The Breaking Point: In 1817, Dayaram completely rejected these progressive revenue hikes, viewing them as both financially ruinous and an insult to his traditional authority. In open defiance, he heavily fortified his stronghold, the Hathras Fort, preparing for a confrontation.
- The Massive Siege: The British viewed this open defiance as a direct, unacceptable threat to their authority in the recently conquered region. They mobilized a massive army equipped with heavily destructive siege artillery. The subsequent month-long siege of the Hathras Fort was incredibly violent and ended only with the complete destruction of the fort’s defenses, Dayaram’s narrow escape, and the permanent confiscation of his massive estate by the colonial authorities.
📌 Modern History • Armed Resistance
Q.29) The Paika Rebellion of 1817 in Odisha was led by Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, who was the military chief to the Raja of which region?
Ans > Khurda
- The Dispossession of the Paikas: The Paikas were the traditional, hereditary martial class of Odisha, serving for generations as a landed militia for the Gajapati rulers of Khurda. They enjoyed rent-free lands in exchange for their military service. When the British conquered Odisha in 1803, they radically altered the land revenue system, effectively stripping the Paikas of their ancestral lands, rendering them destitute, and subjecting the peasantry to extortionate taxes and a despised, highly inflated salt monopoly.
- The Spark of Rebellion: The simmering discontent exploded into open revolt in 1817. The rebellion was led by Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, who was the hereditary Bakshi (military commander) of the forces of the Raja of Khurda, who had himself been dispossessed of his vast estate by the British.
- A Massive Uprising: Under Bakshi Jagabandhu’s leadership, the Paikas rose in a massive, highly coordinated armed rebellion. They brutally attacked police stations, administrative offices, and British treasuries, temporarily paralyzing colonial rule in the region and forcing British officials to flee. It required a massive deployment of regular British troops and several months of intense, bloody campaigning to finally suppress the uprising, making it one of the most significant early anti-colonial movements in eastern India.
📌 Modern History • Peasant Movements
Q.30) The Pagal Panthis, a semi-religious group that protested against zamindar oppression, was founded by whom?
Ans > Karam Shah
- Origins of the Sect: The Pagal Panthi was an anti-colonial and anti-feudal semi-religious sect founded in the deeply impoverished, forested Mymensingh district of eastern Bengal (now in Bangladesh) by a Sufi saint named Karam Shah. The sect preached a highly egalitarian doctrine, seamlessly blending elements of Sufism, Hinduism, and local animism. This message of equality heavily attracted the oppressed Hajong and Garo tribes who suffered under severe economic exploitation.
- Militarization under Tipu Shah: While Karam Shah focused entirely on religious syncretism and peaceful coexistence, the movement took a radical turn under his son, Tipu Shah. In the 1820s, Tipu Shah transformed the sect into a highly militant agrarian movement to directly challenge the extortionate rents and illegal cesses demanded by the British-backed Hindu Zamindars.
- The Armed Struggle: Under Tipu Shah, the “Pagals” (meaning madmen, as derisively termed by the British) openly refused to pay taxes. They armed themselves, violently attacked the massive estates of the Zamindars, and even managed to establish a parallel, independent administration over large tracts of the region for several years. The British army had to launch a massive, coordinated military operation to finally crush the rebellion and capture Tipu Shah in 1833.
📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 36
- Treaty of Bassein (1802): Maratha Peshwa Bajirao II accepted British vassalage after defeat.
- Anglo-Sikh Wars: Battle of Ramnagar occurred in the Second war, not the First.
- Treaty of Lahore (1846): Sikhs ceded the Jalandhar Doab to the British.
- Sale of Kashmir: Sold to Gulab Singh for 75 lakh rupees.
- Treaty of Bhairowal (1846): Rani Jindan was removed as the regent of Punjab.
- Battle of Gujarat (1849): Decisive victory leading to the Sikh army’s final surrender.
- Punjab Board (1849): Comprised Henry Lawrence, John Lawrence, and Charles Mansel.
- Protection Trap (1765): Awadh was the first state to fall into this via the Treaty of Allahabad.
- Annexation of Awadh (1856): Dalhousie deposed Wajid Ali Shah citing misgovernment.
- Treaty of Sagauli (1816): Nepal ceded Garhwal and Kumaon to the British.
- Treaty of Yandabo (1826): Concluded First Anglo-Burmese War with a One crore rupees indemnity.
- Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852): British occupied the coastal province of Pegu.
- Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885): Lord Dufferin ordered invasion following Thibaw’s actions.
- Treaty of Lhasa (1904): British occupied Chumbi Valley as security.
- Tripartite Treaty (1838): Aimed to restore the exiled Afghan ruler Shah Shuja.
- Masterly Inactivity: Policy followed by John Lawrence towards Afghanistan.
- Proud Reserve: Aggressive policy started by Lord Lytton in 1876.
- Durand Line (1893): The boundary drawn between Afghan and British territories.
- NWFP Creation (1901): Lord Curzon carved out the province for direct administration.
- Sanyasi Revolt: Also referred to as the Fakir Rebellion due to Muslim ascetics.
- Debi Chaudhurani: Female leader immortalized in Bankim Chandra’s novel.
- Moamaria Rebellion (1769): Low-caste peasants who challenged the Ahom kings.
- Gorakhpur Uprising (1781): Triggered by the oppressive revenue farming of Major Hannay.
- Veerapandiya Kattabomman: The legendary poligar of the Panjalankurichi estate.
- Massacre of Benares (1799): Led by the deposed Nawab Wazir Ali Khan.
- Gopal Singh: Adventurer who eluded British forces in Bundelkhand (1808-12).
- Kundara Proclamation (1808): Issued in Travancore by Diwan Velu Thampi.
- Rebel Dayaram (1817): Talukdar who fortified himself at the Hathras fort.
- Paika Rebellion (1817): Led by the military chief to the Raja of Khurda.
- Pagal Panthis: Semi-religious sect protesting zamindars, founded by Karam Shah.
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