Changes

India was not formerly a colony of Britain in 1857, but in fact, it was dominated by the British. The East India Company received a Royal Charter from Elizabeth I in 1600. Initially, the company sought to increase trade with the Indian subcontinent. [[Why was Britain able to establish an Empire in India?|Over time it morphed from a trading company into the ruler of India. ]]

====Reorganisation of How did Britain Reorganize the Indian governmentafter the Sepoy Rebellion?====

Prior to Before the mutinyMutiny, the government of Indian was technically in the hands of the East India Company , and they were responsible for many aspects of the state. The Sepoy rebellion showed that the Company was no longer able to cope with the demands of ruling such a vast and diverse area.  Under the government of India Act (1858) , the company Company was stripped of its remaining power, its army disbanded, and its assets liquidated. London was to directly govern India directly, and the office of the Viceroy of India was established. The law also set up the Indian civil service and reorganized the old East India Company military forces, which was incorporated into the regular British Indian army. After the defeat of the rebels, the British recruited more men from minorities such as the Gurkhas and the Sikhs, as they believed that they would be more dependable and loyal than Muslims and Hindus.  Perhaps the most significant aspect of the reforms in the aftermath of the Mutiny or rebellion was that the British were more willing to cooperate with the traditional native elites. Increasingly they were willing ready to allow the Hindu and Muslims princes to stay in power as long as they were loyal to the colonists .<ref>Hibbert, 1980</ref>. After the Mutiny uprising, the Princely states were integrated into the system of government , and they retained a great deal of autonomy. No longer was their land threatened and Britain ended the seizure of the right lands of the Princes and acknowledged that their heirs to succeed them was implicitly recognizedcould inherit their kingdoms.  The British also opened up a number of Universities several universities to educate high-caste Indians, who would later became become civil servants. However, there were limits to this policy , and the civil service continues continued to be dominated by white Europeans. There was also a deliberate policy of refraining from free-market reforms and of respecting the traditional economic elite. This was done to win the support of members Members of the Indian elitesupported these measures, but it may have they resulted in slow economic growth and increasing increased poverty.<ref>Hibbert, 1980</ref>.

====The road to How did the Sepoy Rebellion lead a sustained push for Indian independence?====The Indians never staged a revolt on the scale of the Mutiny again, possibly because of the . The British army’s army's brutal repression and the immense loss prevented another revolution of life between 1857 and 1859this size. In the wake of the rebellionRebellion, London was clearly deeply worried anxious about its position in India after the defeat of the Sepoy Rebellion. The British were a tiny minority in the sub-continent , and the revolt demonstrated to them how weak was their control over the country.  Queen Victoria , on the advice of her government-issued the proclamation to the "Princes, Chiefs, and People of India’ India' (1858). This edict stated that Indians were to have the same rights and parity of esteem with the Empire’s Empire's other subjects. In effect, Indians were offered equality with Britain’s Britain's other subjects. This helped to win Initially, this effort won over many Indians and they quietly collaborated with the Britishbriefly quieted India's push for independence.  However, the Europeans did not treat the Indians as their equal and the natives Indians were still treated as inferior and subject people. The failure of the British to honor the terms of the proclamation was angered Indians. Over time, Britain's continuous efforts to anger many Indians’ and this was to play an important marginalize Indians played a critical role in the growing calls for independence that were becoming louder by starting in the 1890s. The Mutiny Rebellion is very important in the history a crucial part of the Indian independence movement. Nationalists were later inspired by it and saw it as a precursor of their own struggle. Many , in particular , were inspired by the fact that Muslims and Hindus fought the colonists and had a common aim.

The Indian Mutiny was perhaps the greatest challenge to British rule during the Raj, and it shook their confidence in their ability to control the sub-continent. In the aftermath of the conflict that could have cost tens of thousands of lives, there were great changes to Britain changed the way that the British it administered India. The East India Company was dissolved, and direct rule was initiated, and this was by . Queen Victoria’s adoption of even adopted the title Empress of India.  The British overhauled the government of India and willing became more willing to collaborate with local elites. They also were very careful to appear not to be avoid imposing western norms and values on Indians. This policy While these policies may have been improvement, they did reconcile many not permanently quell Indians ' desire to the foreignerretake India from Britain. The Mutiny or the First War of Indian Independent as it is known in India Independence became a symbol that inspired many to seek national determination.