The Great Indian Rebellion of 1857-8
The Great Indian Rebellion, or Mutiny as it was previously known, began at Meerut in central India in May 1857. The rebellion was led by some regiments of the 'Bengal Army' - Indian soldiers led by European officers, who had previously been the tools for the East India Company's conquest of north India. There are many causes for this rebellion, including grievances about conditions in the army, and the attempts by Christian missionaries to convert the Hindu and Muslim soldiers to Christianity. The Mutiny spread quickly through north India, and showed that there was resistance to British rule in India. Some see the conflict as the 'First War of Independence', others as the 'last stand of the old order'.
