The Indian Mutiny 1857-58

The Indian Mutiny 1857-58

by Gregory Fremont-Barnes
The Indian Mutiny 1857-58

The Indian Mutiny 1857-58

by Gregory Fremont-Barnes

Paperback

$24.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
    Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by Thursday, April 4
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

In the mid-19th century India was the "jewel in the crown" of the British Empire and was protected by the largely native armies of the East India Company. In 1857 discontent exploded into open rebellion, obliging Britain to field its largest army since the Napoleonic Wars, forty years before.

Gregory Fremont Barnes examines the origins of British rule in India, the causes of the conflict, the rival forces and fighting itself, including the massacre of Cawnpore and the epic sieges of Delhi and Lucknow. He also reveals the intriguing truth behind the 'greased cartridge' controversy - the allegation that the introduction of gun cartridges covered in pig fat, an insult to both Hindu and Muslim religious sensibilities, was the catalyst for the conflict. However, once hostilities began the mutineers had no qualms about using the cartridges, thus throwing into question the long-held belief that the mutiny hinged principally on this issue. The discussion of the importance and enduring legacy of the Indian Mutiny makes this essential reading for anyone wanting to learn more about the power of empire.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781846032097
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: 05/22/2007
Series: Essential Histories , #68
Pages: 96
Product dimensions: 6.75(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.25(d)

About the Author

Gregory Fremont-Barnes holds a doctorate in Modern History from Oxford University. He is the author of The French Revolutionary Wars, The Peninsular War, The Fall of the French Empire,1813-1815 and The Boer War, 1899-1902. He is currently editing a four-volume Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and co-editing a five-volume Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary War. The author lives in Oxford, UK.

Table of Contents


Introduction     7
Chronology     11
Historical origins: Background to war     14
Opposing forces: Warring sides     20
Unredressed grievances: Outbreak     25
War without mercy: The fighting     30
Brevet-Major O.H.S.G. Anson, 9th Lancers: Portrait of a soldier     68
Amy Horne and the massacre at Cawnpore: Portrait of a civilian     74
The final campaigns, January-December 1858: How the war ended     77
The effects of the Mutiny on the Raj: The world around war     82
Why the Mutiny failed; British post-war reforms: Conclusion and consequences     86
Further reading     91
Index     94
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews