Definition: The term “civil uprisings” refers to revolts or rebellions initiated by native rulers, their descendants, former zamindars, landlords, poligars, ex retainers, and officials of conquered regions. These uprisings were not motivated by defense or military reasons.

Causes: The main factors behind the civil uprisings were the rapid changes in economy, administration, and land revenue system during Company rule. This resulted in the demotion of the status of zamindars and poligars, destruction of Indian handicraft industries, departure of traditional supporters and buyers, adverse impact on the priestly class, and the foreign and disdainful attitude of British rulers.

Participants: The majority of support for the civil uprisings came from rack-rented peasants, jobless craftsmen, and demobilized soldiers. However, the power-wielding classes were at the center of these uprisings.

Traditional Worldview: The semi-feudal commanders who led these civil uprisings had a traditional worldview and aimed to return to the older systems of government and social ties that existed prior to British rule. The local causes and consequences of these uprisings were specific to each region.

  • Significant Civil Uprisings:
    • Sanyasi Revolt (1763-1800):
      • Happened in Bengal, India, marked by equal participation by Hindus and Muslims.
    • Revolt in Midnapore and Dhalbhum (1766-1774)
      • Zamindars siding with ryots in disputes with the English revenue collecting authorities.
    • Revolt of Moamarias (1769-1799):
      • Happened in Assam, a threat to the authority of Ahom monarchs, led by low-caste peasants.
    • Civil Uprisings in Gorakhpur, Basti, and Bahraich (1781):
      • Against oppressive taxes imposed by the English.
    • Revolt of Raja of Vizianagaram (1794):
      • The English and Ananda Gajapatiraju, the monarch of Vizianagaram, signed a deal in 1758 to jointly expel the French from the Northern Circars.
      • In 1793, the English captured the raja and sentenced him to exile with a pension. The raja was adamant in his refusal.
      • In 1794, the raja was killed in a fight at Padmanabham (now in the Andhra Pradesh district of Visakhapatnam). The Company took control of Vizianagaram.
    • Civil Rebellion in Awadh (1799):
      • Led by Wazir Ali Khan. In January 1799, he assassinated George Frederick Cherry, a British citizen who had invited him to lunch.
      • Wazir Ali’s soldiers also killed two other Europeans and assaulted the Benares Magistrate. The entire episode became known as the Benares Massacre.
    • Kutch or Cutch Rebellion (1816):
      • The Kutch Rebellion was a revolt led by the Kutch king against the British. Kutch’s position as a princely state was threatened by the company’s expansion, and the king, Maharao Lakhpatji, felt the need to defend his territory.
      • The rebellion was unsuccessful, and Kutch was absorbed into the British Empire.
    • Civil Uprising in Bundelkhand (1817–1818):
      • The Bundelkhand Rebellion was a revolt led by the Bundelkhand rajas against the British East India Company.
      • The rajas were unhappy with the company’s attempts to take control of their territory and the exploitation of their subjects. The rebellion was unsuccessful.
    • Civil Uprising in Sattara (1844–1848):
      • The Sattara Rebellion was a revolt led by the Maratha ruler of Sattara against the British East India Company.
      • The ruler was unhappy with the company’s attempts to annex his territory and the exploitation of his subjects.
      • The rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, and Sattara was absorbed into the British Empire.
    • Rising at Bareilly (1816):
      • Mufti Muhammad Aiwaz petitioned the town magistrate in March 1816, which led to a religious dispute.
      • An incident involving a lady being hurt by police while collecting taxes resulted in a brutal brawl between the Mufti’s supporters and the police.
      • Armed Muslims from Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, and Rampur rose up in revolt to defend the faith and the Mufti.
      • The revolt was put down with the deployment of military troops, resulting in the deaths of over 300 insurgents and the wounding and imprisonment of many more.
    • Paika Rebellion (1817):
      • The Paiks of Odisha were the traditional landed militia with hereditary land tenures in exchange for their military and policing duties.
      • Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military commander of the Raja of Khurda’s army, was made destitute when the Company took away his ancestral estate of Killa Rorang in 1814.
      • The entry of a group of Khonds from Gumsur into Khurda territory in March 1817 triggered the Paika Bidroh (insurrection).
      • The rebellion was successful in obtaining several concessions, including remissions of arrears, reductions in assessments, a moratorium on the sale of defaulters’ properties, and a new settlement on permanent tenures.
    • Waghera Rising (1818-20):
      • The Waghera leaders of Okha Mandal were forced to take up arms due to resentment of the alien authority and the demands of the Gaekwad of Baroda, who were backed by the British administration.
      • During the years 1818-1819, the Wagheras made incursions into British territory.
      • In November 1820, a peace deal was concluded.
    • Ahom Revolt (1828):
      • After the First Burma War (1824-26), the British promised to leave Assam but instead tried to absorb the Ahoms’ regions under the Company’s rule.
      • The revolt was led by Gomdhar Konwar, an Ahom prince, and his countrymen.
      • The rebels installed Gomdhar Konwar as king at Jorhat.
      • The Company adopted a conciliatory stance and gave up Upper Assam to Maharaja Purandar Singh Narendra.
    • Surat Salt Agitations (1840):
      • In 1844, a strong anti-British sentiment led to attacks against Europeans over the government’s decision to raise the salt levy.
      • The administration dropped the extra salt fee in response to public outcry.
      • In 1848, the government was compelled to cancel its plan to implement Bengal Standard Weights and Measures in the face of a persistent campaign of boycotting and passive resistance by the people.
    • Wahabi Movement (1830-61):
      • Syed Ahmed of Rai Bareilly formed the Wahhabi Movement, primarily an Islamic revivalist movement.
      • Syed Ahmed denounced Western influence on Islam and called for a restoration to genuine Islam and society as it was in the Arabia of the Prophet’s day.

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