The Historian that mostly agrees with the statement that the Indian Rebellion of 1857 was the result of the greased cartridges affair is T.O Lloyd in Interpretation D. His view on the Indian Rebellion is that ‘Hindus and Muslims were united in common outrage’ against the introduction of the new Enfield Rifle Cartridges that were waxed with a mixture of pig and cow fat, as it meant defiling their religion. This view is consistent with the knowledge that the rumours of the introduction of cow and pig waxed cartridges spread and eventually sparked the mutiny at Meerut where the Bengal Native Infantry stripped off their uniforms on the parade square in protest and officially declared themselves no longer under British Control. Therefore, it is clear to say that this historian believes that the principal cause of the Indian Rebellion was the greased cartridges affair.
Another Historian that also agrees, to an extent, that the Indian Rebellion of 1857 was the result of the greased cartridges affair is Saul David in Interpretation C, but not as greatly as T.O Lloyd in Interpretation D. He implies that the cause was that the ‘Bengal Army was ripe for mutiny’ and that ‘Indian civilians’ and ‘princely families who had lost out during Dalhousie’s time as Governor’ were prepared to fight for freedom from British Rule. David further implies that the greased cartridges issue was the catalyst for the Sepoys to rise up against British Rule. Consequently, this historian’s view of the cause is that it was as an ever-growing inevitability of the Indian people not being able to cope with the British rule any longer and the cow and pig waxed cartridges was the ‘spark’ for the mutiny.
Lawrence James in Interpretation A also suggests, but to a lesser extent than in Interpretation D and C, that the Indian Rebellion of 1857 was the result of the greased cartridges affair. James puts across the view that the reforms of Dalhousie were the key cause. In 1848, James Ramsay, the Earl of Dalhousie, became Governor General of India. Dalhousie attempted to spur on the modernisation and Europeanisation of the Colony, but it completely backfired. The ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was one of the reforms that Dalhousie introduced that allowed the company to annex the principality of any Indian ruler who died without natural heirs. A ‘victim of this rule was Nana Sahib’ who was the last adopted son of the last peshwa Baji Rao. Nana Sahib was a very rich and probably corrupt Indian prince but he was one that was understood and appreciated by its population. This led to the population becoming very angered with British reform in India, but it was ‘the contaminating of the salt, ghee and sugar’ cartridges with a mixture of pig and cow fat, which ultimately led to revolt against the company. Therefore, it is clear to say that this historian believes that the principal cause of the Indian Rebellion were the unfavourable reforms of Dalhousie.
Niall Ferguson in Interpretation B, however, believes that the prime cause of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 was the result of something ‘much more profound than lard loaded cartridges’. He in facts states that the root of the mutiny was the East India Companies plans to ‘Christianise India’. This is consistent with the knowledge that, at the beginning of the 19th Century, the East India Company began to take more interest in religious affairs and allowed more missionary work to be carried out. Officers in the Indian army were even encouraged to preach Christianity to their soldiers and to use the experience to promote western beliefs above Indian. This consequently infuriated the Sepoys, and at Vellore in the summer of 1806, precipitated a mutiny. Consequently, this historian’s view of the cause is that it was not the issue of the greased cartridges but the attempts of the Company to Christianise India.
From analysing the interpretations above, it is clear to say that the issue concerning the cartridges being lubricated with cow and pig fat played a vital role in the sparking of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. However, it must be considered that there were other factors that increased the chances of an outcome of a rebellion, such as; the reforms of Dalhousie and the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ and the plans to Christianise India by interfering with Indian culture. Ultimately, the rebellion was the cause of many interlinking issues, but was inevitably sparked off by the greased cartridges affair.
