After the Mughal Empire weakened, strong regional kingdoms like Hyderabad, Awadh, Mysore, and the Maratha Confederacy often fought with each other over land, power, and who would rule next. Many of these states had weak administration and weak armies. At the same time, the British and the French were also competing with each other, which increased the tension even more.
Lord Wellesley saw these situations as both a danger and a chance for the British. He believed that to keep the British in control, Indian rulers should not be allowed to make their own alliances or build stronger armies with help from other countries. The Subsidiary Alliance was a clever diplomatic plan used by the British to achieve this goal. It helped them control Indian states without fighting wars and made the local rulers dependent on British support.
Under this system, any Indian ruler who agreed to the alliance had to keep a British army, called the Subsidiary Force, in their state. This army was supposed to protect the ruler, but actually it kept the British always present and allowed them to interfere in the state’s affairs. The ruler had to pay every year to maintain the British troops in his state. For many states, paying this money every year became very difficult. When rulers could not pay, the British took parts of their land, which helped them slowly increase their control.
Another important rule of the alliance was that the ruler could not make political or military deals with any other Indian state or foreign country without British permission. This took away the ruler’s control over foreign affairs and made him rely on the British for decisions. A British Resident was placed in each allied state to watch over administration and politics. Even though the Resident was supposed to be an adviser, he had a lot of power and often told the ruler what to do. Also, Indian states were not allowed to hire European officers except those approved by the British, which stopped them from modernizing their armies on their own.
Many important Indian states came under the Subsidiary Alliance. Hyderabad was the first to accept it in 1798. Mysore joined in 1799 after Tipu Sultan was defeated and killed. Awadh joined in 1801 under strong pressure, and later several Maratha states agreed after the Anglo-Maratha Wars.
The Subsidiary Alliance had big effects. Indian states lost their political freedom. Paying subsidies put a heavy burden on state finances, and many rulers went into debt. Native armies became weaker since rulers were not allowed to have strong forces, making them more dependent on the British for protection. For the British, the policy was very beneficial. It gave them control over large areas, economic advantages, and reduced the chances of Indians uniting against them.
#Doctrine of Lapse
When Lord Dalhousie was Governor-General (1848–1856), the policy helped the British expand their control over many Indian states and became one of the major political reasons behind the Revolt of 1857. The British claimed that the doctrine was a fair rule meant for better administration, but Indian rulers viewed it as an attack on their independence and their long-standing right to adopt heirs.
The Doctrine of Lapse said that if a ruler of a princely state died without a biological son, his kingdom would automatically come under the control of the British East India Company. If the ruler adopted a son, which was a long-standing Indian tradition, the British would not accept him unless they gave special permission. This was very different from Indian customs, where adopted sons were fully accepted as rightful heirs. The British claimed that allowing only real sons as successors would bring stability and avoid fights over the throne. But in reality, this rule mainly helped the British take over more Indian states and increase their power.
Lord Dalhousie used the Doctrine of Lapse very strictly. During his time, many important states were taken over by the British through this policy. Satara was the first state annexed in 1848, followed by Sambalpur in 1849, Jhansi in 1853, Nagpur in 1854, and smaller places like Baghat.
The annexation of Jhansi is the most well-known and disputed example of the Doctrine of Lapse. Rani Lakshmibai’s adopted son, Damodar Rao, was not accepted as the rightful heir by the British, so they took control of the state. This decision pushed Rani Lakshmibai to become one of the leaders of the Revolt of 1857. Many rulers had supported the British, but they still had constant fear that their state could be taken away at any time.
#Conclusion
The Subsidiary Alliance and the doctrine of lapse was more than just a political agreement; it was a tool for British expansion. Though it was presented as protection and cooperation, it actually reduced the independence of Indian rulers and increased British power. Both the policies are still remembered as a symbol of colonial injustice and as one of the major reasons that strengthened India’s fight for independence.
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