The EIC's Last Governor General: Dalhousie and the Annexation of Awadh

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into the controversial tenure of Lord Dalhousie, the East India Company's most aggressive Governor-General. From 1848 to 1856, Dalhousie pursued a relentless policy of annexation under the Doctrine of Lapse, gobbling up princely states like Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur. But his most fateful move was the annexation of Awadh in 1856, a wealthy kingdom that had been a loyal ally since the Battle of Buxar. Dalhousie accused the Nawab of misrule, but the real motives were economic and strategic. The episode explores the annexation process, the role of Resident William Sleeman, the plight of the displaced Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, and how the dispossessed elites of Awadh became a key driver of the Great Rebellion of 1857. We also discuss Dalhousie's other modernisations—railways, telegraph, postal system—and his legacy as both a moderniser and a catalyst for revolt. #EastIndiaCompany #Dalhousie #DoctrineOfLapse #Awadh #WajidAliShah #AnnexationOfAwadh1856 #GreatRebellion1857 #WilliamSleeman #Satara #Jhansi #Nagpur #NawabOfAwadh #BritishIndia #ImperialHistory #19thCentury #ColonialIndia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo