The First War of Indian Independence (1857)

Gwalior

Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi took Gwalior under her control during the revolt. She was enraged by the Doctrine of Lapse which threatened to annex Jhansi after her husband's death. After fighting bravely against the British, she captured Gwalior but later died in battle there. Kanpur was controlled by Nana Saheb, Lucknow had its own revolt, and Meerut was where the revolt first started.

Inam Commission

The Inam Commission was appointed by the British to take back all gifted lands (Inam lands) that did not have proper documents. This policy hurt many farmers and landlords who had been given these lands as gifts or rewards but couldn't prove ownership with documents. This created financial problems and resentment among the affected people, contributing to the causes of the 1857 revolt.

Meerut

The revolt first started at Meerut, which was a strong military base of the British. When Indian soldiers refused to use the greased cartridges and were imprisoned, other soldiers revolted, broke into the prison, and released their comrades. From Meerut, they marched to Delhi where they declared Bahadur Shah II as emperor. Delhi became the center later, but Meerut was where the actual armed revolt began.

Nana Saheb

Tatya Tope was the assistant and main associate of Nana Saheb in the revolt at Kanpur. Nana Saheb led the revolt in Kanpur, and Tatya Tope was his trusted commander and strategist. When Kanpur fell to the British, Tatya Tope went to help Rani Lakshmibai at Jhansi. Their partnership was crucial in organizing the resistance in the central regions of India.