Doctrine of Lapse
E12251
The Doctrine of Lapse was a controversial annexation policy used by the British East India Company in 19th-century India, allowing it to seize princely states without a direct male heir and significantly fueling resentment that led to the 1857 rebellion.
Statements (48)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
British imperial policy
→
colonial annexation policy → |
| aimedTo |
consolidate British power in India
→
|
| annexedState |
Baghat
→
Jaitpur → Jhansi → Nagpur → Sambalpur → Satara → Udaipur (in present-day Chhattisgarh) → |
| appliedBy |
British East India Company
→
|
| appliedDuring |
19th century
→
|
| appliedIn |
India
→
|
| associatedWithPerson |
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
→
|
| considered |
controversial
→
unpopular among Indian rulers → |
| contributedTo |
causes of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
→
political resentment in India → |
| criticizedBy |
Indian nationalists
→
Indian princes → |
| criticizedFor |
disregarding adoption customs in Hindu law
→
undermining sovereignty of princely states → |
| domain |
British Indian administration
→
colonial law → |
| effect |
alienation of traditional elites
→
expansion of British-controlled territory → weakening of princely autonomy → |
| endedBy |
Government of India Act 1858
→
|
| endedWhen |
British Crown took direct control of India in 1858
→
|
| formulatedUnder |
Lord Dalhousie
→
|
| geographicScope |
princely states under British East India Company influence
→
|
| hasLanguage |
English (official formulation)
→
|
| historicalContext |
Company rule in India
→
|
| inForceFrom |
1848
→
|
| inForceUntil |
1858
→
|
| justifiedAs |
doctrine of escheat
→
|
| legacy |
symbol of colonial injustice in Indian historiography
→
|
| legalBasis |
denial of recognition to adopted heirs of Indian princes
→
|
| notAppliedTo |
Gwalior
→
Hyderabad → Kashmir → |
| opposedBy |
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi
→
|
| perceivedAs |
instrument of aggressive imperialism
→
violation of traditional succession rights → |
| principle |
princely state without a natural male heir would lapse to the Company
→
|
| relatedToEvent |
Indian Rebellion of 1857
→
|
| usedFor |
annexation of princely states
→
territorial expansion → |
Referenced by (17)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Oudh
("Doctrine of Lapse (contested pretext)")
→
Sambalpur → |
annexationPolicy |
|
Nawab of Bengal
→
Newalkar dynasty → |
endCause |
|
Nawab of the Carnatic
("Doctrine of Lapse (applied by the British)")
→
|
abolishedBy |
|
Battle of Jhansi
→
|
associatedWith |
|
Indian Rebellion of 1857
→
|
cause |
|
Jaitpur
→
|
dissolutionReason |
|
Rani Lakshmibai
→
|
doctrineOpposed |
|
Lord Dalhousie
→
|
implementedPolicy |
|
Jaitpur
→
|
incorporationPolicy |
|
British East India Company
→
|
introducedPolicy |
|
Lord Dalhousie
→
|
knownFor |
|
Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar
→
|
linkedToPolicy |
|
Damodar Rao
→
|
mentionedInContextOf |
|
Rani Lakshmibai
→
|
policyOpposed |
|
Indian Rebellion of 1857
→
|
relatedTo |