what was the great indian mutiny?

As with any conflict or controversy there are always two sides to the debate, and the events in India during 1857 are certainly no exception.

Metcalf in his account cites three indisputable factors behind the outbreak of rebellion in 1857. Primarily he sees `accumulating grievances of the Sepoy Army of Bengal' as the most important factor. The reasons behind this `deterioration of morale' amongst the army lay with several reasons. Much of the Sepoy army was comprised of `Brahmins and other high caste Hindus' who assisted in promoting a `focus of sedition'. The `generally poor standard of British officers', plus the lack of improvement to the overall position of those men serving in the army also increased the level of tension. At this point it should be remembered that the `Bengal Army differed from those of Bengal and Madras', as the Bombay and Madras armies took no part in the rebellion of 1857. But the more pronounced military factor was the lack of British troops in the `Gangetic plain' meant that many areas were `virtually denuded of British troops'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/in...