An Imperial Crisis in British India: The Manipur Uprising of 1891 (International Library of Colonial History)

"In 1891 a major anti-British revolt erupted in the northeast Indian princely state of Manipur after a dangerously miscalculated attempt by the Government of India to assert its authority in the wake of a palace coup. Following the murder of a number of senior officers, a substantial British force descended upon the state to restore order and to bring the prime culprits to a questionable justice, generating widespread condemnation in England. The Manipur Uprising and its aftermath showed the fragility of indirect rule in India and British underestimation of native loyalty to princely rule. With fresh archival research and contemporary reports, Caroline Keen here provides a compelling account of erratic imperial policy-making at the highest level."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Cover 1 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 List of Illustrations 9 List of Maps 10 Family Tree: Descendants of Garib Niwaz 11 Dramatis Personae 12 Manipur Uprising Time Line 15 Acknowledgements 18 Introduction 21 1. The Road to Manipur 23 2. Manipur in the Nineteenth Century 32 3. Cast of Characters 37 4. The Abdication of Sur Chandra Singh 49 5. The Government of India 57 6. The Chief Commissioner’s Escort 64 7. The Arrival of the Chief Commissioner 73 8. Hostilities 84 9. The Retreat 95 10. The Soldier’s Account: Lieutenant Charles Grant 106 11. The Civilian’s Account: Signaller C. Williams 118 12. The Three Columns 126 13. The Court of Enquiry 144 14. Reaction at Home 153 15. The Trial of the Princes 166 16. The Aftermath 182 Conclusion 197 Glossary 199 Notes 202 Bibliography 226 Index 230 "In 1891 a major anti-British revolt erupted in the northeast Indian princely state of Manipur after a dangerously miscalculated attempt by the Government of India to assert its authority in the wake of a palace coup. Following the murder of a number of senior officers, a substantial British force descended upon the state to restore order and to bring the prime culprits to a questionable justice, generating widespread condemnation in England. The Manipur Uprising and its aftermath showed the fragility of indirect rule in India and British underestimation of native loyalty to princely rule. With fresh archival research and contemporary reports, Caroline Keen here provides a compelling account of erratic imperial policy-making at the highest level."--Publisher's website