Introduction
The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy from Lord Dalhousie. He was the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. The policy was designed to expand British control in India. According to this doctrine, if an Indian ruler died without a natural male heir, the British East India Company would annex his kingdom automatically.
📌 Introduced by: Lord Dalhousie
📌 Period of Use: 1848–1856
📌 Objective: Expand British territories by annexing princely states
📌 Justification: The British claimed they were preventing “misgovernance”
Key Features of the Doctrine of Lapse
✅ If a ruler died without a direct male heir, the kingdom would be annexed.
✅ Adopted sons were not recognized as legal heirs.
✅ The British East India Company took control of the annexed states.
✅ No prior consultation with Indian rulers.
States Annexed Under Doctrine of Lapse
🔴 Satara (1848) – First state annexed under this policy.
🔴 Jaitpur and Sambalpur (1849)
🔴 Baghat (1850)
🔴 Udaipur (1852)
🔴 Jhansi (1853) – Rani Lakshmibai’s kingdom
🔴 Nagpur (1854) – Rich in resources, major loss for Indian rulers
📌 Impact: By 1856, the British had annexed several important states, increasing resentment among Indian rulers.
Consequences of the Doctrine of Lapse
❌ Indian rulers lost their kingdoms without any right to appeal.
❌ Created widespread resentment among Indian princes and nobles.
❌ One of the major causes of the Revolt of 1857 (Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi fought against British rule).
❌ After the Revolt of 1857, the British abolished the Doctrine of Lapse (1858).
Objective Questions (MCQs)
- Who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse?
a) Lord Wellesley
b) Lord Dalhousie
c) Lord Canning
d) Lord Curzon
✅ Answer: b) Lord Dalhousie - Which was the first state annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse?
a) Jhansi
b) Satara
c) Nagpur
d) Udaipur
✅ Answer: b) Satara - Which queen opposed the Doctrine of Lapse and fought in the Revolt of 1857?
a) Rani Padmini
b) Rani Rudramadevi
c) Rani Lakshmibai
d) Rani Durgavati
✅ Answer: c) Rani Lakshmibai - Which of the following states was NOT annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse?
a) Awadh
b) Jhansi
c) Nagpur
d) Satara
✅ Answer: a) Awadh (It was annexed in 1856 but under the pretext of misgovernance, not the Doctrine of Lapse). - When was the Doctrine of Lapse abolished?
a) 1853
b) 1856
c) 1858
d) 1861
✅ Answer: c) 1858
Subjective Questions
- Explain the Doctrine of Lapse and its key features.
- List the states annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse and discuss their significance.
- How did the Doctrine of Lapse contribute to the Revolt of 1857?
- Critically analyze Lord Dalhousie’s expansionist policies in India.
- Why was the Doctrine of Lapse abolished after the Revolt of 1857?
Conclusion
The Doctrine of Lapse was a controversial British policy. It led to the annexation of several Indian states. This created widespread discontent. It became one of the key reasons for the Revolt of 1857. After this event, the British government ended this policy in 1858.
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