An Imperial Crisis in British India: The Manipur Uprising of 1891

Description

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. Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps Family Tree: Descendants of Garib Niwaz Dramatis Personae Manipur Uprising Time Line Acknowledgements Introduction 1. The Road to Manipur 2. Manipur in the Nineteenth Century 3. Cast of Characters 4. The Abdication of Sur Chandra Singh 5. The Government of India 6. The Chief Commissioner’s Escort 7. The Arrival of the Chief Commissioner 8. Hostilities 9. The Retreat 10. The Soldier’s Account: Lieutenant Charles Grant 11. The Civilian’s Account: Signaller C. Williams 12. The Three Columns 13. The Court of Enquiry 14. Reaction at Home 15. The Trial of the Princes 16. The Aftermath Conclusion Glossary Notes Bibliography Index