The Sepoy Mutiny

India was the jewel of the British Empire, and its most prized colony. In 1857, all independent states in India had been conquered, and India was governed primarily by the British East India Company. The British army in India contained Sepoys, Indian soldiers. In 1857, the Sepoys revolted. The insurrection erupted when the Sepoys, all Muslims and Hindus, were told they had to bite off cartridges for their guns that were greased in animal fat.This violated the religious beliefs of the Sepoys, and they were outraged. The initial mutiny grew, and the rebellion spread throughout northern and central India before it was squashed by the British. The rebellion was completely unsuccessful, and British power over India actually increased. British rule lasted until India finally gained independence in 1947.