British annexation of Jhansi under the doctrine of lapse, 1854
- When
- 1853–1854
- Where
- Jhansi
- Episodes
- 3
The British East India Company annexed Jhansi State in 1854 under the doctrine of lapse, a policy associated with Governor-General Lord Dalhousie. The annexation followed the death of the ruling Raja in November 1853, whose adopted heir, Damodar Rao, was rejected by the Company. Rani Lakshmibai protested the annexation, but her appeals failed, leading to the state's formal lapse in May 1854.
Episodes
- Death of the Raja
The Raja of Jhansi died in November 1853, having adopted a young relative named Damodar Rao on his deathbed.
- Protest Letter
Rani Lakshmibai wrote a letter to the Company protesting the annexation on 16 February 1854.
- Formal Annexation
Jhansi State formally lapsed to the East India Company in May 1854 after appeals failed.
Background and detail
Background. Jhansi was an independent princely state ruled by the Maratha Newalkar dynasty under British suzerainty from 1804 until 1853. The doctrine of lapse, initiated by the East India Company, involved annexing states where Hindu rulers died without a natural heir. This policy, most commonly associated with Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, was applied to several states, including Jhansi.
Annexation Process. Following the death of the Raja in November 1853, the Company rejected the claim of his adopted son, Damodar Rao, to the throne. Rani Lakshmibai, the queen consort, wrote a letter protesting the annexation on 16 February 1854. Despite her appeals, the state lapsed to the Company in May 1854, marking the end of the Newalkar dynasty's rule under the doctrine of lapse.
People involved
- Lord Dalhousie · Governor-General of the East India Company
- Rani Lakshmibai · Queen consort of Jhansi
- Damodar Rao · Adopted heir rejected by the Company
Sources
- Jhansi State Wikipedia, revision of 2026-03-06
- Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-30
- Doctrine of lapse Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-12
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.