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The Indian Rebellion of 1857 had diverse political, economic, military, religious and social causes. The sepoys, a generic term used for native Indian soldiers of the Bengal Army, had their own list of grievances against the Company administration, mainly caused by the ethnic gulf between the European officers and their Indian troops. The British had issued new gunpowder cartridges that were widely believed to be greased with cow or pig fat, which insulted both Hindus and Muslims. Other than Indian units of the British East India Company's army, much of the resistance came from the old aristocracy, who were seeing their power steadily eroded under the Company. ==Frictions== Some Indians were upset with what they saw as the draconian rule of the Company who had embarked on a project of territorial expansion and westernisation that was imposed without any regard for historical subtleties in Indian society. Changes introduced by the British were accompanied by prohibitions on Indian religious customs, seen as steps towards a forced conversion to Christianity. Historian William Dalrymple asserts that the rebels were motivated primarily by resistance to the move of the British East India Company, which was perceived as an attempt to impose Christianity and Christian laws in India. For instance, when Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar met the sepoys on 11 May 1857, he was told: "We have joined hands to protect our religion and our faith." They later stood in Chandni Chowk, the main square, and asked the people gathered there, "Brothers, are you with those of the faith?" Those European men and women who had previously converted to Islam such as Sergeant-Major Gordon, and Abdullah Beg, a former Company soldier, were spared. In contrast, foreign Christians such as Revd Midgeley John Jennings, and Indian converts to Christianity such as one of Zafar's personal physicians, Dr. Chaman Lal, were killed. Dalrymple further points out that as late as 6 September, when calling the inhabitants of Delhi to rally against the upcoming Company assault, Zafar issued a proclamation stating that this was a religious war being prosecuted on behalf of 'the faith', and that all Muslim and Hindu residents of the imperial city, or of the countryside were encouraged to stay true to their faith and creeds. As further evidence, he observes that the Urdu sources of the pre- and post-rebellion periods usually refer to the British not as ''angrez'' (the English), ''goras'' (whites) or ''firangis'' (foreigners), but as ''kafir'' (infidels) and ''nasrani'' (Christians). Some historians have suggested that the impact of these reforms has been greatly exaggerated, as the Company did not have the resources to enforce them, meaning that away from Calcutta their effect was negligible. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Causes of the Indian Rebellion of 1857」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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