Doctrine of lapse facts for kids

The Doctrine of Lapse was a rule made by the East India Company in India. It was used to take over princely states. These were states ruled by Indian kings or princes. The rule said that if a ruler died without a male heir (a son to take over) or was seen as "incompetent" (not good at ruling), their state would be taken by the Company. This policy was used until 1858. After that, the British Raj (British rule) took over from the Company.

Doctrine of Lapse

The East India Company had a lot of power in India. They controlled many areas directly. They also protected many princely states. The Doctrine of Lapse was a way for them to expand their control even more.

This rule meant that if an Indian ruler died without a son, the Company could take their state. Normally, Indian rulers could adopt a son to be their heir. But the Doctrine of Lapse stopped this. The Company also decided if a ruler was "competent" enough to rule. Many Indians thought this rule was unfair. It made them angry at the East India Company.

The policy is most linked to Lord Dalhousie. He was the Governor-General of British India from 1848 to 1856. He used the rule a lot. However, the Company had actually thought of this rule earlier, in 1834. Some smaller states were taken over before Dalhousie became Governor-General.

Using this rule, the Company took over states like Satara (1848), Jaitpur (1849), Sambalpur (1849), Jhansi (1854), and Nagpur (1854). The state of Awadh (1856) was also taken. But this was because the Company said its ruler was not governing well. Through this rule, the Company added a lot of money to its yearly income.

Many people in India became unhappy with the East India Company's growing power. This included soldiers who had lost their jobs. They supported the deposed rulers. This anger helped cause the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After the rebellion, in 1858, the British government took over India. They stopped using the Doctrine of Lapse.

Before Dalhousie

Even though Lord Dalhousie used the Doctrine of Lapse a lot, he didn't invent it.

For example, the state of Kittur was taken over in 1824. This happened after its queen, Kittur Rani Chennamma, adopted a son. The British refused to accept him as the heir. This was similar to the later Doctrine of Lapse. The Company officially stated this policy in 1834. Before Dalhousie, they used it to take over Mandvi (1839), Kolaba (1840), Jalaun (1840), and Surat (1842).

Why the Doctrine Caused Problems

Many Indians believed the Doctrine of Lapse was wrong. By 1848, the British had huge power in India. They directly ruled large areas like Madras, Bombay, and Bengal. They also indirectly controlled many princely states.

Most Indian rulers who had not yet been taken over were weak. They could not fight against the powerful British forces. They often had no choice but to accept this policy. This caused more anger against the British in India. It was one of the main reasons for the Uprising of 1857.

States Taken Over

Here are some of the princely states that were taken over under the Doctrine of Lapse:

What Happened Later

After India became independent in 1947, most princely states joined either India or Pakistan. The new governments still recognized the rulers at first. These rulers were given yearly payments called "privy purses." These payments helped support the rulers and their families.

However, over time, the Indian government stopped recognizing these former ruling families. This happened in 1971. The idea of "lapse" was used again in some cases. For example, in 1964, the last recognized ruler of Sirmur State died without a male heir. The government decided that the family's special status had "lapsed."

See also

• Escheat
• List of princely states of India
• Presidencies and provinces of British India