Which of the following was the first state to be annexed into the British empire under the Doctrine of Lapse introduced by Lord Dalhousie?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3 i.e. Satara.
The first state to be annexed into the British empire under the Doctrine of Lapse was Satara (1848).
Other states to be annexed:
- Jaitpur and Sambalpur (1849)
- Baghal (1850)
- Udaipur (Chhattisgarh State) (1852)
- Jhansi (1854)
- Nagpur (1854)
- Tanjore and Arcot (1855)
- Awadh (1856)
Doctrine of Lapse
- It was a policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856.
- This policy allowed the British East India Company to annex any Indian princely state that did not have a direct male heir.