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 derived from the Persian word sepāhī (سپاهی) meaning "infantry soldier", had their own list of grievances against the British East Indian Company(BEIC) administration, caused mainly by the ethnic gulf between theEuropean officers and their Indian troops. The spark that led to amutiny in several sepoy COMPANIES was the issue of new gunpowdercartridges for the Enfield riflein February, 1857. A rumour was spread that the cartridges were madefrom cow and pig fat. Loading the Enfield required tearing open thegreased cartridge with one's teeth. This would have insulted both Hinduand Muslim religious practices; cows were considered holy by Hinduswhile pigs were considered unclean by Muslims.[1]Underlying grievances over British TAXATION and recent land annexationsby the BEIC were ignited by the sepoy mutineers and within weeks dozensof units of the Indian army joined peasant armies in widespreadrebellion. The old aristocracy, both Muslim and Hindu, who were seeingtheir power steadily eroded by the East India Company, also rebelledagainst British rule. Another important discontent among the Indianrulers was that the british policies of conquest had created unrestamong many indian rulers. The policies like the doctrine of lapse,Subsidiary Alliance deprived Indian rulers of their power and status.

Many Indians felt that the Company was asking for heavy tax from thelocals. This included an increase in the taxation on land. This seems tohave been a very important reason for the spread of the rebellion,keeping in view the speed at which the conflagration ignited in manyvillages in northern India where farmers rushed to get back theirunfairly grabbed title deeds. The resumption of tax free land andconfiscation of jagirs (the grant or right to locally control landrevenue) caused discontent among the jagirdars and zamindars. Dalhousiehad also appointed Inam Commission with powers to CONFISCATE land.[8] Several years before the sepoys' mutiny, Lord William Bentinckhad attacked several jagirs in western Bengal. He also resumed thepractice of tax free lands in some areas. These changes causedwidespread resentment not only among the landed aristocracy but alsocaused great havoc to a larger section of the middle-class people. Landswere confiscated from the landlords and auctioned. Rich people like themerchants and moneylenders were therefore able to speculate in Britishland sales and drive out the most vulnerable peasant farmers.