486
HISTOR Y OR BRITISH R VIE.
Berarhandedover, 1853.
Annexa-tion ofOudh,1856.
dependent principality and a protected ally. In 1853, Jhansi suffered the same fate as Satara .
But the most conspicuous application of the doctrine oflapse was the case of Nagpur . The last of the MarathaBhonslas, a dynasty older than the British Government itself,died without a son, natural or adopted, in 1833. His terri-tories were annexed, and became the Central Provinces. Thatyear also saw British administration extended to the Berars, orthe Assigned Districts, which the Nizam of Haidarabad wasinduced to hand over to us, as a territorial guarantee for hisarrears of subsidy, and for the pay of the Haidarabad contin-gent, which he perpetually kept in arrear. The relics of threeother dynasties also passed away in 1833, although withoutany attendant accretion to British territory. In the extremesouth, the titular Nawdb of the Karnatik and the titular Rffjdof Tanjore both died without heirs. Their rank and theirpensions died with them, but compassionate allowances' werecontinued to their families. In the North of India , Bajf Rao,the ex-Peshwa who had been dethroned in 1818, lived on till1853 in the enjoyment of his annual pension of _^j8o,ooo. Hisadopted son , Nana Sahib , inherited his accumulated savings,but could obtain no further recognition.
Lord Dalhousie annexed the Province of Oudh on differentgrounds. Ever since the Nawab Wazlr, Shuja-ud-Daula,received back his forfeited territories from the hands of LordClive in 1765, the existence of his dynasty had depended onthe protection of British bayonets. 1 Guarded alike fromforeign invasion and from domestic rebellion, the long lineof Nawabs had sunk into private debauchees and publicoppressors. Their one virtue was steady loyalty to the BritishGovernment. The fertile districts between the Ganges and theGogra, which now support a denser population than, perhaps,any rural area of the same size on the globe, had groanedfor generations under an anarchy for which each BritishGovernor-General felt himself in part responsible. Warningafter warning had been given to the Nawabs (who had assumedthe title of Sh 4 h or King since 1819) that they must put theirhouse in order.
What the benevolent Bentinck and the soldierly Hardingehad only threatened, was reserved for Lord Dalhousie , whounited honesty of purpose with stern decision of character,to perform. He laid the whole case before the Court of
1 For the history of Oudh since 1765, and the misrule which compelledits annexation, see article Oudh, The Imperial Gazetteer of India.