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Primary sourceDocument1 November 1858

Proclamation to the Princes, Chiefs and People of India

Victoria / British Government · 1 November 1858

Victoria's 1858 proclamation transferring rule of India from the East India Company to the British Crown.

Issued in Victoria's name, this proclamation made her the symbolic head of British India after Crown rule replaced Company rule.

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About this source

What it is

This official document, issued on 1 November 1858 in the name of Queen Victoria and the British government, announced that the territories in India previously governed by the East India Company would now be ruled directly by the Crown. It is held by the British Library.

Why it matters

The proclamation followed the 1857 rebellion against East India Company rule. By taking direct control, Victoria became the symbolic head of British India, and the document promised religious toleration to her new subjects. It marks a turning point in the history of British colonial rule and in Victoria's own role as monarch.

Look closer

  • Why do you think the government chose to issue this proclamation in the Queen's name rather than Parliament's?
  • What does the promise of religious toleration suggest about the concerns of British rulers after the rebellion?
  • Whose voices are missing from a proclamation written to the "princes, chiefs and people" of India?

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