History question from Panchayat Secretary (VLW) exam, 2025 by JKSSB
Which was the last territory to be annexed through the Subsidiary Alliance?
Last updated Jun 5, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option A —
Awadh
Why Awadh?
Awadh (Oudh) was the last major territory to be annexed under the umbrella of the Subsidiary Alliance system.
The Setup: Nawab Saadat Ali Khan II had actually entered into a Subsidiary Alliance with the British way back in 1801.
The Culmination: In 1856, Lord Dalhousie used the alleged "misgovernance and maladministration" by the then Nawab, Wajid Ali Shah, as a pretext to formally annex the territory. Because Awadh was already bound by the Subsidiary Alliance, the British used their internal control over the state to depose the Nawab and take complete charge.
Why the other options are incorrect:
(B) Jhansi: Jhansi was annexed in 1854 under the Doctrine of Lapse (due to the lack of a natural male heir), not the Subsidiary Alliance.
(C) Delhi: Delhi was never formally part of the Subsidiary Alliance system in this manner; the Mughal Emperor was simply reduced to a British pensioner after 1803.
(D) Mysore: Mysore was one of the earliest to accept the Subsidiary Alliance (in 1799, after the fall of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War).
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
