Between 1700 and 1885 the British became the paramount power on the Indian subcontinent, their authority extending from Sri Lankain the south to the Himalayasin the north. It was a massive empire, inspiring both pride and anxiety amongst the British, and forcing change upon and disrupting the lives of its Indian subjects. Yet it is not simply a history of conquest and subjugation, or dominance and defeat: interaction and interdependency powerfully shaped the histories of all involved. The end result was a hybrid empire. India may have become by 1885 the jewel in the British crown, but by that same year a series of changes had occurred within Indian society that would set the foundations for the modern states of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This book provides a concise introduction to these dramatic changes.

Between 1700 and 1885 the British became the paramount power on the Indian subcontinent, their authority extending from Sri Lanka in the south to the Himalayas in the north. It was a massive empire, inspiring both pride and anxiety amongst the British, and forcing change upon the lives of its Indian subjects.

This is an analysis of the social, economic and cultural facets of India. Peers explores how far race and gender influenced the colonial relationship - topics which are currently being hotly debated in the historiography field. The subject is treated chronologically but with both Indian and British perspectives in mind.