In the Footsteps of the Elephants: Stories of India

December 2023 – March 2024

The modern history of India is marked by the coexistence of diverse cultures and religions, due to the rise and fall of the Mughal, Maratha and Sikh empires, and to the relentless and intrusive intervention of European states in the subcontinent. The English founded the East India Company in 1600 for commercial purposes, but they knew how to take advantage of the region’s fragmentation and territorial conflicts to gain ever greater political influence, eventually establishing the protectorate of Bengal in the 18th century and expanding their influence, directly or through vassal states, over almost the entire subcontinent by the mid-19th century.

In keeping with its mission to spread universal history and culture, L’Iber, Museo de los soldaditos de plomo wants to bring the public closer, through this exhibition in Valencia, to the 18th-19th century period: the coexistence and cultural enrichment, but also the frictions and conflicts under British rule, such as the Afghan invasions or the Sepoy Rebellion.

The Anglo-Indian Army

From its establishment in the country in the 18th century, the British East India Company created a private army, authorised by the Crown, made up of native soldiers led by English officers. Indian soldiers were called sepoys (from sipahi, meaning “soldier”).

The Indian colonial army was unified in 1903. Its most prized troops were the Bengal Lancers, the battle-hardened Sikh troops, and especially the Nepalese Gurkha troops, who still serve in the British army today as mercenaries and elite soldiers.

This army fought in a wide variety of campaigns: the three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1823-86), the Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845-49), the Anglo-Afghan Wars (1839-81), the Opium Wars (1839-60)… Beyond its borders, it also fought in Asia, Africa and, above all, in Europe during the two World Wars. Today’s Indian army is one of the most powerful in the world.

The British troops stationed in India from the 19th to the 20th century (until independence) were divided into two types: on the one hand, there were metropolitan British regiments sent to India for its conquest and the maintenance of peace. On the other hand, these troops operated alongside those of the Indian colonial army, made up of native soldiers and British officers.

In 1857, more than 300,000 sepoys made up the colonial army; a significant part of them, particularly the majority of the Muslim soldiers, rose up against the invader. The British regiments and the Indian troops still loyal to the Crown had to face brutal fighting before prevailing.

After the Second World War, the British faced increasing difficulties in maintaining their occupation, in some cases committing atrocious acts against the Indian population.