When did the British East India Company rule end?

The rule of the British East India Company in India concluded following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Authority was subsequently transferred to the British Crown in 1858, ushering in the period known as the British Raj. This transition also brought changes to administrative offices, transforming the governance structure in India and London.

What we know

• The Regulating Act of 1773 created the office of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William, appointed by the East India Company's Court of Directors. [2]
• Company rule in India was brought to an end after the Indian Rebellion of 1857, placing British India under the direct rule of the British Crown. [2, 3]
• The Government of India Act 1858 established the office of Secretary of State for India and an advising 15-member Council of India based in London. [2]
• William Bentinck was the first official to be designated as the Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833. [2]

Still open

• Sources note that while the designation 'Viceroy' was frequently used in public notifications and ceremonies for the Crown's representative, it had no statutory authority and was never employed by Parliament.

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat caused the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
• what followedHow did Crown rule change administration in India?
• how it workedWhat powers did the East India Company Court of Directors hold?
• whoWho was William Bentinck?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the British Raj?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a trading company's land revenue rights spark historical famines?The granting of land revenue rights to the British East India Company in 1765 marked the beginning of an era of documented colonial rule that coincided with severe and recurrent major famines on the Indian subcontinent.

Sources

• [1]list of governors-general of India (Wikidata Q1187819) · CC0 1.0
• [2]List of governors-general of India · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]British Raj · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Batavia, Dutch East Indies · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Timeline of major famines in India during British rule · CC BY-SA 4.0