Abstract

During the 1830’s, a conspiracy to drive the British out of India was allegedly devised by itinerant Muslim preachers, Indian princes, and Russian and Persian armies. In response, colonial officials detained and deposed Muslim migrants, conducted weapons inspections, and eventually annexed lands of Muslim rulers in South India. My paper explores both real and imagined aspects of this so-called “Wahabi conspiracy.” Moreover, it demonstrates how many actors – both rulers and ruled – exploited the discourse of conspiracy for their own interests. Based on new archival findings, the book describes less known global links between South India, Afghanistan, Persia and Arabia and presents a well-documented case study concerning the complex psychology and politics of conspiracy.