Who was the Governor General when the Revolt of 1857 took place ?

Lord Canning (Charles John Canning) served as the Governor-General of India from 1856 to 1858, during which the Revolt of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, broke out [t1][t7]. His predecessor, Lord Dalhousie, had implemented the 'Doctrine of Lapse', which caused significant discontent and contributed to the unrest [c2][t8]. Following the suppression of the revolt, the Government of India Act 1858 was passed, transferring power from the East India Company to the British Crown [t5][t9]. Consequently, Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India in 1858, a title he held until 1862 [c1][t4]. He is often remembered as 'Clemency Canning' for his efforts to avoid indiscriminate vengeance during the post-revolt reconstruction [t9]. Other figures like Lord Hardinge and Lord Elgin served during different periods of British administration.

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Consequences > p. 182
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Civilians Join > p. 175
3. [3] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-John-Canning-Earl-Canning