The final wave of annexations occurred under lord  Dalhousie who was the Governor general from 1848 to 1856 he devised a policy that came to be known as the Doctrine of lapse the doctrine declared that if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would lapse that is become part of company territory one kingdom after another was annexed simply by applying this doctrine satara 1848 sambalpur 1840 udaipur 1852 Nagpur 1853 and jhansi 1854. Finally in 1856 the company also took over awadh this time the British had an added argument they said they were obliged by duty to take over awadh in order they to free the people from the misgovernment of the nawab enraged by the humiliating way in which the Nawab was deposed the people of awadh joined the great revolt that broke out in 1857.