Question

What could be the reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about their position in India before May 1857?

Answer 1

Since the mid-eighteenth century, the power of the nawabs and rajas was on its decline. The presence of British Residents in the courts further eroded their authority and curtailed their freedom to administer their kingdoms. The various kingdoms were forced to disband their armies and enter into a subsidiary alliance with the British. The terms of the subsidiary alliance, and later, of the Doctrine of Lapse were such that the East India Company slowly but surely took control over the kingdoms one by one. From 1757 to 1857, the Company successfully annexed various Indian states, virtually unopposed, by using a variety of political, economic and diplomatic methods. It rarely had to use military power.

Another reason for the confidence of the British was the decline of the Mughal dynasty. The Company, through various measures, ensured that the dynasty came to an end. The name of the Mughal king was removed from the coins minted by the Company. It was also decided upon that Bahadur Shah would be the last Mughal king and after his death, none of his descendents would be recognised as kings.
The fact that apart from the Company there was no other dominant authority in the Indian subcontinent, and the belief that there was absolutely no threat to its authority together contributed to its confidence about its position in India before May 1857. This is the reason why the revolt and the threatening form it took came as a shock to the British.