Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
The mutinous sepoys turned to erstwhile rulers because leadership and organisation were required to fight the British. The rebels needed leaders who had been in positions of authority before the British conquest.
In many places, popular pressure forced former rulers to accept leadership. In Delhi, sepoys appealed to the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah to lead the revolt. In Kanpur, Nana Sahib was given no choice but to join, while in Jhansi, the Rani was forced by the people to assume leadership.
These rulers represented legitimate authority that predated British rule. In Awadh, people celebrated by hailing Birjis Qadr, son of the displaced Nawab, as their leader, as the memory of annexation was still fresh.
Explanation
The textbook explains that leadership and organization were essential for fighting the British, which is why rebels turned to those who had been leaders before British conquest. The context provides multiple examples - the Mughal emperor in Delhi, Nana Sahib in Kanpur, the Rani of Jhansi, Kunwar Singh in Bihar, and Birjis Qadr in Awadh - showing a pattern where popular pressure compelled erstwhile rulers to provide leadership.