Sepoy
Sepoy (/ˈsiːpɔɪ/), related to sipahi, is a term denoting professional Indian infantryman, traditionally armed with a musket, in the armies of the Mughal Empire and the Maratha Army.
| Sepoy | |
|---|---|
Hyder Ali as a sepoy | |
| Active | 16th to 21st centuries |
| Country | Mughal Empire Maratha Empire Travancore Kingdom India Pakistan Nepal |
| Branch | infantry and artillery |
| Equipment | Musket |
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In the 18th century, the French East India Company and its other European counterparts employed locally recruited soldiers within India, mainly consisting of infantry designated as "sepoys". The largest sepoy force, trained along European lines, served the British East India Company.
The term "sipahi" or sometimes "sepoy" continues in use in the modern Indian, Pakistan and Nepalese armies, where it denotes the rank of private.
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