When in 1857, the Indian rebellion against the British began, Jayajirao, whose ancestors had fought and been defeated by them, was known as a good friend of the British. However, his minister, Dinkar Rao, along with Major Chartres Macpherson, the British representative to Gwalior, convinced him to initially stay neutral and later to side with the British, despite unrest amongst his troops and his people who wanted to join the rebels.