Complex sentence: This marked a seminal moment for Islamic consciousness, specifically for the established Muslim elites of north India, who tended to view the defeat of 1857 as the end of their political pre-eminence and the beginning of a dark period of Muslim history in India.
Split into simpler sentences: This marked a seminal moment for Islamic consciousness in India, especially for the established Muslim elites of north India. The defeat of 1857 was seen as the end of their political pre-eminence and the beginning of a dark period of Muslim history in India.