Medieval History (Part-II)

Total Questions: 57

1. Consider the following statements: [2003]

1. Kitab-i-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints, was written by Ibrahim Adil Shah II

2. Amir Khusrau was the originator in India of the early from of the musical style known as Qawali

Which of these statements is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Solution:Ibrahim Adil Shah II was ruler of Bijapur and wrote Kitab-i-Nauras. Amir Khusrau is popularly known as 'Father of Qawali' in India.

About Amir Khusrau: The ‘Indian Turk’
• Early Life and Heritage: Born in 1253 to a Central Asian immigrant and an Indian Muslim mother, he embodied a fusion of Turkic and Indian cultures.
• Birthplace Debate: Patyiali (Etah, Uttar Pradesh) is widely believed to be his birthplace.
• Court Patronage: Served as a court poet under five Delhi Sultans — Muizuddin Qaiqabad, Jalaluddin Khalji, Alauddin Khalji, Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah, and Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
• Royal Honours: Jalaluddin Khalji granted him the title ‘Amir,’ and historian Ziauddin Barani documented his esteemed status.
• Praise Poetry: Excelled in royal praise poetry, a crucial tool for rulers to assert cultural legitimacy in medieval Islamic society.
• Sufi Influence: A devoted disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, he was deeply influenced by Sufism and maintained a strong spiritual connection with his master.
• Balancing Court and Khanqah: Managed to earn equal respect in the royal court and the Sufi order.
• Final Days (1325): Passed away shortly after Nizamuddin Auliya’s death, mourning with his famous lament, “Beauty sleeps on the bed… night has set over this place.”

2. How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak die? [2003]

Correct Answer: (d) He died after a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan
Solution:Qutbud-din Aibak died after a fall from his horse while playing chaugan (polo) in 1210. He was succeeded by Aram Shah. Qutbud-din Aibak was the founder of first independent Turkish kingdom in Northern India in 1206.
• The founder of the Slave Dynasty, also known as the Mamluk Dynasty, was Qutb al-Din Aibak.
• Originally a slave who rose through the ranks under the Ghurid ruler Muhammad of Ghor, Aibak played a pivotal role in establishing Muslim rule in India after the Ghurid conquests.
• In 1206, he declared himself the Sultan of Delhi, marking the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate.
• His reign was characterised by significant architectural achievements, including the construction of the Qutub Minar, and he is credited with laying the foundations for a new political order in northern India.
• Aibak’s rule also initiated a period of consolidation and expansion, setting the stage for subsequent dynasties in the region.
• His legacy is notable for establishing a unique Indo-Islamic culture that would flourish in the future.

3. Which one of the following sequences indicates the correct chronological order? [2004]

Correct Answer: (a) Shankaracharya-Ramanuja-Chaitanya
Solution:The correct chronological order is Shankaracharya (9th Century CE) - Ramanuja (1017-1137 CE) - Chaitanya (1486-1533 CE)

Shankaracharya
• Period: 8th century CE (born circa 788 AD)
• Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta, which emphasizes the non-dual nature of Brahman and the Atman.
• Contributions: Known for his systematic commentaries on ancient Indian texts and for consolidating Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

Ramanuja
• Period: 11th-12th century CE (born circa 1017 AD, died 1137 AD)
• Philosophy: Vishishtadvaita, or qualified monism, which affirms theistic devotionalism and the Bhakti movement.
• Contributions: His teachings laid a foundation for devotionalism and influenced later Bhakti movement reformers like Nanak, Kabir, and Chaitanya.

Chaitanya
• Period: 15th century CE (born 1486 AD, died 1534 AD)
• Philosophy: Acintya Bheda Abheda Tattva, a philosophy that emphasizes the inconceivable oneness and difference between God and his devotees.
• Contributions: A key figure in the Bhakti movement, known for his emphasis on ecstatic devotional practice, particularly the worship of Krishna.

4. Consider the following statements: [2004]

1. Narasimha Saluva ended the Sangama dynasty and seized the throne for himself and started the Saluva dynasty.

2. Vira Narasimha deposed the last Saluva ruler and seized the throne for himself.

3. Vira Narasimha was succeeded by his younger brother, Krishnadeva Raya.

4. Krishnadeva Raya was succeeded by his half brother, Achyuta Raya.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Solution:Sangama dynasty was founded by Harihara-1. Saluva dynasty was founded by Narasimha Saluva by defeating Dev Rayua-II of Sangama dynasty. Taluva dynasty was founded by Vira Narasimha and was succeeded by KD Raya and Achyuta Raya.
The Vijayanagara kingdom encompassed the entire Southern India, extending to Rameshwaram, including Tamil Nadu and the territories of the Cheras in present-day Kerala. From 1336 to 1646 AD, it was ruled by sixteen rulers from four dynasties.
• Sangama Dynasty (1336-1485): First dynasty to rule over the Vijayanagara empire. The founders of the empire, Harihar I and Bukka, belonged to this dynasty.
• Saluva Dynasty (1485-1505): Founded by Narasimha, succeeded the Sangama dynasty as the second dynasty of the empire. They ruled over almost the whole of South India.
• Tuluva Dynasty (1505-1570): Founded by Vir Narasimha, the most famous king of the Vijayanagar Empire, Krishna Deva Raya belonged to this dynasty.
• Aravidu Dynasty (1570-1650): Founded by Tirumala, this was the fourth and last Hindu dynasty to rule the Vijayanagar kingdom in South India.

5. Who was the last ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate? [2004]

Correct Answer: (c) Nasir-ud-din Mahmud
Solution:Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq founded Tughlaq dynasty in 1320 AD (CE). Nasiruddin Mahmud was the last ruler of Tughlaq dynasty (1395-1412 AD).
• Tughlaq was the third of the five dynasties of the Delhi sultanate that ruled India. They were considered to be one of the strongest dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate.
• The Tughlaqs ruled India for approximately a century, during Which time there was growth and prosperity.
• The Tughlaqs were responsible for consolidating the entire kingdom and protecting it from any foreign invasion.
• On the other hand, the Tughlaqs also faced a major economic downfall caused by the counterfeiting of token currency introduced by the Monarch.
• The Tughlaqs were also known for integrating or uniting the North and South in terms of exchange of ideas and culture.
• The Tughlaq dynasty, in its capacity, was recognised as the last of the mighty dynasties of the entire sultanate of Delhi.
• The political control of Delhi gradually weakened during the rule of Firoz’s successors.
• The invasion of Timur in 1398 AD left the sultanate desolate. By the end of Tughlaq’s rule (1412 AD), the Sultanate was confined to a small territory in north India. During this time, a number of regions proclaimed independent status.

6. How did the dynasty of Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar come to an end? [2004]

Correct Answer: (a) Ahmadnagar was annexed into Mughal empire and Hussain Shah was given life imprisonment
Solution:

Ahmednagar Sultanate

Also known as the Nizam Shahi dynasty, the Ahmadnagar Sultanate was established by Malik Ahmed Shah Bahri after defeating the Bahmani Army led by Jahangir Khan on May 28, 1490. The territory of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate was situated between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur in the north-western part of the Deccan plateau. Initially, Junnar was the capital of the Nizam Shahi dynasty but later in the year 1494, Bahri laid the foundation for the new capital Ahmadnagar.

Berar was annexed in the year 1574 by Murtaza Shah. Later in the year 1596, Chand Bibi defended the Nizam Shahi dynasty against the Mughal invasion but was later again defeated in the year 1599 after the death of Chand Bibi. In the year 1600, Murtaza Shah II was declared as the sultan and later Khadki became the new capital of the dynasty. The Ahmadnagar sultanate was finally conquered by Aurangzeb in 1636 AD, who was then the Mughal viceroy of Deccan.

7. Consider the following statements about Sikh Gurus: [2004]

1. Banda Bahadur was appointed as the military leader of the Sikhs by Guru Tegh Bahadur.

2. Guru Arjun Dev became the Sikh Guru after Guru Ram Das.

3. Guru Arjun Dev gave to Sikhs their own script Guru Mukhi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 & 3
Solution:Banda Bahadur was appointed as the military leader of the Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh and not Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Of course! Extracting a table from an image is right up my alley—no need for a long-winded explanation. Here is the table you uploaded, cleanly extracted.

Name of the GuruDescription About the Sikh Gurus
Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539)* He is the first Sikh Guru.
* He is the founder of Sikhism.
Guru Angad Dev (1504 – 1552)* He is the second Sikh Guru.
* Guru Angad compiled the compositions of Guru Nanak, to which he added his own in a new script known as Gurmukhi.
* Gurmukhi became the sole medium for the sacred writings of the Sikhs.
* Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs, is written in Gurmukhi script.
Guru Amar Dass (1479 – 1574)* He is the third Sikh Guru.
* He strengthened the Sikh movement by starting the institutions of Manjis and Piris.
Guru Ram Dass (1534 – 1581)* He is the fourth Sikh Guru.
* He laid the foundation of the holy city of Amritsar, which later developed as the spiritual capital of the Sikh faith.
Guru Arjun Dev (1563 – 1606)* He is the fifth Sikh Guru.
* He was the son and successor of Guru Ram Dass.
* He built the Harmandar, which is popularly known as the Golden Temple, and compiled and installed the Holy Book, the Guru Granth, therein.
Guru Hargobind (1595 – 1644)* He is the sixth Sikh Guru.
* He built Akal Takhat, the Throne of the Immortal, and declared it as the centre of Sikh temporal authority.
Guru Har Rai (1630 – 1661)* He is the seventh Sikh Guru.
* He continued the mission of his predecessors.
Guru Har Krishan (1656 – 1664)* He is the eighth Sikh Guru.
* He cured the victims of smallpox in Delhi and is remembered in the daily Sikh prayer as the one whose very sight dispels all miseries.
Guru Teg Bahadur (1621 – 1675)* He is the ninth Sikh Guru.
Guru Govind Singh (1666 – 1708)* He is the tenth and last Sikh Guru.
* The last Guru organised the Sikhs into a disciplined, military order of Sikh-saints called Khalsa (the pure).
* He established the five symbols of Sikhism:
* Kanga (comb),
*Kesh (long hair),
*Kada (iron bracelet),
*Kachcha (underwear) and
*Kirpan(sword or dagger).

8. The initial design and construction of which massive temple took place during the reign of Suryavarman II? [2006]

Correct Answer: (b) Angkor Vat Temple
Solution:Angkorvat temple is the first Hindu temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu. Buddhist temple was built during the reign of Suryavarman II. It is the world's largest religious building.
About Angkor Wat:
• It is the largest religious monument in the world.
• It covers an area of 200 acres.
• It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman IIin the first half of the 12th century, around the year 1110-1150, making Angkor Wat almost 900 years old.
• It was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnubefore becoming a Buddhist templeby the end of the 12th century.
• In 1992, the temple complex was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

9. When Raja Wodeyar founded the kingdom of Mysore, who was the ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire? [2006]

Correct Answer: (d) Venkata II
Solution:

Indigenous chieftains from Karnataka rose to become the founders of a dynasty after a series of internal bickerings with other local chieftains.

Vijaya and Krishna, two brothers were responsible for the establishment of this small feudatory state of Vijayanagara Empire.

Vijaya ascended the throne under the assumed name of Yaduraja in 1399 A.D. To begin with, this was a very small state containing only parts of Mysore district. Mysore was the capital city.

10. In the year 1613, where was the English East India Company given permission to set up a factory (trading post)? [2006]

Correct Answer: (d) Surat
Solution:

In 1612 Sir Thomas Roe visited to Mughal Emperor Jahangir to arrange for a commercial treaty that would give the company exclusive rights to reside and build factories in Surat and other areas.

In return, the company offered to provide the Emperor with goods and rarities from the European market. Jahangir accepted the proposal and the company created trading posts in Surat (where a factory was built in 1613), Madras (1639), Bombay (1668), and Calcutta (1690).