Muslim Invasion on India

Total Questions: 38

11. Arrange the following names chronologically and select correct answer from the codes given below : [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2008]

1. Genghis Khan

2. Mahmud Ghaznavi

3. Muhammad Ghori

4. Taimur

Code :

Correct Answer: (b) 2, 3, 1, 4
Solution:During 999-1027 A.D. Mahmud Ghaznavi attacked India for 17 times. Muhammad Ghori's first attack occurred in 1175 A.D. and then he attacked again and again to expand his empire till 1205 A.D. The fear of Genghis (Changiz) Khan's attack haunted India when he was chasing son of the fugitive ruler of Khwarizm Shah, Jalaluddin Mingburni in 1221 A.D, Taimur attack India in 1398 A.D.

12. Coins of which Muslim ruler bear an image of Devi Lakshmi ? [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]

Correct Answer: (a) Muhammad Ghori
Solution:Coins issued by Ghori have an image of Goddess Lakshmi while on the opposite side of the coin, Kalma was inscribed in Arabic.

In AD 1173, Shahabuddin Muhammad, also called Muhammad of Ghori, ascended the throne of Ghazni. The Ghoris were not strong enough to meet the growing power and strength of the Khwarizmi Empire of Central Asia. This forced Ghori to turn towards India to fulfil his expansionist ambitions.

  • Initial campaigns: Ghori marched against Multan and freed it from its ruler in AD 1175.
  1. In the same campaign, he captured Uchch from the Bhatti Rajputs.
  2. Three years later, in AD 1178, he again marched to conquer Gujarat, but the Chalukya ruler of Gujarat, Bhima II, defeated him at the battle of Anhilwara.
  • Punjab conquest: Ghori launched a campaign against the Ghaznavid possessions in Punjab.
  1. As a result, Peshawar was conquered in AD 1179-80 and Lahore in AD 1186.
  2. The fort of Sialkot and Debol were captured next.
  3. Thus by AD 1190, having secured Multan, Sind and Punjab, Muhammad Ghori had paved the way for a further thrust into the Gangetic Doab.
  • The First Battle of Tarain (AD 1191): Ghori's possession of Punjab and his attempt to advance into the Gangetic Doab brought him into direct conflict with the Rajput ruler Prithivaraja Chauhan.
  1. The conflict started with the claims of Bhatinda.
  2. Ghori's army was routed, and he narrowly escaped death.
  3. Prithviraj conquered Bhatinda, but he made no effort to garrison it effectively.
  4. This gave Ghori an opportunity to re-assemble his forces and make preparations for another advance into India.
  • The Second Battle of Tarain (AD 1192): This battle is regarded as one of the turning points in Indian History.
  1. The Indian forces were more in number, but Turkish forces were well organised with swift- moving cavalry.
  2. With modern cavalry techniques, the Turkish army defeated Indian forces.
  3. A large number of Indian soldiers were killed. Prithviraj tried to escape but was captured near Sarsuti.
  4. The Turkish army captured the fortresses of Hansi, Sarsuti and Samana. Then they moved forward, running over Delhi and Ajmer.
  5. After Tarain, Ghori returned to Ghazni, leaving the affairs of India in the hand of his trusted slave general Qutbuddin Aibak.
  • Battle of Chandwar: In AD 1194, Muhammad Ghori again returned to India. He crossed Yamuna and moved towards Kanauj.
  1. He gave a crushing defeat to Jai Chand at Chandwar near Kannauj.
  2. Thus the battle of Tarain and Chandwar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in Northern India.

13. Muhammad Ghori granted first Iqta in India to - [39ᵗʰ B.P.S.C. 1994]

Correct Answer: (b) Qutbuddin Aybak
Solution:Soon after victories of Muhammad Ghori, Iqta system was established in North India. In 1192 A.D., Muhammad Sam of Ghori (Muhammad Ghori) appointed Qutb-ud-din-Aybak, as in charge of his Indian territories. He played an important role in the second battle of Tarain. Pleased with his works, Ghori appointed him the administrator of Kuhram and Samana.

He had taken care of the administration of North Indian territories conquered by them as representative of Ghori till 1206. During this period. Aibak also expanded Turkish power in northern India.

14. Which slave of Muhammad Ghori conquered Bengal and Bihar - [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1991]

Correct Answer: (c) Bakhtiyar Khalji
Solution:Muhammad Ghori and Aibak didn't ever think of conquering Bihar and Bengal. This task was accomplished by their ordinary slave Ekhtiyar Uddin Muhammad-Bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji. Between 1193 and 1203 AD, he conquered Bile and destroyed Vikramshila, Nalanda and captured the capital Odantpur.

He attacked Bengal between 1198 and 1203, where its ruler Lakshman Sen fled away without fighting in the battlefield. Turkish army entered the capital Nadiya and resorted to massive loot. In the absence of the King, the city surrendered. Lakshman Sen had taken refuge in East Bengal and ruled there for some period. Bakhtiyar Khalzi did not try to conquer the whole of the Bengal. Bakhtiyar Khalji made his capital in Lakhnauti.

15. Who was the first Muslim conqueror of Bihar ? [60ᵗʰ to 62ⁿᵈ B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2016]

Correct Answer: (c) Bakhtiyar Khalji
Solution:Muhammad Ghori and Aibak didn't ever think of conquering Bihar and Bengal. This task was accomplished by their ordinary slave Ekhtiyar Uddin Muhammad-Bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji. Between 1193 and 1203 AD, he conquered Bile and destroyed Vikramshila, Nalanda and captured the capital Odantpur.

He attacked Bengal between 1198 and 1203, where its ruler Lakshman Sen fled away without fighting in the battlefield. Turkish army entered the capital Nadiya and resorted to massive loot. In the absence of the King, the city surrendered. Lakshman Sen had taken refuge in East Bengal and ruled there for some period. Bakhtiyar Khalzi did not try to conquer the whole of the Bengal. Bakhtiyar Khalji made his capital in Lakhnauti.

16. Who was the real founder of Turk rule in Bihar ? [67ᵗʰ B.P.S.C. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2022]

Correct Answer: (b) Ibn Bakhtiyar Khilji
Solution:Muhammad Ghori and Aibak didn't ever think of conquering Bihar and Bengal. This task was accomplished by their ordinary slave Ekhtiyar Uddin Muhammad-Bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji. Between 1193 and 1203 AD, he conquered Bile and destroyed Vikramshila, Nalanda and captured the capital Odantpur.

He attacked Bengal between 1198 and 1203, where its ruler Lakshman Sen fled away without fighting in the battlefield. Turkish army entered the capital Nadiya and resorted to massive loot. In the absence of the King, the city surrendered. Lakshman Sen had taken refuge in East Bengal and ruled there for some period. Bakhtiyar Khalzi did not try to conquer the whole of the Bengal. Bakhtiyar Khalji made his capital in Lakhnauti.

17. Nalanda Vihar was destroyed by : [60ᵗʰ to 62ⁿᵈ B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2016]

Correct Answer: (a) Bhakhtiyar Khalji
Solution:Muhammad Ghori and Aibak didn't ever think of conquering Bihar and Bengal. This task was accomplished by their ordinary slave Ekhtiyar Uddin Muhammad-Bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji. Between 1193 and 1203 AD, he conquered Bile and destroyed Vikramshila, Nalanda and captured the capital Odantpur.

He attacked Bengal between 1198 and 1203, where its ruler Lakshman Sen fled away without fighting in the battlefield. Turkish army entered the capital Nadiya and resorted to massive loot. In the absence of the King, the city surrendered. Lakshman Sen had taken refuge in East Bengal and ruled there for some period. Bakhtiyar Khalzi did not try to conquer the whole of the Bengal. Bakhtiyar Khalji made his capital in Lakhnauti.

18. Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

Assertion (A) : Turkish invasions on India were successful.

Reason (R) : There was no political unity in North India.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below :

Correct Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is correct explanation of (A).
Solution:There are many reasons for the success of  Turkish invasions in India, however, the most prominent of them was the constant warfare among the Indian rulers.

India at that time was divided into small kingdoms. There were many small kingdoms in the North and Western India (present-day Pakistan), and this made Turk's work easy. A strong kingdom in the north would have deterred Turks.

19. Hazrat Muhammad, the prophet, was born in the year : [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]

Correct Answer: (a) 570 A.D.
Solution:Hazrat Muhammad was born approximately in 570 A.D. in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. He is known as the "Holy Prophet" to Muslims. He died in 632 A.D.

Muhammad was the chosen recipient and messenger of the word of God through the divine revelations, Muslims from all walks of life strive to follow his example. After the holy Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet (hadith) and descriptions of his way of life (sunna) are the most important Muslim texts.

20. Where is Mecca ? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1995]

Correct Answer: (d) Saudi Arab
Solution:Hazrat Muhammad was born approximately in 570 A.D. in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. He is known as the "Holy Prophet" to Muslims. He died in 632 A.D.