Medieval and Islamic History

Maharaja Suraj Mal was the ruler of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He is named as "the Plato of the Jat people" because of his political sagacity, steady intellect, and clear vision. He played a key role in setting up the city of Bharatpur.

Ghiyasuddin Balban became the ruler of slave dynasty in 1266 after the death of Nasiruddin Mahmud. He believed in the divinity of kingship. He believed that his power as the king was absolute. He claimed himself to be the representative of God. None could challenge his power. He made his court both dignified and majestic. The nobles had to perform "Sizdah" before him. He proved himself to be the greatest king of the slave dynasty.

In 1398, Timur invaded northern India during that time the Delhi Sultanate was ruled by Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq of the Tughlaq Dynasty.  Delhi was sacked and left in ruins by him Capture of Delhi was one of his greatest achievement.

Timur was a Mongol. He was the ruler of Samarkand in Central Asia. Timur came to Delhi and devastated it. After that, he appointed Khizr Khan to look after his conquered territory. Khizr Khan was the first ruler of Saiyad dynasty. 

Zain-ul-Abidin was the eighth Sultan of Kashmir. He abolished Jaziya and banned the slaughter of cows also he had reconstructed and rehabilitated many temples. He was popularly known as 'Akbar of Kashmir'  because of his policy of religious toleration and public welfare activities.

Muhammad- bin - Tughluq was a brilliant scholar. He was a knowledgeable person and well versed in astronomy, poetry, philosophy, logic, medicine, physical science, and mathematics. He had a high sense of justice. He was a great poet and a good orator. But all his qualities failed in his practical life. He died in 1351.

Iltutmish who was the third ruler of the Slave dynasty of Delhi constituted a corp of 40 loyal slaves Amirs Known as Turkana-i-Chihalgani. It was the selected body of Turkish nobility which was destroyed by Balban later. 

From the time of Balban the iqtadars were expected to send the excess of the income to the center after meeting his and the army’s expenses this was known as Fawazil. It was done to maintain a balance between the income and expenditure of Iqta-holders.

Answer - (D) Firuz Shah Tughlaq

Adhai din Jhonpra was a Masjid built by Qutub-ud-Din-Aibak, first Sultan of Delhi, in AD 1199 .

Mohammed bin Tughlaq, constructed the city of  Jahanpanah and Adilabad Fort. Adilabad Fort is referred to by historians as the fourth fort of Delhi, in the footsteps of famous contemporaries like Red Fort, Old Fort and the adjacent Tughlaqabad.

 Historians have described the Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq as the mixture of opposites because he was extremely humble but at the same time extremely arrogant. At many times, he was extremely generous and at other times, an extremely narrow-minded. 

Balban considered King as the shadow of God on the Earth, therefore, he called himself Naib-i-Khudai. He considered kingship next to prophethood and believes that his actions could not be judged by nobles or other people.

Ghiyasuddin Balban adopted the policy of stern man which is known as the policy of Blood and Iron. He believed that his power as the king was absolute. He claimed himself to be the representative of the Go. He believed in the divinity of Kingship. He introduced the Persian customs of Sijadah and Paibos.