Medieval and Islamic History

Shah Alam II was restored to the Mughal throne in 1772 with Maratha help under Mahadji Shinde after being blinded and deposed by the Rohilla Afghans. The Sikhs, Afghans, and Turks were involved in different conflicts but not this restoration.

Nur Jahan, wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, is credited with introducing chikan embroidery to Lucknow in the 17th century. She brought Persian artisans who taught the delicate white-on-white embroidery technique to local craftsmen, establishing Lucknow as the center of chikan work.

Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveler, visited India during Muhammad bin Tughluq's reign (1324-1351) and stayed for 8 years (1333-1341). He served as a qazi (judge) in the Tughluq administration and documented his observations in his travelogue 'Rihla'.

Emperor Akbar founded the city of Allahabad (originally named Illahabas, meaning 'Abode of God') in 1574 at the sacred confluence of Ganga and Yamuna rivers. He recognized the strategic and religious importance of this location and constructed the magnificent Allahabad Fort nearby. Jahangir, Babur, and Aurangzeb were not associated with the city's founding.

Nur Jahan, wife of Emperor Jahangir, was the only Mughal empress granted the privilege of issuing coins in her own name, reflecting her unprecedented political power and influence. She effectively became co-ruler during Jahangir's later reign. Jodha Bai was Akbar's wife, Mumtaz Mahal was Shah Jahan's beloved, and Hamida Banu was Humayun's wife.

Nadir Shah, the Persian invader, gave the name 'Koh-i-Noor' (Mountain of Light) to the famous diamond after his conquest of Delhi in 1739. He seized the diamond from the Mughals and was so impressed by its brilliance that he bestowed this famous name. The diamond had previously been known by other names including Samantik Mani.

Sikandar Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi from 1489-1517, founded the city of Agra in 1504 and made it his capital. He chose this strategic location on the banks of Yamuna River. Akbar later shifted his capital to Agra and built the Agra Fort, but he was not the founder. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal there, and Aurangzeb also ruled from Agra, but neither founded the city.

Iltutmish (1211-1236) succeeded Qutubuddin Aibak as the Delhi Sultan. Balban ruled much later (1266-1287), Muhammad Gauri was a Ghurid Sultan (not Delhi Sultanate), and Firoz Shah Tughlaq ruled in the 14th century.

The 'Forty' (Turkan-i-Chahalgani) was an elite group of 40 Turkish nobles who held significant power during the Delhi Sultanate, especially under Iltutmish. They were neither thieves, ministers, nor informers - they were powerful aristocrats.

Akbar included Ranthambhor, Marwar, and Lucknow (Awadh) in his empire, but Mewad remained unconquered due to the famous resistance led by Maharana Pratap. The Mewar region famously defied Mughal expansion, making it the only state NOT included in Akbar's empire among the options.

Jahangir was a great patron of painting, particularly the Mughal miniature style. He maintained a large atelier of artists including famous painters like Basawan, Daswanth, and Abul Hasan. Jahangir's reign produced some of the finest Mughal paintings, especially portraits and nature studies. While Mughals did patronize architecture (like Taj Mahal under Shah Jahan), Jahangir's personal passion was painting.

Haydar Ali (also spelled Hyder Ali) was Tipu Sultan's father and the founder of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was a military commander who deposed the Hindu Wodeyar king and made himself the ruler. Tipu succeeded him after his death in 1782. Mir Sadiq was actually a minister who betrayed Tipu, not his father.