Medieval and Islamic History

Padshah Nama was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori during Shah Jahan's reign (1628-1658), not Akbar's period (1556-1605). The other three options - Tarikh-i-Alfi, Akbar nama, and Muntakhab-ul-Tawarikh - are all contemporary sources from Akbar's time.

Jahangir (1605-1627) was known for his artistic pursuits and composed songs in Persian. His autobiography Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri mentions his interest in music and poetry. Unlike his predecessors, Jahangir actively participated in artistic creation.

Amal-e-Sahil is not a genuine historical text from Aurangzeb's reign (1658-1707). Alamgir Nama (by Mirza Muhammad Kazim), Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh (by Sujan Rai Bhandari), and Nuskha-i-Dilkhush (by Bhimsen Saxena) are all authentic contemporary or near-contemporary sources from Aurangzeb's period.

Buland Darwaza, built by Akbar in 1573 to commemorate his Gujarat victory, follows the Iranian architectural style with its massive gateway, Persian calligraphy, and use of chhatris and domes characteristic of Timurid-Persian architecture.

The Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus) was constructed in 1628-1635 during Shah Jahan's reign by master craftsmen from Persia and India. It was adorned with precious stones including the Kohinoor diamond and took seven years to complete. It was not built during the reigns of Babur, Humayun, or Akbar.

Khafi Khan wrote Muntakhab-ul-Lubab secretly during Aurangzeb's reign because the emperor was opposed to historical documentation of his rule. Option A directly states this fact. Khafi Khan feared Aurangzeb's disapproval of recording contemporary history, which is why he wrote his chronicle in hiding.

Amir Khusrau (1253-1325) is widely regarded as one of the first poets to write in what evolved into Urdu, blending Persian with local Indian languages. He lived in the 13th-14th century during the Delhi Sultanate. Mirza Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar were much later (19th century) poets, and Faiz was a 20th century poet.

Mohammad-bin-Bakhtiar Khalji, the Turkic general, invaded Bengal in the early 13th century and defeated Lakshmana Sen, the Hindu ruler of the Sena dynasty who ruled from Nadia (in present-day West Bengal). This marked the beginning of Muslim rule in Bengal.

Murshid Quli Khan, originally named Mirza Hadi, was born into a Zoroastrian (Parsi) family in Persia before being sold as a slave and eventually converting to Islam. He rose to become the first Nawab of Bengal. The other options (Asad Khan, Khafi Khan, Ayub Khan) were Muslim nobles who did not have Zoroastrian origins.

The Naib-i-Mamalikat (Vicegerent) post was created by Turk nobles to ensure administrative continuity and stability during periods when the Sultan's position was weak or contested. This was a safeguard mechanism to protect the administration from collapse during political crises. Option B is too idealized - the officers were primarily concerned with maintaining stability and their own influence rather than selfless service.

The revolt of Sadah Amirs (nobles claiming descent from the Prophet) occurred during Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq's reign (1325-1351). His controversial policies - including the disastrous capital shift to Daulatabad, introduction of token currency, and ill-conceived military expeditions - provoked widespread rebellion among the nobility. Balban faced noble dissent but not specifically Sadah Amirs, while Razia and Mubarak Khalji's reigns were too brief for such organized noble revolts.

Changez Khan (Genghis Khan) pursued Jalaluddin Mangbarni, the last Khwarazmian ruler, to the Indus River. After the Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire (1218-1221), Mangbarni fled across Central Asia with Genghis Khan's forces in pursuit. He was eventually granted refuge in India by Iltutmish but became a source of political tension. The other options were Indian rulers of different eras - Nasiruddin Mahmud (Iltutmish's son), Nasiruddin Qubacha (a rival governor), and Mohammad Ghori (12th century invader).

Iltutmish made two major contributions to currency: he was the first Turkish ruler to issue pure Arabic (Islamic) coins, and he introduced the silver Tanka and copper Jital as standardized currency. The Tanka became the standard coin for centuries. Option A alone is incomplete, option B alone misses the historical significance of being first, and option D is irrelevant.

Sultan Bahram Shah, a successor of Mahmud of Ghazni, killed in his court a noble who was also the brother of the then king of Shamsbani dynasty - Alauddin Jahansoz (in the 1150s). This became the cause of intense rivalry between the two dynasties. The rulers of the two dynasties fought several battles in the years that followed and finally Mohammad Ghori, the nephew of Alauddin, put an end to the Shamsi dynasty by occupying Ghaznah in 1173, Multan in 1175 and Lahore by 1190.

This matching question pairs historical statements about Aibak and Iltutmish with the historians who wrote them. The correct pairing is: (a) Aibak made the limits of sovereignty of Delhi Sultanate; Iltutmish was the first Sultan - A.B.M. Habibullah (3); (b) The real beginning of Muslim sovereignty was done by Iltutmish - R.P. Tripathi (1); (c) Aibak had only drawn the shape of Delhi Sultanate in his mind, Iltutmish gave it real shape - Nizami (4); (d) None had been so philanthropic, sympathetic and reverential to scholars and seniors as Iltutmish - Minhaj-us-Siraj (2).