Medieval and Islamic History

The question asks which statement is NOT correct. Qutub Minar was started by Qutubuddin Aibak, not Iltutmish. Iltutmish only added the next three stories to complete it. Therefore statement C is indeed the incorrect statement among the options. The other statements are historically accurate - Iltutmish did receive the caliph's investiture in 1228, he rightly refused to help Jalaluddin Mangbarni to protect his kingdom, and he is considered the true founder of the Delhi Sultanate.

Tughluqabad was the third city of Delhi, built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, whose original name was Ghazi Malik. He was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. The city was built in the 14th century as a fortified settlement. Ghazi Malik was a former governor who rose to become Sultan and established his new capital at Tughluqabad.

Maimor was a specific designation used during the Sultanate period for technical specialists. Engineers were critical for building forts, palaces, and infrastructure. The term reflects the specialized administrative structure of medieval Islamic kingdoms in India.

Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) introduced comprehensive reforms including market control (price regulation), strengthening of police and secret services, and passing four key regulations to suppress nobility revolts. All these measures were part of his strategy to centralize power and prevent rebellions. His market control system was particularly innovative, fixing prices of essential commodities.

Razia Sultan (1236-1240), the only female ruler of Delhi Sultanate, had the name "Raziatuddin" inscribed on her coins, meaning 'slave of the faith' or 'servant of religion'. This followed the Islamic tradition of rulers adopting pious titles on coinage. The use of 'Raziatuddin' rather than 'Razia Sultan' emphasized her religious legitimacy.

Majlis-i-Khalvat (Private Assembly) was the select council or cabinet that advised the Sultan on important matters of state. It consisted of trusted nobles and officials who met privately with the Sultan to discuss policy, security, and administrative decisions. This body helped the Sultan in governance by providing counsel on crucial issues.

Barbak was a term used in the Sultanate period to designate a specific type of officer or official. The title referred to administrative functionaries who served in various capacities in the royal court or provincial administration. Barbak was one of many specialized titles in the complex hierarchical system of the Sultanate bureaucracy.

Alauddin Hussain of Gaur (reigned 1494-1519), brother of Qutubuddin Mohammad, burnt Ghazni in retaliation for his brothers' deaths. This act earned him the title 'Jahansoj' (World Burner). Gaur was in Bengal, and Hussain's campaign extended to Afghanistan, demonstrating the reach of Bengal's power in late medieval period. Ghazni was historically significant as former capital of the Ghaznavid Empire.

All three statements are historically accurate. Balban was indeed a prominent leader of the Chahalgani (the Turkish slave nobility organization of Iltutmish), the Chahalgani had approximately 40 members, and Balban did reorganize the Diwan-i-Ariz military department to strengthen defenses against Mongol invasions.

According to the contemporary historian Ziauddin Barni, Ghiyasuddin Balban established the Shiq as an administrative unit. The Shiq was a district-level territorial division headed by a shiqdar, responsible for revenue collection and maintaining law and order.

Itlaqi was a type of land assignment or land grant system in the Delhi Sultanate. It referred to lands whose revenue was assigned to state officials or nobles as compensation for their services, rather than being a direct grant to peasants or religious officials.

Qutubuddin Aibak built the Quwwatul Islam Mosque (his first major monument), Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra in Ajmer, and began construction of the Qutub Minar. However, he did NOT build the Jama Masjid - the famous Jama Masjid in Delhi was built by Shah Jahan much later in the 17th century, during the Mughal period.

Shihabuddin Ahmad I, also known as Wali (Saint), earned this title due to his reputation for piety, justice, and dedication to welfare. His rule was marked by fair administration and concern for his subjects, qualities that led contemporaries to compare him to a saint.

Ghiyasuddin Balban declared his grandson Kaikhusrau as his successor to the throne. This was a controversial decision since Kaikhusrau was young and there were other claimants, including Balban's son Bughra Khan who was governor of Bengal.

The Sarjandar was the designation for the chief of the Sultan's bodyguards in the Delhi Sultanate. This officer commanded the personal protection force responsible for the Sultan's safety. Sarkhel was an admiral, Sipahsalar was a military commander, and Nayak Barbak was a specific noble title.