History

Medieval and Islamic History

3,351 Questions

Medieval and Islamic history focuses on the political, cultural, and administrative developments during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire. Key topics include military campaigns, administrative reforms, court artisans, and architectural marvels like the Red Fort. This is a highly scoring subject for SSC and civil services preliminary exams.

Delhi Sultanate rulersMughal empire emperorsAdministrative and judicial reformsHistorical monuments constructionMedieval court art and culture

Medieval and Islamic History Questions

Multiple choice

Ahadis were those troopers who

  1. offered their services singly
  2. did not attach themselves to any chief
  3. had the emperor as their immediate colonel
  4. attached themselves to Mirzas

  1. 1, 3 and 4

  2. 1, 2 and 3

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 1 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Ahadis were the gentlemen troopers who were recruited individually and were under the command of a separate mansabdar or officer, and had a diwan and a bakshi of their own. They were considered very efficient and loyal troops and were paid high salaries.

Multiple choice

The first writer to use Urdu as the medium of poetic expression was

  1. Amir Khusrau

  2. Mirza Ghalib

  3. Bahadur Shah Zafar

  4. Faiz
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Amir Khusrau (1253 - 1325 CE), a Persian poet, was associated with the rulers of Delhi Sultanate. He composed poetry in Arabic and Persian besides being the first writer to use Urdu as a medium of poetic expression.

Multiple choice

The shaded area in the below map shows the empire of

  1. Alauddin Khalji

  2. Mohammad Tughlaq

  3. Shahjahan

  4. Aurangzeb
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Shah Jahan assumed the Mughal throne on 24 January 1628 in Agra, a few days after the death of Jahangir. He inherited a vast and rich empire; and at mid-century, this was perhaps the greatest empire in the world, exhibiting a degree of centralised control rarely matched before. Shah Jahan expanded his empire in all directions; he annexed the Rajput kingdoms of Baglana and Bundelkhand to the west, and in 1635, he captured the kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda in the Deccan.

Multiple choice

With reference to medieval Indian rulers, which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Alauddin Khilji first set up a separate Ariz's department.

  2. Balban introduced the branding system of horses in his military.

  3. Muhammad Bin Tughlaq was succeeded by his uncle to the Delhi throne.

  4. Firoz Tughlaq set up a separate department of slaves.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Firoz Tughlaq set up a separate department of slaves known as Diwan-i-Bandagan. Mohd Bin Tughlaq was succeeded by his cousin (not uncle) Firoz Tughlaq. Alauddin Khilji introduced the branding system of horses in his military.

Multiple choice

The motive behind Shah Jahan's Balkh campaign was to

  1. secure a friendly ruler in Balkh and Badakshan which bordered Kabul

  2. conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands

  3. fix the Mughal frontier on the scientific line, the Amu Dana

  4. expand the Mughal Empire beyond the subcontinent
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The motive behind Shah Jahan's Balkh and Badakshan campaign in central Asia was to secure the defence of North-West India. That is why statement a is correct.

Multiple choice

Historian Barani refused to consider the state in India under Delhi Sultans as truly Islamic because

  1. majority of the population did not follow Islam

  2. Muslim theologists were often disregarded

  3. Sultan supplemented the Muslim law by framing his own regulations

  4. religious freedom was accorded to non-Muslims
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Zia-ud-din-Barani was a contemporary of Muhammad Tughlaq and Firoz Tughlaq. He enjoyed the patronage of both the sultans. He composed Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi and Fatwa-i-Jahandari.

Multiple choice

With reference to Sufism in Indian history, consider the following statements:

  1. Sheikh Ahmad Sarhandi was a contemporary of Ibrahim Lodi.
  2. Sheikh Nasiruddin Chirag-I-Dehlavi was a disciple of Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya.
  3. Aurangzeb was a contemporary of Sheikh Salim Chisti.
  4. Qadiri order of Sufis was first introduced in India by Sheikh Niamutullah and Makhdum Muhammad Jilani.

Which of these statements are correct?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 1 and 3

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 2 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sheikh Ahmad Sarhandi of Naqshbandi order was a contemporary of Akbar and Jahangir. The Qadiri order of Sufis was first introduced in India by Sheikh Nizamatullah (died in 1430 AD) and Makhdum (or Nasiruddin) Muhammad Jilani (died in 1517 AD).

Multiple choice

Which one is not correctly matched?

  1. Malavikagnimitra and Kalidas

  2. Humayun Nama and Gulbadan Begum

  3. Bijak and Kabirdas

  4. Akbar Nama and Firdausi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Akbar Nama was written by Abul Fazl, not Firdausi. Firdausi is famous for writing the Shahnameh.

Multiple choice

The Bahmani kingdom was founded during the reign of

  1. Ibrahim Lodhi

  2. Qutubddin Aibak

  3. Alauddin Khilji

  4. Mohd. Bin Tughluq
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Bahmani Sultanate was established in 1347 by Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, also known as Hasan Gangu. This occurred during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate.