History · General Awareness

Medieval and Modern Indian History

1,704 Questions

Explore a comprehensive collection of medieval and modern Indian history questions designed for exam preparation. The topics cover major wars, treaties, regional conflicts, and colonial administration. This material helps candidates appearing for civil services and other competitive examinations to test their knowledge effectively.

Carnatic warsMughal and Sultanate conflictsBritish annexation policiesIndo Pak warsColonial administration

Medieval and Modern Indian History Questions

Multiple choice

What was the main aim of northern expedition of Rajendra Chola?

  1. To conquer Ganges valley

  2. To demonstrate strength

  3. To bring holy water from Ganges

  4. To take revenge of his father's defeat
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Rajendra Chola's northern expedition to the Ganges valley was primarily a demonstration of the Chola Empire's military might and reach. While his armies did bring water from the Ganges as a symbolic gesture, the expedition's main purpose was to project power and enhance the Chola's prestige across the Indian subcontinent, showing they could challenge northern kingdoms.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Shivaji was helped by the 'Asthapradhan' (council of eight ministers) in administration of the empire.
  2. These 'asthapradhanas' were collectively responsible to the king.

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both of these

  4. Neither of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. The Ashtapradhan (also termed Asta Pradhad or the Council of  was a council of eight ministers that administered the Maratha Empire. The council was formed in 1674 by founding Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji. Statement 2 is incorrect: Unlike the present day Council of Ministers of Indian Parliament, these 'asthapradhanas' were individually responsible to Shivaji. There was no collective responsibility.

Multiple choice

Arrange the following events in the correct chronological order. A. The First Anglo-Maratha War B. The Second Anglo-Maratha War C. The Third Anglo-Maratha War D. Treaty of Bassein E. Treaty of Salbai

  1. A B E D C

  2. A E B C D

  3. A B D C E

  4. A E B D C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct chronological order of the events given is -

The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-82)
Treaty of Salbai was signed after the first Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-06)
Treaty of Bassein was signed after the Second Anglo-Maratha War The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-18)

Multiple choice

Read the following statements: Assertion: In the Battle of Plassey, the British defeated the then Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. Reason: Siraj's army was not as well equipped on modern lines as that of the British.

Mark your answer as

  1. if both the statements are correct and statement 2 is the correct explanation for statement 1

  2. if both the statements are correct but statement 2 is not the correct explanation for statement 1

  3. if statement 1 is true but statement 2 is false

  4. if statement 1 is false but statement 2 is true
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

No doubt, the British army was better equipped with advanced weapons, but that was not the cause behind the defeat of Siraj's army. He lost the battle owing to conspiracies at various levels of his army.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are true in relation to the French in India?

  1. The biggest French settlement in India was Pondicherry.
    1. The title of 'nawab' was conferred on the French Governor Dumas by Chanda Sahib.
  2. The French commander Dupleix was taken as prisoner in the Battle of Wandiwash.

  1. Only 2

  2. Only 1

  3. Only 1 and 2

  4. Only 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Pondicherry was the biggest French settlement in India.

Statement 2 is correct: The title of 'nawab' was conferred on the French Governor Dumas by Chanda Sahib. Statement 3 is incorrect: It was the French commander Busy that was taken as prisoner in the Battle of Wandiwash.

Multiple choice

The 'Battle of Badera' is remembered in Indian history for the

  1. real establishment of the British Empire in India

  2. final collapse of the French Empire in India

  3. final collapse of the Dutch Empire in India

  4. real establishment of the Danish Empire in India
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Battle of Badera was fought in 1759 between the Dutch and the British. It led to the final collapse of the Dutch in India at the hands of the British.

Multiple choice

The Battle of Sobraon was fought between

  1. the British and the Marathas

  2. the British and the Burmese army

  3. the British and the Sikhs

  4. the British and the Dutch
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Battle of Sobraon was fought on 10th February, 1846, between the forces of the British East India Company and the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The Sikhs were completely defeated, making this the decisive battle of the First Anglo-Sikh War.

Multiple choice

Which of the following wars/battles was the result of “Seven Years' War” between Austria and Prussia?

  1. The First Carnatic War

  2. The Second Carnatic War

  3. The Third Carnatic War

  4. The Battle of Badera
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The ‘Seven Years' War’ started in 1757. France supported Austria and Britain supported Prussia. Count de Lally arrived in India to retrieve the position of the French. Chandranagore was captured by Clive. The Third Carnatic War started. Finally, it led to the Battle of Wandiwash, which ended with the collapse of the French empire in India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is not true in relation to the Marathas?

  1. The Marathas were a yeoman warrior group from the eastern Deccan.

  2. The Marathas are credited for ending the Mughal rule in India.

  3. The Maratha Empire was founded and consolidated by Chhatrapati Shivaji, who created an independent empire with Raigad as its capital.

  4. The Maratha Empire waged war for 27 years with the Mughals from 1681 to 1707, which became the longest war in the history of India.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Marathas were from the WESTERN Deccan (present-day Maharashtra), not eastern. This makes statement A false - it's the 'not true' statement as asked. Statements B, C, and D are true: Marathas did end Mughal rule, Shivaji founded the empire with Raigad as capital, and the 27-year war (1681-1707) is indeed India's longest war.

Multiple choice

After the disintegration of the Maratha Empire in 1761, which of the following regions came under the administrative control of the Holkars?

  1. Baroda

  2. Indore and Malwa

  3. Gwalior and Ujjain

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

Following the disintegration of the Maratha Empire after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), the Holkar dynasty established control over the Indore and Malwa regions. Malhar Rao Holkar and later his successors consolidated their power in this area, making it their primary domain.

Multiple choice

Delhi was captured by the Maratha army in 1757 under the leadership of

  1. Balaji Baji Rao

  2. Raghunath Rao

  3. Shahu

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

In the wake of the Afghan withdrawal after Ahmed Shah Abdali's plunder of Delhi in 1756, Delhi was captured by the Maratha army under Raghunath Rao in August 1757 defeating Afghan Garrison in the Battle of Delhi. This laid the foundation for the Maratha conquest of Northwest India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following factors instigated the third Anglo-Maratha War?

  1. Cause of Raghunath Rao for Peshwaship

  2. Policy of Subsidiary Alliance

  3. Doctrine of Lapse Policy

  4. British war against the Pindaris
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Lord Hastings was determined to proclaim British paramountary in India. His moves against the Pindaris transgressed the sovereignty of the Maratha chief and the third Anglo-Maratha war began in 1817.

Multiple choice

Which Maratha State was the last one to accept the British Subsidiary Alliance?

  1. Bhonsle

  2. Holkar

  3. Gaekwad

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

The Scindias of Gwalior were the last major Maratha state to accept the British Subsidiary Alliance, doing so in 1803 after the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon following the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The Bhonsles (Nagpur) and Holkars (Indore) had accepted earlier. Gaekwads of Baroda accepted in 1802. Scindia's resistance under Daulat Rao Scindia continued longest until military defeat forced acceptance.