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

Consider the following statements:

  1. Naval expeditions of Rajaraja - I occupied parts of Burma, Malaya and Sumatra.
  2. Rajendra I conquered Ceylon.
  3. The Cholas held northern Ceylon until they were expelled by Vijayabahu I.
  4. The Cholas fell in the 13th century when their territory was shared by the Hoysalas and Pandyas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1, 2 and 3

  2. 3 and 4

  3. 2, 3 and 4

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

Rajendra I conquered parts of Ceylon (2), the Cholas held northern Ceylon until Vijayabahu I (3), and the Chola empire declined in the 13th century (4). Statement 1 is partially incorrect as Rajaraja I's naval expeditions were primarily directed at the Maldives and parts of the coast, not necessarily Burma/Malaya.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. During the Mughal period Mysore was the premier centre of silk production and supplied the demands of both European and Indian merchants.
  2. There was no ship-building industry in India during the Mughal period as Europeans supplied ships to the Indians.
  3. During the Mughaf period, saltpetre was exported from India by Dutch and English traders. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2 only

  3. 1 and 3

  4. 3 only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 3 is correct; saltpetre was a major export commodity for the Dutch and English in the Mughal period. Statement 1 is incorrect (Bengal was the premier silk center, not Mysore). Statement 2 is incorrect (India had a robust ship-building industry).

Multiple choice

What was the main content of the Treaty of Deogaon concluded at the end of 1803 ?

  1. Bhonsle Raja of Berar ceded to the English the Province of Cuttack including Balasore, and the whole of his territory west of the river Warda

  2. Sindhia ceded to the English all his territories between the Ganges and Jamuna, and his first and territories to the north of the Rajput principalities, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Gohad

  3. Holkar gave up all claims to Tonk, Rampura, Bundi, Kooch, Bundelkhand and places north of the Chambal

  4. Baji Rao II renounced the post of Peshwa and the headship of the Maratha confederacy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Treaty of Deogaon (1803) was signed between the British and the Bhonsle Raja of Berar following the Battle of Argaon, resulting in the cession of Cuttack and territories west of the Warda river.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. When Portuguese landed at Calicut in 1498, Narasa Nayaka chastised Zamorin and expelled the Portuguese from there

  2. Pedro Alvarez Cabral captured the port of Goa in 1510

  3. When Portuguese captured the port of Goa froll) the Bijapur Sultanate, Vijayanagar rulers sided with Bijapur

  4. When Mughal forces laid siege to Sambhaji's Kalyan, Portuguese helped Mughals with provisions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Portuguese maintained a complex relationship with Indian powers; they indeed provided military and logistical support to the Mughals against Maratha forces like those of Sambhaji.

Multiple choice

Assertion (A): Azam Shah requested Shahu to take charge of Narmada region during his absence from Maharashtra. Reason (R) : It was felt that Shahu's presence in the region would weaken Tarabai and safeguard Mughal possessions during Azam's absence.

  1. Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A

  2. Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A

  3. A is true but R is false

  4. A is false but R is true
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Azam Shah did encourage Shahu to leave the Mughal camp to create a diversion in the Maratha territories, which served the Mughal interest of destabilizing Tarabai's faction.

Multiple choice

Assertion (A): Haji Iliyas of Bengal was defeated by Firuz Shah Tughlaq but the Sultan returned to Delhi without annexing Bengal. Reason (R): There was a sudden invasion of Mongols on the North-West Frontier

  1. Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A

  2. Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A

  3. A is true but R is false

  4. A is false but R is true
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Haji Iliyas of Bengal was indeed defeated by Firuz Shah Tughlaq, but the Sultan did not annex Bengal due to the onset of the rainy season and the difficulty of maintaining control over the region. The reason provided regarding a Mongol invasion is historically inaccurate in this context.

Multiple choice

What was the duty assigned to Mustakharaj under Alaud-din Khalji ?

  1. To measure the land of peasants and to fix the revenue share of the State

  2. To collect the unrealised balance of land revenue from the peasants

  3. To punish the revenue officials indulging in corruption

  4. To spy on the merchants and traders and to ensure that prices fixed by the State were followed
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Mustakharaj was an official created by Alauddin Khalji specifically to collect arrears of land revenue from the peasants.

Multiple choice

With reference to the Mughal administration, which ('De of the following statements is not correct ?

  1. The Mughal artillery was under the charge of Mir-i-Atish (b) Supervision over the lands granted by the Emperors o

  2. Princes to pious men, scholars and monks was under the charge of the Chief Sadr

  3. The imperial household was under the charge of Mir Manzil

  4. The censorship of public morals was under the charge of Muhtasib
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The imperial household was under the charge of the Mir Saman, not the Mir Manzil. The Mir Manzil was responsible for the imperial camp and its logistics during travels.

Multiple choice

Fawazil in the Sultanate period meant

  1. extra payment to the nobles

  2. revenue assigned in lieu of salary

  3. excess amount paid to the exchequer by the Iqtadars

  4. illegal exactions extracted from the peasants
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Fawazil was the balance between the income and expenditure of the Iqta-holders.

Multiple choice

Assertion A: At first, the Turkish administration in India was essentially military. Reason R: The country was parcelled out as 'Iqtas' among leading military leaders.

  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

  2. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

  3. A is true, but R is false.

  4. A is false, but R is true.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Iqta is that part of the land which is granted by the sultan to its military chiefs for maintenance of troopers. The land was taken back when the Iqtadars were not in a position to maintain the army.

Multiple choice

In the given map, the shaded part represents Akbar's empire at a certain juncture: 'A' stands for an independent country and 'B' marks the site of a city. Which one of the following alternatives gives the correct information?

  1. Akbar in 1557: (A) Gokunda, (B) Lahore

  2. Akbar in 1557: (A) Khandesh, (B) Multan

  3. Akbar in 1605: (A) Gondwana, (B) Multan

  4. Akbar in 1605: (A) Gondwana, (B) Lahore
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The shaded part represents Akbar's territory at the time of his death in 1605. A - Gondwana; B - Lahore.

Multiple choice

Which of the following ancient Indian records is the earliest royal order to preserve food grains to be utilised during crisis in the country?

  1. Sohgaura copper plate

  2. Rummindei pillar-edict of Ashoka

  3. Prayaga-prasasti

  4. Mehrauli pillar inscription of Chandra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The earliest known copper-plate called Sohgaura is a Mauryan record that mentions famine relief efforts. It is one of the very few pre-Ashoka Brahmi inscriptions in India.

Multiple choice

The given map relates to

  1. Kanishka at the time of his death

  2. Samudragupta after the close of his South Indian campaign

  3. Ashoka towards close of his reign

  4. Empire of Thaneswar on the eve of Harsha's accession
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The given map is related to the reign of Ashoka towards the tend of his rule. Ashoka (304—232 BC), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty who ruled over the Indian subcontinent from 269 BC to 232 BC. His empire stretched from present-day Pakistan, Afghanistan in the west, to the present-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of Assam in the east, and as far south as northern Kerala and Andhra.