Medieval Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who ascended Delhi’s throne on March 23, 1351, introduced four taxes based on Islamic law: kharaj (land tax), khams (one-fifth of spoils of war), jizya (tax on non-Muslims), and zakat (2% on property). The kharaj, or land tax, was the precursor to the first irrigation tax, equalling one tenth of the land produce. This first irrigation tax marked a significant shift in the economic policy of the Sultanate and had a lasting impact on Indian agriculture.

Notes:
Calicut is a metropolitan city in the state of Kerala in southern India on the Malabar Coast. Kamal-ud-Din Abd-ur-Razzaq ibn Ishaq Samarqandi visited Calicut in early 1440s. He wrote a narrative of what he saw in Calicut which is valuable as information on Calicut’s society and culture.

Notes:
Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad (6 March 1508 – 27 January 1556), is known by his name, Humayun was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, who ruled over territory in what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, and Bangladesh from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early but regained it with the aid of the Safavid dynasty of Persia, with additional territory. At the time of his death in 1556, the Mughal Empire spanned almost one million square kilometres.

Notes:
Chand Bardai, the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan had written the epic poem in Brij Bhasha.

Notes:
Muhammad Shah was the Mughal Emperor during Nader Shah’s invasion. Nader Shah Afshar was one of the most powerful Iranian rulers in the history of the nation, ruling as Shah of Iran from 1736 to 1747 when he was assassinated during a rebellion.

Notes:
Mughal emperor Akbar is against sati. He had allowed Sati to take place only if the wife willingly wanted to follow it. But many times woman were forced to commit Sati or pushed into funeral pyre by her own relatives and this was against the law. Akbar banned “forced” Sati after the incident with his wife’s cousin Rani Damayenti.

Notes:
Rihla was written by Ibn Battuta. The book is also known as The Travels. It’s a travelogue that documents Battuta’s 29-year journey across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Battuta traveled over 120,000 kilometers, visiting countries including Morocco, Egypt, India, China, and Mali.  The book’s formal title is A Masterpiece to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling. It provides insights into the cultures, societies, and historical events of the places Battuta visited. The book also includes his interactions with rulers, scholars, and ordinary people.  Battuta’s travels lasted from 1304 to 1369. He returned home to Tangier in 1349. The book is an important historical document that offers a unique perspective on the medieval world.

Notes:
Iqta referred to that part of land granted by the sultan to its military chiefs for maintenance of troopers.

Notes:
Baiju Bawra was a dhrupad musician from medieval India.He was one of the court musicians of Raja Mansingh Tomar of Gwalher (now Gwalior).

Notes:
An emperor of Vijayanagar empire, Krishna Dev Raya was the most illustrious ruler of Deccan and a contemporary of Babur. In his reign (1509 AD –1529 AD) the empire reached to its zenith in peace, order, power, prosperity and learning.
In the biography of Mughal Emperor Babur, “Baburnama”, he described Krishna Dev Raya as the most powerful ruler of India.