Medieval Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Yusuf Adil Shah – Ahmednagar is not correctly matched. Yusuf Adil Shah founded the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur (not Ahmednagar) in 1489-90. Ahmednagar was founded by Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah. Qutub Shah correctly refers to the founder of the Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golkonda (Golconda). Baz Bahadur was the last Sultan of Malwa (1555-1562 CE). Sultan Muzaffar Shah ruled Gujarat.

Notes:
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq was the Sultan of Delhi when the Vijayanagar empire was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka. He reigned from 1325 to 1351 as the second Tughlaq ruler after Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320-1325). Rebellions in South India during his rule, including by Harihara and Bukka, led to Vijayanagar’s establishment as Delhi lost control. 

Notes:
Muhammad Shah Rangile also known as Roshan Akhtar, was the Mughal emperor between 1719 and 1748. During his time, Nadir Shah attacked and looted Delhi and took the Peacock Throne with himself.

Notes:
Faizi, the elder brother of Akbar’s famous courtier Abul Fazl, wrote the Mahzarnama in 1579 A.D. This decree was a significant step by Akbar towards establishing his absolute control over religious matters, thereby curbing the dominance of Ulema – the leading Islamic scholars. It augmented Akbar’s secular policies and contributed to the syncretic culture during his reign.

Notes:
Aurangzeb stopped engraving Kalma on coins. Forbade the Parsis to celebrate their festival Navaroz. Released an order to ban the music everywhere and arrest those who listen to the music. His drink was plain water and he used to sleep on ground, something

Notes:
In 1293 A.D., Marco Polo, an Italian traveller visited Motupalli, a famous sea port during Kakatiya Dynasty. He wrote about the prosperity and power of the kingdom under Rudrammadevi.  Polo visited India twice, in 1287-78 and 1291-92. He landed on the Coromandel Coast in 1292 after a two-year trip by sea across the Indian Ocean. He joined the Tamil Pandya kingdom around Tanjore.  Polo wrote about his experiences in the book The book of Sir Marco Polo. He described the Kakatiya Empire’s extensive diamond and muslin exports. He said that these exports were likely used by his patron, the Great Kublai Khan of Yuan China.

Notes:
Vijayanagar emperor Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529) controlled areas of modern Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, parts of Kerala, and Odisha. He conquered Raichur Doab from Bijapur Sultanate in 1520, defeated Gajapatis of Odisha by 1514 with Krishna River as boundary, and subdued Ummattur chiefs on Kaveri banks in Tamil Nadu and Malabar regions in Kerala. No sources record control over Maharashtra areas.

Notes:
Muhammad Shah was able to keep the throne for around 29 years partially because the first thing he did was to eliminate the Sayyid Brothers. During his time Nadir Shah attacked and looted Delhi and took the Peacock Throne with himself. The invasion of Nadir Shah fastened the disintegration of the Mughal Empire. During his time, the states of Hyderabad, Bengal, Awadh were established as independent Kingdoms.

Notes:
Akbar had a committee of scholars with cross lingual expertise. Some of them were Naqeeb Khan, Mulla Abdul Qadir Badayuni, Mulla Sheri and Sultan Haji Thanesari. In that era Mahabharat was translated into Persian and was renamed as Razm Namah (Saga of the Battlefield). Atharva Veda was translated by Haji Ibrahim Sirhindi.

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.