Medieval Indian History MCQs

Notes:
The chieftains were often forced to submit after a defeat in war and were forced to accept the supremacy of the conqueror by paying tribute. Said chiefs became known as Samantas, Ranaks or Rauttas, who, in addition to paying annual tributes and mandatory military aid, also had to personally pay homage to the victorious lord. However, as soon as the chief became independent from the overlord he rejected such titles and instead adopted others such as Maharajadhiraja and Maharaja.

Notes:
When the Byzantine people learned the art of silk in the 6th century, Indian merchants lost an important market from which they received large quantities of gold. The increasingly important role of Arab merchants and their antagonistic stance towards Indian merchants in the earlier phase made overland travel unsafe for Indian merchants. Arab raids on Thana, Broach, and Vallabhi in the 7th and 8th centuries disrupted foreign trade. Indian traders traded with Southeast Asia, but could not make up for losses in trade with the west. There was trade in expensive and luxurious goods such as semi-precious stones, ivory, horses, etc., as well as salt and oil, but there is little evidence of transactions in other everyday goods.

Notes:
Amir –I-Mazls –Shahi was the minister who took care of the state festivities and provided all the amenities and public arrangements during the festive period in the Delhi Sultanate administration.

Notes:
In India, we can see the fully developed form of the double dome in Humayun’s tomb for the first time.

Notes:
The state of Bengal’s prosperity under Suri’s rule had amazed both portugese and Chinese visitors. Barbosa tells us of their cuisine was sumptuous. In the cities they lived in brick-built houses with flat roofs and flights or ornamented steps. Men wore very thin, long, white garments reaching to their ankles, with cloth girdles under them and silk scarves over them.

Notes:
Balban’s theory of kingship had two main objectives: first, to enhance the prestige of the crown through elaborate court rituals. Second, the restoration of law and order and had to choose between ‘consolidation’ and ‘expansion’ as the guiding principle of his administrative policy. He preferred consolidation. He himself called Naib-i-Khudai or Deputy of God and impressed upon the people that kingship was vice-regency of god on earth.

Notes:
Sher Shah divided his kingdom into 47 Sarkars, each with Parganas. A Shiqdar maintained law and order in Parganas. He introduced the Patwari system for land revenue, established roads like the Grand Trunk Road, and implemented standardized currency and a postal system.

Notes:
The Delhi Sultanate literature began with the rise of Persian speaking people to the throne of the Sultanate of Delhi, naturally resulted in the spread of the Persian language in India. It was the official language and soon literary works in the language began to appear.

Notes:
In 1441, Shah Rukh of Persia sent Kamal-ud-din Abdur Razzaq to Vijayanagar as an emissary. He visited during Deva Raya II’s reign and began his mission on January 13, 1442. His accounts provide insights into Vijayanagar’s topography, administration, and social life, highlighting the Mahanavami festival and the empire’s military strength, including war elephants and organized infantry.

Notes:
Rajput rulers cherished the ideal of the hero who fought valiantly, often choosing death on the battlefield rather than face defeat. Stories about Rajput heroes were recorded in poems and songs, which were recited by specially trained minstrels. These preserved the memories of heroes and were expected to inspire others to follow their example. Ordinary people were also attracted by these stories – which often depicted dramatic situations, and a range of strong emotions – loyalty, friendship, love, valour, anger, etc. Sometimes, women figured as the “cause” for conflicts, as men fought with one another to either “win” or “protect” women. Women were also depicted as following their heroic husbands in both life and death – there are stories about the practice of sati or the immolation of widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands.