THE DELHI SULTANS

Question 1

DELHI FIRST BECAME THE CAPITAL OF A KINGDOM UNDER THE?

Answer 1

TOMARA RAJPUTS WHO WERE DEFEATED IN THE MIDDLE OF TWELTH CENTURY BY THE CHAUHANS (ASLO REFERRED TO AS CHAHAMANAS) OF AJMER.

Question 2

WHAT WAS DELHIWAL?

Answer 2

COINS MINTED IN DELHI DURING MEDIEVAL INDIA.

Question 3

DYNASTIES OF DELHI IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERS?

Answer 3

RSKTSL
1 RAJPUT DYNASTIES
2 SLAVE OR EARLY TURKISH RULERS 1206-1290.
3 KHALJI DYNASTY 1290-1320.
4 TUGHLUQ DYNASTY 1320-1414.
5 SAYYID DYNASTY 1414-1451.
6 LODI DYNASTY 1451-1526.

Question 4

RULERS OF RAJPUT DYNASTIES?

Answer 4

1 TOMARAS- EARLY TWELFTH CENTURY-1165.
2 ANANGA PALA 1130-1145.
3 CHAUHANS 1165-1192.
4 PRITHVIRAJ CHAUHAN 1175-1192.

Question 5

EARLY TURKISH RULERS?

Answer 5

1 QUTUBDDIN AYBAK 1206-1210
2 SHAMSUDDIN ILTUMISH 1210-1236
3 RAZIYYA 1236-1240
4 GHIYASUDDIN BALBAN 1266-1287

Question 6

RULERS OF KHALJI DYNASTY?

Answer 6

1 JALALUDDIN KHALJI 1290-1296
2 ALAUDDIN KHALJI 1296-1316

Question 7

RULERS OF TUGHLAQ DYNASTY?

Answer 7

1 GHIYASUDDIN TUGHLUQ 1320-1324
2 MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ 1324-1351
3 FIRUZ SHAH TUGHLUQ 1351-1388

Question 8

RULERS OF SAYYID DYNASTY?

Answer 8

KHIZR KHAN 1414-1421

Question 9

RULERS OF LODI DYNASTY?

Answer 9

BAHLUL LODI 1451-1489

Question 10

WHAT WERE TARIKH OR TAWARIKH?

Answer 10

THEY WERE HISTORIES WRITTEN IN PERSIAN (THE LANGUAGE OF ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE DELHI SULTANS).
TARIKH (SINGULAR)
TAWARIKH (PLURAL).

Question 11

AUTHORS OF TAWARIKH IN BRIEF?

Answer 11

1 AUTHORS OF TAWARIKH WERE LERANED MEN: SECRETARIES, ADMINISTRATORS, POETS AND COURTIERS, WHO BOTH RECOUNTED EVENTS AND ADVISED RULERS ON GOVERNANCE, EMPHASISING THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST RULE.
2 AUTHORS OF TAWARIKH LIVED IN CITIES (MAINLY DELHI) AND HARDLY EVER LIVED IN VILLAGES.
3 THEY OFTEN WROTE THEIR HISTORIES FOR SULTANS IN THE HOPE OF RICH REWARDS.
4 THESE AUTHORS ADVISED RULERS ON THE NEED TO PRESERVE AN IDEAL SOCIAL ORDER BASED ON BIRTHRIGHT AND GENDER DISTINCTIONS.
THEIR IDEAS WERE NOT SHARED BY EVERYBODY.

Question 12

WHAT IS CIRCLE OF JUSTICE AND IS GIVEN BY WHOM?

Answer 12

FAKHR-I MUDABBIR.
A KING CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SOLDIERS.
SOLDIERS CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT SALARIES.
SALARIES COME FROM THE REVENUE COLLECTED FROM PEASANTS.
PEASANTS CAN PAY REVENUE ONLY WHEN THEY ARE PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY AND THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE KING PROMOTES JUSTICE AND HONEST GOVERNANCE.

Question 13

HOW PEOPLE FELT WHEN RAZIYYA BECAME SULTAN?

Answer 13

IN 1236 SULTAN ILTUMISH’S DAUGHTER, RAZIYYA BECAME SUNTAN.
THE CHRONICLER OF THE AGE, MINHAJ-I SIRAJ, RECOGNIZED THAT SHE WAS MORE ABLE AND QUALIFIED THAN ALL HER BROTHERS.
BUT HE WAS NOT COMFORTABLE AT HAVING A QUEEN AS RULER. MINHAJ-I SIRAJ THOUGHT THAT THE QUEEN’S RULE WENT AGAINST THE IDEAL SOCIAL ORDER CREATED BY GOD.
NOR WERE THE NOBLES HAPPY AT HER ATTEMPTS TO RULE INDEPENDENTLY. SHE WAS REMOVED FROM THE THRONE IN 1240.

Question 14

RUDRAMADEVI AND DIDDA?

Answer 14

1 RUDRAMADEVI (1262-1289) OF THE KAKITYA DYNASTY OF WARANGAL, PART OF MODERN DAY ANDHRA PRADESH. SHE CHANGED HER NAME ON HER INSCRIPTIONS AND PRETENDED SHE WAS A MAN.
2 ANOTHER QUEEN DIDDA, RULED IN KASHMIR (980-1003) - HER TITLE COMES FROM DIDI OR ELDER SISTER.

Question 15

KARKHANAS OF DELHI SULTANATE AND MUGHALS?

Answer 15

1 GOODS MANUFACTURED IN KARKHANAS WERE SUPPLIED TO ROYAL HOUSEHOLDS AND DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENTS (NOT FOR EXPORT).
2 APART FROM THE ROYAL CAPITALS KARKHANAS WERE ALSO ESTABLISHED IN PROVINCIAL CAPITALS.
3 DURING MUGHAL ERA, KARKHANAS WERE HEADED BY OFFICERS CALLED MIR SULTANS.

Question 16

HINTERLANDS MEANING IN MEDIEVAL INDIA?

Answer 16

THE LANDS ADJACENT TO A CITY OR PORT THAT SUPPLY IT WITH GOODS AND SERVICES.
THE SULTAN SELDOM CONTROLLED THE HINTERLAND OF THE CITIES AND WERE THEREFORE DEPENDENT UPON TRADE, TRIBUTE OR PLUNDER FOR SUPPLIES.

Question 17

GARRISON IN MEDIEVAL INDIA?

Answer 17

A FORTIFIED SETTLEMENT, WITH SOLDIERS.
IN EARLY THIRTEENTH CENTURY THE CONTROL OF THE DELHI SULTANS RARELY WENT BEYOND HEAVILY FORTIFIED TOWN OCCUPIED BY GARRISONS.

Question 18

PROBLEMS FACED BY EARLY SULTANS OF DELHI?

Answer 18

1 CONTROLLING GARRISON TOWNS IN DISTANT BENGAL, AND SIND FROM DELHI WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
2 REBELLION, WAR, EVEN BAD WEATHER COULD SNAP FRAGILE COMMUNICATION ROUTES.
3 DELHI’S AUTHORITY WAS ALSO CHALLENGED BY MONGOL INVASIONS FROM AFGHANISTAN AND BY GOVERNORS WHO REBELLED AT ANY SIGN OF THE SULTAN’S WEAKNESS. THE SULTANATE BARELY SURVIVED THESE CHALLENGES.

Question 19

DELHI SULTANATE EXPANSION OCCURRED DURING THE REIGN OF?

Answer 19

ITS EXPANSION OCCURRED DURING THE REIGNS OF GHIYASUDDIN BALABAN, ALAUDDIN KHALJI AND MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ.

Question 20

SET OF CAMPAIGNS DURING DELHI SULTANATE?

Answer 20

1 THE FIRST SET OF CAMPAIGNS ALONG THE INTERNAL FRONTIER OF THE SULTANATE AIMED AT CONSOLIDATING THE HINTERLANDS OF THE GARRISON TOWNS.
DURING THESE CAMPAIGNS FORESTS WERE CLEARED IN THE GANGA-YAMUNA DOAB AND HUNTER GATHERERS AND PASTORALISTS EXPELLED FROM THEIR HABITAT. THESE LANDS WERE GIVEN TO PEASANTS AND AGRICULTURE WAS ENCOURAGED. NEW FORTRESSES AND TOWNS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT TRADE ROUTES AND TO PROMOTE REGIONAL TRADE.
2 THE SECOND EXPANSION OCCURRED ALONG THE EXTERNAL FRONTIER OF THE SULTANATE.
MILITARY EXPEDITIONS INTO SOUTHERN INDIA STARTED DURING THE REIGN OF ALAUDDIN KHALJI AND CULMINATED WITH MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ.
IN THEIR CAMPAIGNS, SULTANATE ARMIES CAPTURED ELEPHANTS, HORSES AND SLAVES AND CARRIED AWAY PRECIOUS METALS.

Question 21

QUWWAT AL-ISLAM MOSQUE WAS ENLARGED BY?

Answer 21

ILTUMISH AND ALAUDDIN KHALJI.

Question 22

QUWWAT AL-ISLAM MINARET (QUTUB MINAR) WAS BUILT BY?

Answer 22

1ST FLOOR WAS CONSTRUCTED BY QUTUBDDIN AYBAK AND THE REST BY ILTUMISH AROUND 1229.
REPAIRED BY ALAUDDIN KHALJI, MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ, FIRUZ SHAH TUGHLUQ AND IBRAHIM LODI OVER TIME.

Question 23

WHICH MOSQUE IS CALLED THE SANCTUARY OF THE WORLD?

Answer 23

BEGUMPURI MOSQUE BUILT IN THE REIGN OF MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ WAS THE MAIN MOSQUE OF THE JAHANPANAH, THE SANCTUARY OF THE WORLD.

Question 24

WHAT IS MEANT BY KHUTBA IN MEDIEVAL INDIA?

Answer 24

KHUTBA MEANS SERMON DELIVERED BY THE IMAM (MOST RESPECTED LEARNED MALE) DURING THE FRIDAY PRAYER.

Question 25

WHAT IS QIBLA?

Answer 25

DURING PRAYER MUSLIMS STAND FACING MECCA. IN INDIA THIS IS TO THE WEST CALLED QIBLA.

Question 26

MOTH KI MASJID WAS BUILT BY IN THE REIGN OF?

Answer 26

BUILT 1505 BY WAZIR MIYA BHOIYA DURING THE REIGN OF SIKANDER LODI.

Question 27

WAHT IS BANDAGAN IN MEDIEVAL TERMS?

Answer 27

RATHER THAN APPOINTING ARISTOCRATS AND LANDED CHIEFTAINS AS GOVERNORS, THE EARLY DELHI SULTANS, ESPECIALLY ILTUMISH, FAVOURED THEIR SPECIAL SLAVES PURCHASED FOR MILITARY SERVICE, CALLED BANDAGAN IN PERSIAN. THEY WERE CAREFULLY TRAINED TO MAN SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POLITICAL OFFICES IN THE KINGDOM.
SINCE THEY WERE TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON THEIR MASTER, THE SULTAN COULD TRUST AND RELY UPON THEM.

Question 28

DID RULERS OTHER THAN ILTUMISH ALSO USED BANADAGANS?

Answer 28

THE KHALJIS AND TUGHLUQS CONTINUED TO USE BANDAGAN AND ALSO RAISED PEOPLE OF HUMBLE BIRTH, WHO WERE OFTEN THEIR CLIENTS, TO HIGH POLITICAL POSITIONS.
THEY WERE APPOINTED AS GENERALS AND GOVERNORS.
HOWEVER THIS ALSO INTRODUCED THE ELEMENTS OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY.

Question 29

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM OF APPOINTING SLAVES IN DELHI SULTANATE?

Answer 29

SLVAES AND CLIENTS WERE LOYAL TO THEIR MASTER AND PATRONS, BUT NOT TO THEIR HEIRS.
NEW SULTANS HAD THEIR OWN SERVANTS.
AS A RESULT THE ACCESSION OF THE NEW MONARCH OFTEN SAW CONFLICT BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW NOBILITY.

Question 30

REACTION OF AUTHORS OF TAWARIKH TO DELHI SULTANS APPOINTING SLAVES TO HIGH OFFICES?

Answer 30

AUTHORS OF PERSIAN TAWARIKH CRITICIZED THE DELHI SULTANS FOR APPOINTING THE LOW AND BASE BORN TO HIGH OFFICES.

Question 31

WHAT WAS IQTAS AND IQTADARS?

Answer 31

LIKE THE EARLIER SULTANS, THE KHALJI AND TUGHLUQ MONARCHS APPOINTED MILITARY COMMANDERS AS GOVERNORS OF TERRITORIES OF VARYING SIZES. THESE LANDS WERE CALLED IQTA AND THEIR HOLDERS WAS CALLED IQTADAR OR MUQTI.

Question 32

IQTADARS WERE ALSO KNOWN AS?

Answer 32

MUQTIS.

Question 33

DUTIES OF IQTADARS OR MUQTIS?

Answer 33

1 LEAD MILITARY CAMPAIGNS.
2 MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER IN THEIR IQTAS.
3 MUQTIS COLLECTED THE REVENUES OF THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AS SALARY.
4 THEY ALSO PAID SALARIES TO THEIR SOLDIERS FROM THESE REVENUES.

Question 34

HOW WAS THE CONTROL OVER MUQTIS MADE EFFECTIVE?

Answer 34

CONTROL OVER THE MUQTIS WAS MOST EFFECTIVE
1 IF THEIR OFFICE WAS NOT INHERITABLE AND IF THEY WERE ASSIGNED IQTAS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE BEING SHIFTED.
*THESE HARSH CONDITIONS WERE RIGOROUSLY IMPOSED DURING THE REIGNS OF ALAUDDIN KHALJI AND MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ.
2 ACCOUNTANTS WERE APPOINTED BY THE STATE TO CHECK THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE MUQTIS.
3 CARE WAS TAKEN THAT THE MUQTIS ONLY COLLECTED THE TAXES PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE AND THAT HE KEPT THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF SOLDIERS.

Question 35

AS THE DELHI SULTANS BROUGHT THE HINTERLAND OF THE CITIES UNDER CONTROL WHAT HAPPENED?

Answer 35

THEY (SULTANS) FORCED THE LANDED CHIEFTAINS- THE SAMANTA ARISTOCRATS- AND RICH LANDLORDS TO ACCEPT THEIR AUTHORITY.

Question 36

WHO AMONG THE DELHI SULTANS BROUGHT THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF LAND REVENUE UNDER ITS OWN CONTROL?

Answer 36

ALAUDDIN KHALJI.
1 THE RIGHTS OF THE LOCAL CHIEFTAINS TO LEVY TAXES WERE CANCELLED AND THEY WERE ALSO FORCED TO PAY TAXES.
2 THE SULTAN’S ADMINISTRATORS MEASURED THE LAND AND KEPT CAREFUL ACCOUNTS.
3 SOME OF THE OLD CHIEFTAINS AND LANDLORDS SERVED THE SULTANATE AS REVENUE COLLECTORS AND ACCESSORS.

Question 37

TAXES DURING RULE OF ALAUDDIN KHALJI?

Answer 37

1 KHARAJ - ON CULTIVATION 50% OF PEASANT’S PRODUCE.
2 ON CATTLE
3 ON HOUSES

Question 38

MONGOLS UNDER GENGHIS KHAN INCREASED ATTACKS ON THE DELHI SULTANATE DURING THE REIGN OF______ AND IN THE EARLY YEARS OF______ RULE.

Answer 38

ALAUDDIN KHALJI, MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ

Question 39

ALAUDDIN MEASURES TO TACKLE MONGOL INVASIONS?

Answer 39

1 DELHI ATTACKED TWICE IN 1299/1230 AND 1302-1303.
AS A DEFENSIVE MEASURE HE RAISED A LARGE STANDING ARMY.
2 ALAUDDIN CONSTRUCTED A NEW GARRISON TOWN NAMED SIRI FOR HIS SOLDIERS.
3 TO FEED SOLDIERS PRODUCE WAS COLLECTED AS A TAX FROM LANDS BETWEEN THE GANGA AND YAMUNA.
TAX WAS FIXED AT 50 PER CENT OF THE PEASANT’S YIELD.
4 ALAUDDIN CHOSE TO PAY HIS SOLDIERS SALARIES IN CASH RATHER THAN IQTAS. THE SOLDIERS WOULD BUY THEIR SUPPLIES FROM MERCHANTS IN DELHI AND IT WAS THUS FEARED THAT MERCHANTS WOULD RAISE THEIR PRICES. TO STOP THIS ALAUDDIN CONTROLLED THE PRICES OF GOODS IN DELHI. PRICES WERE CAREFULLY SURVEYED BY OFFICERS, AND MERCHANTS WHO DID NOT SELL AT THE PRESCRIBED RATES WERE PUNISHED.
5 ALAUDDIN’S ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES WERE SUCCESSFUL- CHEAP PRICES AND EFFICIENT SUPPLIES OF GOODS IN MARKET.
6 ESTABLISHMENT OF ROYAL GRANARIES.
7 ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
8 USED BANAJRAS TO TRANSPORT GRAINS TO CITY MARKETS.
9 FIXATION OF PRICES OF COMMODITIES.
HE SUCCESSFULLY WITHSTAND THREAT OF MONGOL INVASIONS.

Question 40

MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ RESPONSE TO MONGOL INVASIONS?

Answer 40

1. MONGOL ARMY DEFEATED.
   HE PLANNED (NEVER IMPLEMENTED) AN ATTACK ON TRANSOXIANA.
2. OLDEST OF THE FOUR CITIES OF DELHI (DELHI-I-KUHNA) WAS EMPTIED OF ITS RESIDENTS AND THE SOLDIERS GARRISONED THERE.
   THE RESIDENTS OF THE OLD CITY WERE SENT TO THE NEW CAPITAL OF DAULATABAD (DEOGIRI) IN THE SOUTH.
3. PRODUCE FROM THE SAME AREA WAS COLLECTED AS TAX TO FEED THE ARMY. HE ALSO LEVIED ADDITIONAL TAXES. THIS COINCIDED WITH FAMINE IN THE AREA.
4. PAID HIS SOLDIERS CASH SALARIES.
   INSTEAD OF CONTROLLING PRICES HE USED A TOKEN CURRENCY MADE OUT OF CHEAP METAL. PEOPLE SAVED GOLD AND COPPER COINS AND PAID TAXES WITH TOKEN CURRENCY. THIS CHEAP CURRENCY COULD ALSO BE COUNTERFEITED EASILY.
5. HIS ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES WERE A FAILURE.
   HIS CAMPAIGN INTO KASHMIR WAS A DISASTER.
   HE GAVE UP HIS PLAN TO INVADE TRANSOXIANA AND DISBANDED HIS LARGE ARMY.
   SHIFTING OF THE PEOPLE TO DAULATAVAD WAS RESENTED.
   THE RAISING OF THE TAXES AND FAMINE IN THE GANGA YAMUNA BELT LED TO WIDESPREAD REBELLION.
   TOKEN CURRENCY HAD TO BE RECALLED.

Question 41

SHER SHAH SURI RULED FOR ONLY ______ YEARS.
HE INTRODUCED AN ADMINISTRATION THAT BORROWED ELEMENTS FROM________.

Answer 41

15 YEARS 1540-1555
ALAUDDIN KHALJI.

Question 42

SHER SHAH’S ADMINISTRATION BECAME THE MODEL FOLLOWED BY THE GREAT EMPEROR?

Answer 42

AKBAR.

Question 43

FROM WHICH COUNTRY DID IBN BATTUTA TRAVEL TO INDIA?

Answer 43

A FOURTEENTH CENTURY TRAVELLER FROM MOROCCO.

Question 44

TRUE/FALSE
DELHI SULTANS EASILY CONTROLLED DISTANT REGIONS AND HAD A VERY GOOD CONTROL IN FORESTED AREAS.

Answer 44

FALSE.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL DISTANT PROVINCES LIKE BENGAL FROM DELHI AND SOON AFTER ANNEXING SOUTHERN INDIA, THE ENTIRE REGION BECAME INDEPENDENT.
EVEN IN THE GANGETIC PLAIN THERE WERE FORESTED AREAS THATS SULTANATE COULD NOT PENETRATE. LOCAL CHIEFTAINS ESTABLISHED THEIR RULE IN THESE REGIONS.
SOMETIMES RUELRS LIKE ALAUDDIN KHALJI AND MUHAMMAD TUGHLUQ COULD FORCE THEIR CONTROL THEIR IN THESE AREAS BUT ONLY FOR A SHORT DURATION.

Question 45

WHO WAS THE FIRST ONE TO COMMISSION TRANSLATIONS OF VEDAS AND PURANAS INTO PERSIAN?

Answer 45

FIROZ SHAH TUGHLUQ.

Question 46

ZAIN-UL ABIDIN -15TH CENTURY RULER OF KASHMIR APPOINTED SCRIBES TO TRANSLATE ______&_____ INTO PERSIAN.

Answer 46

MAHABHARATA AND KALHANA’S RAJTARANGINI.