Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. The new architectural style that blended Hindu and Muslim features during the Sultanate period was called:
a) Indo-Persian
b) Indo-Gothic
c) Indo-Islamic
d) Mughal Architecture
Answer: c) Indo-Islamic
2. Which two architectural forms were most important in the buildings of this period?
a) Pillar and Lintel
b) Vault and Spire
c) Arch and Dome
d) Courtyard and Minrab
Answer: c) Arch and Dome
3. The construction of the Qutub Minar was started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak and completed by:
a) Alauddin Khalji
b) Iltutmish
c) Balban
d) Razia Sultan
Answer: b) Iltutmish
4. Which of the following was NOT a decorative element used in Sultanate architecture?
a) Floral designs
b) Geometrical patterns
c) Mosaics
d) Statues of human figures
Answer: d) Statues of human figures
5. According to the text, society during the Sultanate period was divided into how many main classes?
a) Two (Rich and Poor)
b) Three (Nobles, Priests, Commoners)
c) Four
d) A complex caste system with hundreds
Answer: c) Four
6. Who was the Moroccan traveller who wrote about the practice of Sati?
a) Marco Polo
b) Ibn Battuta
c) Al-Biruni
d) Francois Bernier
Answer: b) Ibn Battuta
7. The department responsible for military affairs and the army’s pay was called:
a) Diwan-i-Wazarat
b) Diwan-i-Arz
c) Diwan-i-Khairat
d) Diwan-i-Risalat
Answer: b) Diwan-i-Arz
8. The blending of Persian and Hindi during this period gave birth to which new language?
a) Sanskrit
b) Hindustani
c) Urdu
d) Braj Bhasha
Answer: c) Urdu
9. Who was the famous poet and musician credited with combining Persian and Indian music and is believed to have invented the sitar?
a) Tansen
b) Ziauddin Barani
c) Amir Khusrau
d) Kabir
Answer: c) Amir Khusrau
10. Which two religious movements are highlighted for promoting tolerance and harmony between communities?
a) Orthodox Islam and Orthodox Hinduism
b) Sufism and Bhakti
c) Jainism and Buddhism
d) Zoroastrianism and Sikhism
Answer: b) Sufism and Bhakti
11. Which department dealt with religious matters, pious foundations, and stipends to scholars?
A. Diwan-i-Insha
B. Diwan-i-Ariz
C. Diwan-i-Risalat
D. Diwan-i-Wizarat
Answer: C. Diwan-i-Risalat
12. Who was the head of the Diwan-i-Risalat?
A. Sultan
B. Chief Qazi
C. Wazir
D. Ariz
Answer: B. Chief Qazi
13. Which department dealt with domestic and foreign correspondence?
A. Diwan-i-Risalat
B. Diwan-i-Ariz
C. Diwan-i-Insha
D. Diwan-i-Wizarat
Answer: C. Diwan-i-Insha
14. Village administration was managed by which official?
A. Qazi
B. Mugaddam
C. Ariz
D. Wazir
Answer: B. Mugaddam
15. Who kept the local records of the village?
A. Munshi
B. Patwari
C. Qazi
D. Iqtadar
Answer: B. Patwari
16. Which of the following was NOT a tax during the Sultanate period?
A. Jizya
B. Kharaj
C. Zakat
D. Income Tax
Answer: D. Income Tax
17. What was the Iqta system?
A. A system of trade
B. A system of education
C. Grant of land revenue instead of salary
D. A religious system
Answer: C. Grant of land revenue instead of salary
18. Which coin was introduced by Iltutmish?
A. Gold Mohur
B. Copper Paisa
C. Tanka
D. Rupee
Answer: C. Tanka
19. What was the main occupation of the people of India?
A. Trade
B. Craft
C. Agriculture
D. Fishing
Answer: C. Agriculture
20. During whose reign was land tax raised to 50% of the produce?
A. Iltutmish
B. Alauddin Khalji
C. Balban
D. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Answer: B. Alauddin Khalji
Short Answer Questions & Answers
- Name the four main social classes during the Delhi Sultanate period.
Answer: The four main social classes were: (1) The Aristocratic class (nobility and high officials), (2) The Ulemas and Hindu priests, (3) The town dwellers (officials, merchants, artisans), and (4) The peasantry/common people.
2. What was the position of women in society during the Sultanate period, as described in the text?
Answer: The position of women deteriorated. They were denied education, had to remain in purdah (seclusion), and practices like child marriage and sati were prevalent.
3. What was the role of the ‘Diwan-i-Wazarat’?
Answer: The Diwan-i-Wazarat was the revenue department, headed by the Chief Minister (Wazir). It was responsible for managing the state’s finances and tax collection.
4. List two factors that contributed to the development of a new ‘composite culture’.
Answer: Two factors were: (1) The intermingling of indigenous Indian and incoming Islamic traditions, and (2) The work of saints and poets (like Bhakti and Sufi saints, and Amir Khusrau) who blended elements from both cultures in religion, music, and language.
5. How did architecture reflect the blend of cultures? Give one example.
Answer: Architecture reflected the blend through the Indo-Islamic style, where Muslim rulers employed Hindu craftsmen. These craftsmen used Indian decorative styles in the construction of Muslim buildings featuring Islamic elements like arches and domes. The Qutub Minar, profusely decorated with calligraphy but built by local artisans, is a prime example.
6. Who were the ‘Ulemas’ and what was their function?
Answer: The Ulemas were a body of Muslim scholars. Their function was to advise the Sultan on how to carry out administration in accordance with Islamic sacred law (Sharia).
7. What was Diwan-i-Risalat?
Diwan-i-Risalat was the department that dealt with religious matters, pious foundations, and stipends to scholars.
8. Who was the Chief Qazi?
The Chief Qazi was the head of the department of justice.
9. What was the Iqta system?
The Iqta system was a system in which officers were paid through land revenue instead of cash salary.
10. Name any two taxes during the Sultanate period.
Jizya and Kharaj.
11. What was Jizya?
Jizya was a tax imposed on non-Muslims.
12. What was the main occupation of the people during the Sultanate period?
Agriculture was the main occupation of the people
Long Answer Questions & Answers
1. “The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate marked the beginning of a new way of life.” Explain this statement by describing the key changes in society and culture that emerged during this period.
Answer: The statement is valid as the Delhi Sultanate initiated significant socio-cultural transformations. In society, a new aristocratic class of Turkish and Afghan nobility emerged, wielding political power. While the Hindu social structure continued, the period saw the rigidification of the caste system and a marked deterioration in the status of women, with practices like purdah and sati becoming more prevalent. In culture, a distinct composite Indo-Islamic culture evolved. This was most visible in architecture, seen in the fusion of Indian craftsmanship with Islamic forms (arches, domes, minarets) in structures like the Qutub Minar. The linguistic landscape changed with Persian becoming the official language, leading to the birth of Urdu. Music was revolutionized by the synthesis of Persian and Indian styles, pioneered by figures like Amir Khusrau, giving rise to Hindustani classical music and new instruments like the sitar and tabla. Furthermore, the parallel religious movements of Sufism (Islamic mysticism) and Bhakti (devotional Hinduism) emphasized tolerance and inner faith, fostering a unique climate of spiritual exchange. Thus, the Sultanate period was not just a political change but a profound cultural watershed that created a new, blended way of life in India.
2. Describe the system of administration under the Delhi Sultanate. What was the nature of the state, and how were the key departments organized?
Answer: The administration under the Delhi Sultanate was centralized, militaristic, and feudal in character. The state was formally Islamic but often operated on secular considerations, with Sultans framing their own regulations (Zawabit) alongside Islamic law (Sharia). The Sultan was the supreme head, wielding absolute political and military authority.
The government was run through well-organized departments, each headed by a minister:
- Diwan-i-Wazarat: The most important department, headed by the Wazir (Chief Minister). It managed all government income and expenditure, including land revenue collection.
- Diwan-i-Arz: The military department headed by the Ariz-i-Mamalik. Its crucial responsibilities were the recruitment, organization, equipment, and payment of the army.
- Other departments included the Diwan-i-Khairat (for charity) established by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, and an efficient spy system to keep the Sultan informed about nobles and officials across the empire.
The empire was divided into Iqtas (provinces), granted to nobles (Iqtadars or Muqtis) who collected revenue and maintained soldiers in return. This system, while decentralized, helped in administration and military mobilization but also made the Sultan dependent on the loyalty of these nobles.
3. Explain the Iqta system.
The Iqta system was a system of administration in which land or revenue from a territory was given to an officer called Iqtadar instead of paying him a cash salary. The Iqtadar collected revenue from his area. He kept a part of it as his salary, used some amount to maintain soldiers, and paid a fixed amount to the Sultan every year. He also had to keep proper accounts and maintain law and order in his territory.
4. Describe the system of taxes during the Delhi Sultanate.
During the Delhi Sultanate, the main taxes were Jizya, Kharaj, Zakat, and Khams. Jizya was imposed on non-Muslims, Kharaj was a land tax, Zakat was a tax on Muslims, and Khams was one-fifth of the spoils of war. The rate of taxes varied from Sultan to Sultan. During Alauddin Khalji’s reign, land tax was increased to 50% of the produce.
5. Write a note on trade and economy during the Sultanate period.
Trade was encouraged by the rulers of India. Roads and coins helped trade to grow. The silver coin Tanka, introduced by Iltutmish, was widely used. Almost every town had a marketplace. Inland and overseas trade flourished, and India had trade relations with Europe, China, Central Asia, Persia, and other regions. Agriculture remained the main occupation of the people.