Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- The period from CE 1206 to CE 1526 in Indian history is known as the period of the:
a) Mughal Empire
b) Delhi Sultanate
c) Vijayanagara Empire
d) Rajput Kingdoms
Answer: b) Delhi Sultanate - Who was the founder of the Slave Dynasty?
a) Iltutmish
b) Qutubuddin Aibak
c) Balban
d) Razia Sultan
Answer: b) Qutubuddin Aibak - Which Sultan is known as the ‘Real Founder of the Delhi Sultanate’ for consolidating the empire?
a) Qutubuddin Aibak
b) Alauddin Khalji
c) Iltutmish
d) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Answer: c) Iltutmish - Who was the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate?
a) Razia Sultan
b) Noor Jahan
c) Chand Bibi
d) Mumtaz Mahal
Answer: a) Razia Sultan - Which Sultan introduced the coins ‘Tanka’ (silver) and ‘Jital’ (copper)?
a) Qutubuddin Aibak
b) Iltutmish
c) Alauddin Khalji
d) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Answer: b) Iltutmish - Alauddin Khalji’s trusted general, who led expeditions to South India, was:
a) Ulugh Khan
b) Malik Kafur
c) Nasrat Khan
d) Daulat Khan Lodi
Answer: b) Malik Kafur - Which Sultan is infamous for ordering a failed plan to shift his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Deogiri)?
a) Balban
b) Alauddin Khalji
c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Answer: c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq - Firoz Shah Tughlaq established a department of charity called:
a) Diwan-i-Risalat
b) Diwan-i-Khairat
c) Diwan-i-Arz
d) Diwan-i-Bandagan
Answer: b) Diwan-i-Khairat - The city of Agra was founded by which Lodi Sultan?
a) Bahlul Lodi
b) Sikandar Lodi
c) Ibrahim Lodi
d) Daulat Khan Lodi
Answer: b) Sikandar Lodi - The Delhi Sultanate ended after Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur in:
a) The Battle of Talikota
b) The Second Battle of Tarain
c) The First Battle of Panipat
d) The Battle of Khanwa
Answer: c) The First Battle of Panipat
Short Answer Questions & Answers
- Why was Qutubuddin Aibak called ‘Lakh Baksh’?
Answer: Qutubuddin Aibak was called ‘Lakh Baksh’ (giver of lakhs) because he was known for his generosity and donated large sums of money to both Hindus and Muslims. - List two major achievements of Sultan Iltutmish.
Answer: Two major achievements of Iltutmish were: (i) Shifting the capital from Lahore to Delhi and consolidating the empire, earning him the title ‘Real Founder of the Delhi Sultanate’, and (ii) Introducing the silver Tanka and copper Jital coins. - Why did Iltutmish nominate his daughter Razia as his successor?
Answer: Iltutmish nominated his daughter Razia as his successor because he did not consider any of his sons to be worthy successors for the throne of the Sultanate. - What was the ‘Blood and Iron’ policy of Balban?
Answer: Balban’s ‘Blood and Iron’ policy meant ruling with absolute strength and being ruthless to enemies, using force and suppression to maintain control and order in the kingdom. - State two key economic reforms introduced by Alauddin Khalji.
Answer: Two key economic reforms were: (i) Fixing the prices of essential goods and setting up a strict market control system, and (ii) Increasing land revenue to up to half of the produce in fertile areas like the Doab to fund his large army. - Name the two independent kingdoms that were established in the Deccan as a result of the decline of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s authority.
Answer: The two independent kingdoms were the Vijayanagara Empire and the Bahmani Sultanate. - What were the two major architectural/building projects of Firoz Shah Tughlaq?
Answer: Firoz Shah Tughlaq founded several new cities like Firozabad, Jaunpur, and Hissar. He also built the Firoz Shah Kotla fort-palace complex in Delhi and improved irrigation by digging many canals and wells. - Who invited Babur to invade India, leading to the end of the Delhi Sultanate?
Answer: Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of Punjab and uncle of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, invited Babur to invade India.
Long Answer Questions & Answers
- “Alauddin Khalji was not only a great conqueror but also an efficient administrator.” Justify this statement by describing his military conquests and administrative reforms.
Answer: Alauddin Khalji justified this statement through significant achievements in both conquest and governance.
Military Conquests: He expanded the Sultanate’s boundaries considerably. His generals conquered Gujarat, plundering its wealth. He led successful campaigns in Rajasthan, capturing the forts of Ranthambore and Chittorgarh. Through his trusted general Malik Kafur, he launched expeditions into the Deccan, defeating the Yadavas of Devagiri, the Kakatiyas of Warangal, the Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra, and even reaching Madurai in the far south, extracting immense tribute.
Administrative Reforms: To prevent rebellions and control the nobles, he confiscated their extra lands, banned social gatherings, and organized an efficient spy network. To maintain his large standing army, he introduced the ‘chehra’ (identity roll) and ‘dagh’ (branding of horses) system. His most notable reforms were economic: he fixed prices for essential commodities, established government granaries, and appointed market controllers to ensure compliance. These measures stabilized the economy and funded his military ambitions, proving his administrative efficiency.
- Analyze the reasons why Muhammad bin Tughlaq, despite being learned and visionary, is often called a “wisest fool” in Indian history. Discuss at least three of his failed projects.
Answer: Muhammad bin Tughlaq is called the “wisest fool” because his grand, intellectually sound schemes failed due to poor planning and impractical execution.
1. Transfer of Capital (Delhi to Daulatabad): To secure the Deccan and control his vast empire, he ordered the entire population of Delhi to move 1500 km south to Daulatabad. The arduous journey caused great hardship and deaths. Later, he abandoned Daulatabad, forcing people to return. The plan failed as it was coercive and logistically disastrous.
2. Taxation in the Doab: To increase revenue, he raised land tax in the fertile Doab region. Unfortunately, this coincided with a severe famine. Instead of paying, farmers abandoned their lands, leading to agricultural collapse and revolts. The relief measures (loans, seeds) came too late.
3. Token Currency: To replenish his treasury, he introduced bronze and copper coins with the same value as silver coins. However, he failed to establish a system to prevent forgery. Counterfeit coins flooded the market, the new currency became worthless, and the treasury suffered massive losses, forcing him to withdraw the scheme.
These projects, though visionary in intent, demonstrated a tragic disconnect between conception and practical implementation, leading to widespread suffering and the weakening of his empire.
- Trace the rise and fall of the Delhi Sultanate. Your answer should include the foundational role of the early Sultans, the peak under the Khaljis and Tughlaqs, and the factors that led to its eventual decline and replacement by the Mughals.
Answer: The Delhi Sultanate saw a dynamic cycle of rise, peak, and decline over 320 years.
Rise and Foundation: After Muhammad Ghori’s death, his slave Qutubuddin Aibak founded the Slave Dynasty (1206). Iltutmish consolidated it, shifting the capital to Delhi, introducing a currency system, and fending off Mongol threats, becoming its real founder. Balban later restored prestige through his ‘Blood and Iron’ policy.
Peak and Expansion: The Sultanate peaked under the Khaljis and Tughlaqs. Alauddin Khalji achieved major military expansion into the Deccan and introduced robust economic and market controls. Muhammad bin Tughlaq expanded the empire to its greatest geographical extent, though his reign was marred by failed experiments.
Decline and Fall: The decline began after Muhammad bin Tughlaq. His cousin Firoz Shah Tughlaq was a builder and reformer but an incompetent general, losing control of Bengal and the Deccan. The devastating invasion of Timur in 1398 shattered the Tughlaq empire. The weak Sayyid Dynasty that followed ruled a shrunken kingdom. The final Lodi Dynasty saw a partial revival under Sikandar Lodi, but his successor Ibrahim Lodi was unpopular. His harshness led his nobles, like Daulat Khan Lodi, to invite Babur. The Sultanate finally ended with Ibrahim Lodi’s defeat and death at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, paving the way for the Mughal Empire. Key factors for the fall were weak successors after the peak, provincial revolts, administrative overreach, and the fatal blow dealt by Timur’s invasion.