Q. With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.
- The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire.
- Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (UPSC Prelims 2021)
Answer:
2 only
Notes: The correct answer is
[B] Only 2. These kingdoms emerged as the centralized authority of the Mughal Empire and the Vijayanagara Empire weakened during different periods of Indian history.
- Statement 1 (Incorrect): With the decline of the Mughal Empire, regional powers like the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Arcot (Carnatic) began asserting autonomy. After the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), both powers sought to expand their influence by supporting rival claimants to Indian thrones, particularly in Hyderabad and Arcot. This indirect involvement in Indian succession disputes became the trigger for the Second Carnatic War. The assertion that Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State is not fully correct.
- Statement 2 (Correct): The Mysore Kingdom was originally a small feudatory under the Vijayanagara Empire. Following the Battle of Talikota in 1565 and the subsequent decline of the empire, the Wodeyar dynasty asserted their independence and expanded the kingdom into a significant regional power.
- Statement 3 (Incorrect): The Rohilkhand Kingdom was established by Ali Muhammad Khan, a Rohilla Afghan, in the 1740s. It was formed by carving out territories from the decaying Mughal Empire (specifically the region of Katehar), not from territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani. In fact, the Rohillas often acted as allies or subordinates to Durrani during his later invasions.
The 18th century in India was characterized by the "Great Anarchy" where several successor states emerged from the crumbling Mughal and Vijayanagara political structures.