11. Which fort Akbar annex in 1601 CE?
[A] Gwalior
[B] Asirgarh
[C] Mandu
[D] Ujjain
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Asirgarh]
Notes:
In 1599 CE, the Mughal Emperor Akbar occupied the city of Burhanpur and began the siege of the Asirgarh Fort as part of his campaign to annex the region of Khandesh. The annexation of Khandesh was fully completed when Asirgarh fort fell in January 1601. This was his final major military conquest, which led to the annexation of the entire Khandesh sultanate into the Mughal Empire.
12. Under whose patronage did Tansen serve before joining Akbar’s court?
[A] Raja Mansingh Tomar
[B] Daulat Khan, son of Sher Shah Suri
[C] Sher Shah Suri
[D] Raja Bhoj
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Daulat Khan, son of Sher Shah Suri]
Notes:
Tansen initially served under Daulat Khan, Sher Shah Suri’s son, before joining Raja Ramchandra of Rewa. His fame there led to Akbar inviting him to the Mughal court.
13. Which Indian epic was translated into Persian as Razmnāma by Akbar’s court?
[A] Mahabharata
[B] Ramayana
[C] Rajatarangini
[D] Baburnama
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Mahabharata]
Notes:
The Mahabharata was translated into Persian as Razmnāma at Akbar’s Maktab Khana in the late 16th century, involving scholars like Abul Fazl. This translation was meant to promote cultural understanding between Hindu and Muslim subjects in the Mughal Empire. The Baburnama is Babur’s memoirs, not an epic.
14. Which script is used on Buland Darwaza to mark Akbar’s victories?
[A] Naskh script inscription
[B] Persian inscription
[C] Arabic inscription
[D] Sanskrit inscription
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Persian inscription]
Notes:
Buland Darwaza’s main gateway bears a Persian inscription commemorating Akbar’s 1572 conquest of Gujarat, enhancing Fatehpur Sikri’s historical and architectural significance. The use of Persian reflects Mughal administrative and cultural preferences. No Sanskrit, Arabic, or Naskh inscriptions commemorate this event on the gateway.
15. Who is credited with developing the ‘Dahsala system’ of land revenue during the reign of Emperor Akbar?
[A] Birbal
[B] Abul Fazl
[C] Man Singh
[D] Raja Todarmal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Raja Todarmal]
Notes:
Raja Todarmal, Akbar’s finance minister from Sitapur, introduced the Dahsala system for land revenue assessment.
16. In which city was Akbar’s Persian Mahabharata translation completed?
[A] Agra, Uttar Pradesh
[B] Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh
[C] Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
[D] Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
Akbar’s Persian translation of the Mahabharata, known as Razmnama, was completed at Fatehpur Sikri between 1584 and 1586 with the assistance of eminent Hindu scholars.
17. For which Hindu queen did Emperor Akbar build the Jodha Bai Mahal in Fatehpur Sikri in 1569?
[A] Mariam-uz-Zamani (Jodha Bai)
[B] Rani Padmini
[C] Ahilyabai Holkar
[D] Rani Lakshmibai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Mariam-uz-Zamani (Jodha Bai)]
Notes:
Jodha Bai Mahal, built in 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri, was constructed by Akbar for his Hindu queen Mariam-uz-Zamani, symbolizing Mughal-Hindu unity.
18. The Bhitargaon temple in Kanpur is significant for which of the following features?
1. It is a rare surviving temple from the Gupta period.
2. It is built primarily of brick and decorated with terracotta panels.
3. It was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
[A] 1 and 2 only
[B] 2 and 3 only
[C] 1 and 3 only
[D] All of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1 and 2 only]
Notes:
The Bhitargaon temple, located in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, is one of the earliest surviving brick temples of India dating to the Gupta period (5th century CE). It is noted for its large-scale use of terracotta plaques for decorative purposes and its rare, well-preserved pyramidal structure. This temple has no connection to the Mughal emperor Akbar, as it was built centuries earlier. Hence, only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
19. Who was the Jat leader responsible for attacking and desecrating Mughal Emperor Akbar’s tomb in 1688?
[A] Rajaram of Sinsini
[B] Churaman Jat
[C] Gokula
[D] Suraj Mal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rajaram of Sinsini]
Notes:
In 1688, Rajaram of Sinsini led the attack on Akbar’s tomb, desecrating it and looting valuables, marking a significant Jat-Mughal conflict.
20. In which city did Emperor Akbar establish the Maktab Khana in 1574 to translate major Indian texts into Persian?
[A] Agra
[B] Delhi
[C] Jaipur
[D] Fatehpur Sikri
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Fatehpur Sikri]
Notes:
Maktab Khana was set up in Fatehpur Sikri to translate texts like Mahabharata and Ramayana into Persian.
