Medieval Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the commander of Muhammad Ghori marked the beginning of the Mamluk (Slave dynasty) rule and laid the foundation of Delhi Sultanate period in 1206 AD.

Notes:
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish was the third ruler and real founder of the Slave dynasty and at the time of Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak’s death, he was the Governor of Budaun.

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Bahlol Lodi, an Afghan noble before becoming Sultan of Delhi, was known for his humble lifestyle. He used to sit on a carpet along with his nobles instead of a lavish throne, projecting equality among them. This was quite contrary to the contemporary norms where sultans highlighted their high status by sitting on extravagant thrones, causing a considerable distance from their subordinates.

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Mihira Bhoja I (or Bhoja I), who was a devotee of Vishnu, adopted the title of Adivaraha i.e. inscribed on some of his coins.

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Hazrat Baqi Billah (1563-1603), a Sufi saint from Kabul, established and propagated the Naqshbandi order in India.

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Kabuli Bagh Mosque was built by Emperor Babur to mark his victory over Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi at the first Battle of Panipat in 1526. The mosque is located in Panipat and is named after Kabuli Begum, Babur's wife.

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The horse was the most common animal to be depicted on the pillars. The most magnificent of the temples in this style are in Hampi-Vijayanagar.

Notes:
Humayun-Nama, Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama were written in the 16th century. Tuzk-e-Jahangiri was written in the 17th century.

• Akbar asked his aunt to write whatever she remembered about her brother’s life. Gulbadan Begum took the challenge and produced a document titled Ahwal Humayun Padshah Jamah Kardom Gulbadan Begum bint Babur Padshah amma Akbar Padshah. It came to be known as Humayun-Nama.
• The Ain-i-Akbari or the “Administration of Akbar”, is a 16th-century detailed document recording the administration of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar, written by his court historian, Abu’l Fazl in the Persian language.
• The Akbarnama which translates to Book of Akbar, is the official chronicle of the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor, commissioned by Akbar himself by his court historian and biographer, Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak who was one of the nine jewels in Akbar’s court.

Notes:
Miftah-ul-Futuh enumerates the military campaigns and victories of Sultan Jalaluddin Khalji, which he achieved in the first year after his accession. It was written by Amir Khusrau or Ab’ul Hasan Yamin ud-Din Khusrau. He was better known as Amir Khusrau Dehlavi, was a Sufi musician, poet, and scholar from India. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent. Khusrau is regarded as the “father of qawwali” and introduced the ghazal style of music into India, both of which still exist widely in India and Pakistan.

Notes:
In 1579, Akbar issued gold coins called Ilahi coins to propagate his new religious idea of ‘Din-i-Illahi’. On this coin, it was written ‘God is great, may his glory be glorified’. The value of an ilahi coin was equal to 10 rupees. Sahansah was the largest gold coin. These coins bore the names of the Persian solar months.