Medieval Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Sultan Sikandar lodi introduced a new gaz system of Gaz-i-sikandari (or Sikandar’s yard) that means 32 digit of measuring system of cultivated lands.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Imad Shahi dynasty was founded by Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk in 1490 AD with its capital at Elichpur, Maharashtra. In 1595 AD, it was annexed by Mughlas.

Notes:
Sufism started in Persia, modern Iran. In India, it was at its peak during the Delhi Sultanate. Four Important Silsilas are: Chishti Silsila, Kadri Silsila, and Soharvardi Silsila and Nakshbandi Silsila.

Notes:
The literal meaning of word Mansab is “official appointment of rank and emoluments”. Every important officer of Akbar held a Mansab or a rank in the imperial cadre and his rank was measured on how many horsemen he commanded. Thus, it was a military rank also. These Mansabdars were paid in Zat and Sawar. Zat was a fixed personal salary while sawar was paid as per their rank or number of horsemen to be controlled by them.
Akbar classified the office holders into total 33 grades ranging from mansabs of 10 to 10 thousand. However, these all were broadly categorized into three types as follows:

• Those who commanded 10 to 400 horsemen were commonly called mansabdars(officers).
• Those who commanded 500 to 2500 horsemen were amirs (nobles)
• Those in higher ranks belonged to the category of umara-i-kabiror umara-i-azim (grandees).

The highest amir in the third category was honored with the title of amir-ul-umara.

Notes:
• The Dayabhaga is a Hindu law treatise written by Jimutavahana which primarily focuses on inheritance procedure.
• Vijnaneshwara was a prominent jurist of twelfth century India. His treatise, the Mitakshara, dealt with inheritance, and is one of the most influential legal treatises in Hindu law. Mitakshara is the treatise on Rishi Yajnavalkya’s Smriti called Yajnavalkya Smriti .
• Nagananda is a Sanskrit play attributed to king Harsha. Nagananda is among the most acclaimed Sanskrit dramas.
• Krittivasi Ramayan, or Krittibasi Ramayan or Sri Ram Panchali, composed by 15th century Bengali poet Krittivasa Ojha, is rendition of the Ramayana into Bengali.

Notes:
Tukaram (1608–1650) was a Marathi Bhakti poet and a devotee of Lord Krishna. Time period of Jahangir was 1605-1627.

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:
Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah Astarbadi wrote Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi, known as Tarikh-i-Firishta, and presented into Ibrahim Adil Shah in 1609-10 under the name of Tarikh-i-Naurasnama. Tarikh-i-Farishta, is a general history of India from the earliest lines to 1607. His book is most authentic for the history of the Sultans of the Deccan.

Notes:
Shah Rukh was made of 72-grain silver. One side of the coin contained the name of the king along with his title and date. Initially round in shape, they were later converted to square-shaped coins.