Medieval Indian History MCQs
Multiple choice questions on Medieval Indian History for General Studies and GK preparation of SSC, NDA, CDS, UPSC, UPPSC and State PSC Examinations.
11. Which among the following place was the area of contention between the Vijaynagar empire and the Bahmani Kingdom ?
[A] Raichur Doab
[B] Nagalpura
[C] Tirupati Temple
[D] Krishna river
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Raichur Doab]
Notes:
The conflict zone between Vijayanagar Empire and the Bahmani kingdom was Raichur Doab, the region between the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra and also over the fertile areas of Krishna-Godavari delta.
12. Which among the following was the most common animal found in the pillars of the architecture of Vijayanagara Kingdom
[A] Elephant
[B] Horse
[C] Cat
[D] Bull
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Horse]
Notes:
In the Vijayanagar Kingdom, rulers created their own architecture style “Provida style” that plays a lot of significance on piers and pillars. They had inscribed the tales from Ramayana and Mahabharata on the various temple that they have established viz. Vithalswami Temple and Hazari temple at Humpi at Karanataka. In all depictions, horse was the most common animal found in the pillars of the architecture of Vijayanagar empire.
13. Who among the following wrote Bijak?
[A] Tulsidas
[B] Ramdas
[C] Guru Nanak
[D] Kabirdas
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kabirdas]
Notes:
The Bijak is one of the most important anthologies, being the sacred book of the Kabir and the main representative of the Eastern tradition of Kabirís verses. All versions of the Bijak include three main sections called Ramaini, Sabda and Sakhi, plus a fourth section containing a number of miscellaneous folk-song forms.
14. Bhakta Tukaram was a contemporary of which Mughal Emperor? (UPSC Prelims 2006)
[A] Babar
[B] Akbar
[C] Jahangir
[D] Aurangzeb
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Aurangzeb]
Notes:
Tukaram (1608–1650) was a Marathi Bhakti poet and a devotee of Lord Krishna. Time period of Jahangir was 1605-1627.
15. Who wrote the Shahjan-Nama that covers Shah Jahan’s entire reign?
[A] Inayat Khan
[B] Muhammad Sadiq Khan
[C] Abul Hamid Lahori
[D] Muhammad Waris
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Muhammad Sadiq Khan]
Notes:
Other than Inayat Khan, another Shahjahan-Nama was written by Muhammad Sadiq Khan, who was a waqia-navis at the Mughal court. Sadiq was a selfless freelance writer who undertook the work just for the love of it and recorded the events of Shah Jahan’s reign from the death of Jahangir to the accession of Aurangzeb in an intelligent and impartial manner.
16. Which emperor issued a coin containing zodiac signs?
[A] Jahangir
[B] Humayun
[C] Shah Jahan
[D] Babur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Jahangir]
Notes:
Jahangir showed the legend in a couplet in the coins. In some of his coins, he added the name of his beloved wife Noorjahan. The most famous of his coins had images of Zodiac signs.
17. Which of the following was the Chalukya King in power when Mahmud attacked and plundered Somnath?
[A] Nagaraja
[B] Bhima-I
[C] Durlabhraja
[D] Vallabhraja
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bhima-I]
Notes:
Bhima I (reign 1022–1064 AD) was a king of Chalukya of Gujarat dynasty who ruled parts of Gujarat (including Somnath) when Mahmud’s plunder happened. During the invasion, Bhima-I had to flee and take shelter at Kanthkot. After return of Mahmud, he regained his power. He also appeared to have built earliest Dilwara temples and Modhera sun temple. In end of his career, he made an alliance with the Kalachuri king Lakshmi-Karna, and played an important role in the downfall of the Paramara king Bhoja. His queen Udayamati is known to have constructed the Rani ki Vav step-well in Patan in Gujarat, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
18. In the first battle of Tarain, which of the following fort was captured by Mohammed Ghori’s forces, that triggered the battle between Ghurids and Chauhans?
[A] Kesgarh
[B] Phillaur
[C] Tabarhind
[D] Manuli
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tabarhind]
Notes:
After the annexation of the Punjab, Muhammad Ghori made Lahore the base of his operations against the Rajputs. He made thorough preparations for three years before challenging Prithvi Raj Chauhan of Delhi and Ajmer. In 1189, he captured Tabarhind (Bhatinda). This led to first battle of Tarain in which Ghurid army was crushed and Mohd. Ghori himself was wounded (but saved by a Khalji soldier in litter) by Gobind Rai (Brother of Prithviraj Chauhan).
19. From where does the Turks borrowed the arch and dome style of architecture?
[A] Byzantine empire
[B] Rajasthani style of architecture
[C] Persian architecture
[D] Chinese architecture
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Byzantine empire ]
Notes:
Much of the architecture of the Turks used the arch and dome. The Turks borrowed the arch and dome style of architecture from the Byzantine empire of Rome. This style of architecture eradicated the need of pillars to support the roofs and also enabled large halls to be constructed.
20. The Chach Nama, originally an Arabic work, was translated into Persian by which of the following?
[A] Ibn-ul-Asir
[B] Muhammad Ali bin Abu Bakr Kufi
[C] Ziyauddin Barani
[D] Hamdullah Mastauti Qazwini
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Muhammad Ali bin Abu Bakr Kufi]
Notes:
The Chach Nama which was originally an Arabic work was translated into Persian by Muhammad Ali bin Abu Bakr Kufi during the time of Nasiruddin Qabacha. It is considered to be the main source of information on the Arab conquest of Sind.
