35 Objective Questions on Medieval History Part- 1 (Civil Service Examination)

1. The Mughal school of painting formed the spinal coloumn of the various schools of Indian miniature art. Which one of the following painting styles was not affected by mughal painting? [1995]

(a) Pahari (b) Rajasthani

2. Who among the following were famous jurists of medieval India? [1995]

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(a) Vijnanesvara (b) Hemadri

3. According to Mimamsa of philosophy liberation is possible by means by: [1995]

(a) jnana (b) Bhakti

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4. Bronze icons of Nataraja cast during the Chola period invariably show the deity with: [1995]

(a) eight hands (b) six hands

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5. Which one of the following monuments has a dome which is said to be one of the largest in the world? [1995]

(a) Tomb of Sher Shah, Sasaram

(b) Jama Masjid, Delhi

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(d) Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur

6. Ashtapradhan was a council of ministers: [1995]

(a) in the Gupta administration

(b) in the Chola administration

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(d) in the Maratha administration

8. Nastaliq was: [1996]

(a) a persian script used in medieval India

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(b) a raga composed by Tansen

(d) a manual of code of conduct for the Ulemas

9. The sufi saint who maintained that devotional music was one way of coming close to God was; [1996]

(a) Muin-ud-din Chisti

(b) Baba Farid

(d) Shah Alam Bukhari

10. Mughal painting reached its zenith under: [1996]

(a) Humayun (b) Akbar

11. In medieval India, Mansabdari system was introduced mainly for: [1996]

(a) making recruitment to the army

(b) facilitating revenue collection

(d) effecting clean administration

12. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched? [1996]

(a) Guru AmarDas-Miri and Piri

(b) Guru Arjun Dev-Adi Granth

(d) Guru Gobind Singh- Manji

13. Prem Vatika, poems on the life of Krishna, was composed by [1996]

(a) Bihari. (b) Surdas

14. After consolidating his power, Balban assumed the grand title of [1997]

(a) Tute-Hind (b) Kaisr-I-Hind

15. The head of the military department under the recognised central machinery of administration during Akbar’s reign was: [1997]

(a) Diwan (b) MirBakshi

16. Assertion (A): The sponsor and the most prominent figure of the Chisti order of Sufis in India is Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.

Reason (R): The Chisti carder takes its name from a village Chisti in Ajmer.

In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

(d) A is false but R is true

17. Which one of the following pairs of composers in different languages and their works on the Mahabharata theme is correctly matched? [1997]

(a) Sarladasa-Bengali (b) Kasirama-Oriya

18. The medieval Indian writer who refers to the discovery of America is: [1997]

(a) Malik Muhammad Jayasi

(b) Amir Khusrau

(d) AbulFazI

19. The member of Shivaji’s Astha Pradhana who looked after foreign affairs was: [1998]

(a) Peshwa (b) Sachiv

20. The loss of Qandhar was a big blow to the Mughal Empire from the view point of: [1998]

(a) natural, resources (b) oulfer territory

21. Fawazil in the Sultanate period meant: [1998]

(a) extra payment to the nobles

(b) revenue assigned in lieu of salary

(d) illegal exactions extracted from the peasants

22. The Sultan of Delhi who is reputed to have built the biggest network of canals in India was: [1998]

(a) Iltutmish

(b) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

(d) Sikandar Lodi

23. Assertion (A): At first the Turkish administration in India was essentially military.

Reason (R): The country was parcelled out as ‘Iqtas’ among leading military leaders. [1998]

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A.

(d) A is false but R is true

24. Assertion (A): During the reign of Shahjahan, Dara Sikoh was sent on expedition to Balkha, Badakhshan and Qandahar.

Reason (R): The expedition sent by Shahjahan to the Middle- East was a marvellous success. [1998]

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation Of A

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A

(d) A is false but R is true

25. Consider the following statements:

Ahadis were those troopers who:

1. offered their services singly

2. did not attach themselves to any chief

3. had the emperor as their immediate colonel

4. attached themselves to Mirzas [I998]

Of these statements:

(a) 1, 3 and 4 are correct

(b) 1, 2 and 3 are correct

(d) 1 and 4 are correct

Consider the following: [1998]

1. Tughlaqabad fort 2. Lodi garden

3. Qutab Minar 4. Fatehpur Sikri

The correct chronological order in which they were built is:

(a) 3,1,4,2 (b) 3,1,2,4

27. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: [1998]

List I List II

A. 1556 1.Battle of Haldi Ghati

B. 1600 2.Nadir Shah’s capture of Delhi

C. 1686 3. Death of Shivaji

D. 1739 4.Grant of Charter to East India Company

5. Accession of Akbar

Codes:

(a) A-3; B-4;C-2 ; D-1

(b) A-5; B-4; C- 3; D-2

(d) A- 1; B-5; C-3; D-2

29. The first writer to use Urdu as the medium of poetic expression was: [1999]

(a) Aamir Khusrau (b) Mirza Ghalib

31. Assertion (A): During the time of Akbar, for every ten cavalrymen, the mansabdars had to maintain twenty horses. Reason (R): Horses had to be rested while on march and replacements’ were necessary in times of war. [1999]

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A

(d) A is false but R is true

32. One consistent feature found in the history of southern India was the growth of small regional kingdoms rather than large empires because of: [1999]

(a) the absence of minerals like iron

(b) too many divisions in the social structure

(d) the scarcity of manpower

33. ‘The king was freed from his people and they from their king’. On whose death did Badauni comment thus? [1999]

(a) Balban

(b) Ala-ud-din Khalji

(d) Feroze Shah Tughlak

34. Consider the following statements:

The striking feature of the Jama Masjid in Kashmir completed by Zain-ul-Abdin include(s): [1999]

1. turret

2. similarity with Buddhist pagodas

3. Persian style

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 alone (b) 1, 2 and 3

35. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

[1999]

(a) Jahangir : William Hawkins

(b) Akbar : Sir Thomas Roe

(d) Aurangzeb : Manucci

36. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the list: [2000]

List I

A. Land allotted to big feudal landlords

B. Land allotted to revenue farmers of rent collectors

C. Land allotted to each peasant with the right to sublet, mortgage transfer, gift or sell

D. Revenue settlements made at village level

List II

1. Jagirdari System

2. Ryotwari System

3. Mahalwari

4. Zamindari System

Codes:

(a) A-1; B-3; C-2; D-4

(b) A-1; B-4; C -2; D-3

(d) A-2; B-1; C-3; D-4

37. Who among the following stream lined the Maratha administration after Sambhaji? [2000]

(a) Raja Ram (b) Balaji Viswanath

Answers:

1. (d)

2. (c) He was a sanskrit poet and Dramatist.

3. (d) it was started by Jaimini.

4. (c) The Bronze icon of nataraja is the finest example of Chola Sculpture.

5. (d) It is the Moussoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah Sur of Bijapur. This is the second largest dome in the world.

6. (d) It was constituted by Sivaji in Maratha administration

7. (d) Alauddin khalji sent malik Kafur (popularly known as Hazar Dinari) for southern expedition and he reached up to kanyakumari.

8. (a) It was a persian script during mughal period.

9. (b) BabaFarid belonged to Chisti order which was founded by Nizam Uddin Auliya.

10. (c) Jahangir was mughal emperor from 1605-1627.

11. (d) Mansabdari system was introduced in 1595-96, was a combined status showing a noble’s civil and military capacity.

12. (b) Guru Hargobind-Miri and piri; Guru Gobind Singh – Dal.Khalsa

13. (c) Raskhan (approx. 1558-1628) was a Hindi poet who was both a Muslim and follower of Lord Krishna.

14. (c) 15. (b)

16. (c) The ChishtT Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The order was founded by Abu Ishaq Shami (“the Syrian”). The most famous of the Chishti saints is Moinuddin Chishti (popularly known as Gharib Nawaz meaning “Benefactor of the Poor”) who settled in Ajmer, India.

17. (d) 18. (b)

19. (d) Sachiv was minister in charge of royal correspondant. Pandit Rao – religious matter

20. (d) Shah Jahan recovered Kandhar in 1638 from the iranians but lost it again in 1649 despite three campaigns. The loss of Kandhar was big blow due to strategic stronghold.

21. (c) Fawazil was balance between the income and expenditure of iqta-holders.

22. (c) Feroz Shah Tughlaq built and repaired large number of canals.

23. (a) Iqta is that part of land granted by the sultan to its military chiefs for maintenance of a given number of troopers. The land was normally taken back when the iqtadars were not in a position to maintain the army.

24. (c) R is incorrect as this expedition failed miserably.

25. (b)

26. (b)Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, which was later abandoned in 1327. Fathehpur Sikri is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570, in honour of Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chisti. QutbMinar-1206 -1236; Lodi Gardens – 1451 -526.

27. (b) The Battle of Haldighati was fought between the Mughal Empire and the forces of Mewar on June 21, 1576 at Haldighati in Rajasthan, India.lt was a decisive victory for the Mughal Emperor Jalal ud-Din Muhammad Akbar’s general Raja Man Singh against the Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. Akbar was 14 uears old when he was crowned at kalanaur in 1556.

29. (a) Amir Khusrau( 1253-1325 CE), a Persian poet was associated with the rulers of Delhi Sultanate. He composed poetry in Arabic, Persian besides being the first writer to use Urdu as the medium of poetic expression.

31. (d) A is incorrect as Du aspa Se aspa system was introduced by Jahangir (not Akbar). So answer is d.

32. (c)

33. (c) Mohd Bin Tughlaq died in 1351 CE. He was succeeded by his cousin Firoz Tughlaq.

34. (b) Jamia Masjid is a mosque in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The Jamia Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. It was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD. Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended.

35. (b) Sir Thomas roe also visited in the court of Jahangir. He was an ambassador of James – I, king of England. Tavernier’s account covers the reign of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.

36. (b) Under the Mahalwari system revenue settlement was to be made by village or estates with landlords. In the Ryotwari system, a direct settlement was made between the government and the ryot (cultivator). In the zamindari system, land is allotted to revenue farmers of zamindars (rent collectors).

37. (b) Best answer is Balaji Vishawanath. As Sambhaji( 1680-89) were succeeded by Rajaram, Sivaji II & Tarabai and Shahu ji. Balaji Vishwanath played a crucial role in the final victory of Shahu by winning over almost all the Maratha sardars to the side of Shahu. Under Baji Rao 1 Maratha power reached under its zenith. But that option is not given.