DELHI: 12th TO 15th CENTURY

Easy (15)

1. Which Rajput dynasty first made Delhi its capital?
   • Chauhans
   • Tomaras (correct)
   • Palas
   • Pratiharas

   Why: The Tomara Rajputs were the first to establish Delhi as their capital.

2. What was the name of the coins minted in Delhi under the Tomaras and Chauhans?
   • Tanka
   • Jital
   • Delhiwal (correct)
   • Rupiya

   Why: Coins minted in Delhi during this period were known as Delhiwal.

3. Which Sultan's daughter, Raziyya, became Sultan in 1236?
   • Qutbuddin Aybak
   • Ghiyasuddin Balban
   • Iltutmish (correct)
   • Alauddin Khalji

   Why: Raziyya Sultan was the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish.

4. What was the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans?
   • Urdu
   • Arabic
   • Persian (correct)
   • Turkish

   Why: Persian was the official language of administration for the Delhi Sultans.

5. What were the special slaves purchased for military service by early Delhi Sultans called?
   • Muqtis
   • Iqtadars
   • Bandagan (correct)
   • Samantas

   Why: These military slaves were known as 'bandagan' in Persian.

6. What was the name of the land assignments given to military commanders by the Delhi Sultans?
   • Jagirs
   • Watans
   • Iqtas (correct)
   • Mansabs

   Why: The land assignments given to military commanders were called iqtas.

7. Who was the holder of an iqta?
   • Sultan
   • Muqti or Iqtadar (correct)
   • Peasant
   • Accountant

   Why: The holder of an iqta was known as a muqti or iqtadar.

8. What was 'kharaj' under the Delhi Sultanate?
   • Tax on houses
   • Tax on cattle
   • Tax on cultivation (correct)
   • Tax on trade

   Why: Kharaj was a tax levied on cultivation, amounting to about 50% of the produce.

9. True or False: Delhi became an important city only in the twelfth century.

   Why: Delhi gained importance as a capital city starting in the twelfth century.

10. True or False: Minhaj-us-Siraj was comfortable with Raziyya Sultan ruling independently.

    Why: Minhaj-us-Siraj was not comfortable with a queen ruling independently.

11. True or False: The Delhi Sultans always appointed aristocrats and landed chieftains as governors.

    Why: Early Delhi Sultans often preferred 'bandagan' (military slaves) over aristocrats for governance.

12. The authors of tawarikh lived mainly in ______.

    Why: Tawarikh authors primarily resided in urban centers like Delhi.

13. The system of land assignments given to military commanders was known as the ______ system.

    Why: The iqta system involved assigning land to military commanders in exchange for service.

14. Identify the dynasty that ruled Delhi before the Chauhans, as shown in the timeline.
    • Tomaras (correct)
    • Early Turkish Rulers
    • Khalji Dynasty
    • Sayyid Dynasty

    Why: The Tomaras ruled before the Chauhans, as indicated by the timeline.

15. Based on the provided timeline, which dynasty immediately followed the Early Turkish Rulers?
    • Tomaras
    • Khalji Dynasty (correct)
    • Tughluq Dynasty
    • Sayyid Dynasty

    Why: The Khalji Dynasty followed the Early Turkish Rulers in the timeline.

Medium (15)

1. Why did the Delhi Sultans prefer 'bandagan' (military slaves) over aristocrats for high political positions?
   • Bandagan were cheaper to maintain than aristocrats.
   • Bandagan were more loyal to their masters as they were totally dependent on them. (correct)
   • Aristocrats were often illiterate and incapable of administration.
   • Bandagan had better military training than aristocrats.

   Why: Bandagan's total dependence on the Sultan ensured their loyalty, making them preferred administrators.

2. What was a significant challenge faced by the Delhi Sultanate due to the appointment of 'humble people' to high positions?
   • It led to a decrease in tax collection.
   • It caused political instability due to loyalty conflicts between old and new nobility. (correct)
   • It resulted in a decline in military strength.
   • It made the Sultanate unpopular with the common people.

   Why: Appointing humble people caused political instability due to shifting loyalties and conflicts between different noble factions.

3. Why was it difficult for the Delhi Sultans to control distant provinces like Bengal?
   • Lack of military resources.
   • Poor communication and geographical distance made control challenging. (correct)
   • Frequent rebellions by local peasants.
   • Strong naval forces of independent rulers.

   Why: Controlling distant regions like Bengal was hard due to geographical distance and communication issues.

4. What was the primary duty of a muqti?
   • To advise the Sultan on religious matters.
   • To lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas. (correct)
   • To collect taxes from merchants in the cities.
   • To write historical accounts (tawarikh) for the Sultan.

   Why: Muqtis were responsible for military leadership and maintaining order in their assigned territories.

5. Match the dynasty with its approximate period of rule in Delhi.

   Why: Matching dynasties to their periods helps understand the succession of rulers in Delhi.

6. Match the tax with its description under the Delhi Sultanate.

   Why: Understanding the different types of taxes levied by the Delhi Sultans is key to their administration.

7. Match the ruler with the dynasty they belonged to.

   Why: This matches key rulers with their respective dynasties within the Delhi Sultanate.

8. Match the historical term with its meaning.

   Why: Understanding these historical terms is crucial for comprehending the chapter.

9. Who was the Moroccan traveller who described chieftains fortifying themselves in mountains and bamboo groves?

   Why: Ibn Battuta, a traveller from Morocco, provided accounts of chieftains' fortifications.

10. What was the term for the one-fifth share of war booty, mines, and buried treasures collected as tax?

    Why: Khums was the tax on war booty, mines, and buried treasures.

11. Which Sultan was the first to levy jizyah as a separate tax?

    Why: Firuz Shah Tughlaq was notable for separating the jizyah tax.

12. Arrange the following dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in chronological order of their rule: Khalji, Tughluq, Sayyid, Early Turkish Rulers.

    Why: The correct chronological order of these dynasties is Early Turkish, Khalji, Tughluq, and Sayyid.

13. Arrange the following events in chronological order: 1. Raziyya Sultan becomes ruler. 2. Tomaras establish Delhi as capital. 3. Mongol invasion of Transoxiana. 4. Sher Shah Sur defeats Humayun.

    Why: The correct order is Tomaras, Mongol invasion, Raziyya's rule, then Sher Shah's victory.

14. Identify the dynasty that ruled Delhi between 1165 and 1192, according to the timeline.
    • Tomaras
    • Chauhans (correct)
    • Early Turkish Rulers
    • Khalji Dynasty

    Why: The Chauhans ruled Delhi during the period 1165-1192.

15. Based on the map of selected Sultanate cities, which city is located furthest to the west?
    • Lahore (correct)
    • Delhi
    • Multan
    • Uch

    Why: Lahore is depicted as the westernmost city among the options on the map.

Hard (10)

1. Assertion (A): The Delhi Sultans appointed 'bandagan' to high political positions. Reason (R): Bandagan were highly loyal to the Sultan and dependent on him, making them reliable administrators.

   Why: The Sultan's reliance on bandagan stemmed from their dependence and loyalty.

2. Assertion (A): Minhaj-us-Siraj believed Raziyya Sultan was more able and qualified than her brothers. Reason (R): He was comfortable with a woman ruling independently and supported her accession.

   Why: Minhaj acknowledged Raziyya's ability but opposed her rule due to gender norms.

3. Assertion (A): The office of muqti was often made inheritable to ensure stability. Reason (R): This system prevented conflicts between the old and new nobility.

   Why: The muqti office was ideally non-inheritable, and its management often led to conflicts, not prevented them.

4. A historian is analyzing the administrative policies of Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq. They observe that both rulers rigorously imposed harsh conditions of service on muqtis, including making their office non-inheritable and frequently shifting them. What was the primary objective behind these policies?
   • To increase the personal wealth of the Sultans.
   • To prevent muqtis from becoming too powerful and rebellious. (correct)
   • To encourage more people to become muqtis.
   • To reduce the overall military expenditure of the Sultanate.

   Why: The policies aimed to prevent muqtis from accumulating power and challenging the Sultan's authority.

5. Consider the 'circle of justice' as described by Fakhr-i Mudabbir. If a king fails to promote justice and honest governance, what would be the likely long-term consequence for the kingdom?
   • Peasants would become more prosperous, leading to higher revenue.
   • Soldiers would receive higher salaries, strengthening the army.
   • Peasants would be unable to pay revenue, leading to a lack of salaries for soldiers and the king's downfall. (correct)
   • The king would gain more power by suppressing the peasants.

   Why: Lack of justice makes peasants unhappy, reducing revenue, which ultimately weakens the army and the king.

6. Ibn Battuta described chieftains fortifying themselves in places like bamboo groves, noting that bamboo was strong and fire-resistant. What does this suggest about the nature of warfare and control in certain regions during the Sultanate period?
   • Sultanate armies primarily relied on cavalry, which was ineffective in forested areas.
   • Local chieftains had effective defensive strategies against the Sultanate's conventional army. (correct)
   • The Sultanate had no interest in controlling forested regions.
   • Firearms were not yet introduced, limiting offensive capabilities.

   Why: Chieftains used natural fortifications effectively against Sultanate forces, indicating challenges in control.

7. Observe the map showing the extent of the Delhi Sultanate. Which of the following regions would have been most difficult for the Sultanate to maintain continuous control over due to its geographical location?
   • Areas around Delhi
   • The Gangetic Plain
   • Southern India (e.g., Warangal) (correct)
   • Regions bordering Transoxiana

   Why: Southern India was geographically distant and difficult to control from Delhi.

8. Based on the provided map, which two cities are located closest to each other, indicating potential for easier administrative control between them?
   • Delhi and Daulatabad
   • Multan and Uch (correct)
   • Lahore and Lakhnauti
   • Warangal and Deogiri

   Why: Multan and Uch are geographically close on the map, suggesting easier local administration.

9. Which two of the following statements about the administration of the Delhi Sultanate are correct? (Select all that apply)
   • The state brought the assessment and collection of land revenue under its own control under Alauddin Khalji. (correct)
   • The rights of local chieftains to levy taxes were always preserved and respected by the Sultans.
   • Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected by the muqtis. (correct)
   • The office of muqti was generally made inheritable to ensure long-term loyalty.

   Why: Alauddin Khalji centralized revenue collection, and accountants monitored muqtis; muqti offices were ideally non-inheritable.

10. Which two of the following statements accurately describe the authors of 'tawarikh' and their motivations? (Select all that apply)
    • They often wrote their histories for Sultans in the hope of rich rewards. (correct)
    • They primarily lived in villages and recorded the lives of ordinary peasants.
    • They advised rulers on the need to preserve an 'ideal' social order based on birthright and gender distinctions. (correct)
    • Their ideas about social order were shared by everybody in the Sultanate.

    Why: Tawarikh authors sought rewards and advised rulers on ideal social order, but their urban perspective and ideas were not universally accepted.