Medieval History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

King Krishnadevaraya (1509 to 1529) of Tuluva dynasty allowed the Portuguese to build a fort Bhatkal in 1510. The town was named Bhatakala after the Jain grammarian Bhattakalanka Deva, who hailed from Haduvalli, 16 km away, capital of the Saluvas of Gerusoppa. The Vitthal temples and the Hazara Rama temple were constructed during his reign.

Explanation

Qutb-ud-Din Bahadur Shah, originally named Bahadur Khan, was a ruler of the Muzaffarid dynasty who governed the Gujarat Sultanate from 1526 to 1535 and again from 1536 to 1537. In 1532, the Mughal Emperor Humayun invaded Gujarat, leading to its temporary fall. Bahadur Shah managed to regain control in 1536, but he was later killed by the Portuguese aboard a ship while negotiating with them. Conclusively, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was the ruler who surrendered Diu to the Portuguese.

Option (a) is incorrect: Ahmad Shah Bahadur, also known as Mirza Ahmad Shah or Mujahid-ud-Din Ahmad Shah Ghazi (1725-1775), was the fourteenth Mughal emperor and the son of Emperor Muhammad Shah.

Option (b) is incorrect: Mahmud Begada (Mahmud Shah I) (1459-1511 CE) was a Sultan of Gujarat known for capturing Pavagadh and Junagadh forts, earning him the title "Begada." He later established Champaner as the capital.

Option (d) is incorrect: Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad Shah was the thirteenth Mughal emperor (1719-1748). He was a patron of arts, culture, and administration, often referred to as Muhammad Shah Rangila for his artistic inclinations.

Explanation

Hoysala Dynasty: Originating from the Indian subcontinent, the Hoysala Empire held sway over a significant portion of present-day Karnataka from the 11th to the 14th centuries. While the Hoysalas initially established their capital at Belur, it was later relocated to Halebidu. Gahadavala Dynasty: Following the dissolution of the Pratihara empire, several Rajput states emerged in northern India. Among these, the Gahadavalas of Kanauj (12th to 13th century), the Paramaras of Malwa, and the Chauhans of Ajmer were the most prominent. Kakatiya Dynasty: The Kakatiya dynasty ruled the region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during the 12th and 14th centuries. Their capital was Warangal in Telangana. The distinct style of Kakatiya-era architecture is seen in the Thousand Pillar Temple and Ramappa Temple near Warangal. Yadava Dynasty: The Yadava dynasty ruled in the 12th-14th-century and comprised the Hindu kingdom of central India in what is now the Indian state of Maharashtra. Originally a feudatory of the Eastern Chalukyas of Kalyani, the dynasty became paramount in the Deccan under Bhillama (c. 1187-91), who founded Devagiri (later Daulatabad) as his capital.

Explanation

Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka of the Sangama dynasty. Four dynasties - Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu - ruled Vijayanagar from A.D. 1336 to 1672. Deva Raya I (c.1406-1422 CE) of the Sangama dynasty was a very capable ruler noted for his military exploits and his support to irrigation works in his kingdom. He constructed a dam across the river Tungabhadra to bring canals into the city to relieve the shortage of water. He also built a dam on the river Haridra for irrigation purposes. Many foreign travelers also visited the Vijayanagar Empire and their accounts are also valuable. Portuguese writer Duarte Barbosa - Krishna Deva Raya. Venetian traveller Nicolo de Conti - Dev Raya II. Persian traveller Abdur Razzak - Dev Raya II. Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes - Krishna Dev Raya.

Explanation

Between the 8th and 12th centuries AD, medieval India saw the rise of regional dynasties like the Chandelas, Paramaras, Gurjara-Pratiharas, and Rashtrakutas, which shaped the political, cultural, and architectural landscape after the decline of centralized powers like the Guptas and Harsha’s empire.

Pair 1 is correctly matched: The Chandela dynasty was founded around the 9th century, and Nannuka is traditionally regarded as the founder. Chandela dominion extended from the Yamuna (Jumna) River in the north to the region of Saguar (now Sagar) and from the Dhasan River in the west to the Vindhya Hills. It was during Chandela rule that Khajuraho turned into a cultural and architectural hub. The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple stands as the pinnacle of Chandela architectural achievement. The Chandela dynasty is famous for constructing the Khajuraho temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nannuka established the dynasty in the early 9th century CE.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Vakpati’s sons Jayashakti (Jeja) and Vijayashakti (Vija) consolidated the Chandella power. Vakapati succeeded his father Nannuka of the Chandela dynasty and he was succeeded by Vijayshakti and Jayshakti. The Paramara dynasty was a prominent Rajput dynasty that ruled Malwa, with kings like Bhoja and Munja being its most famous rulers.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Vatsaraja was a Pratihara ruler who came to the throne in about 778 AD controlled eastern Rajasthan and Malava. Nagabhata II (reigned c. 793-833) was his successor. He was defeated by the Rashtrakuta king Govinda III (reigned 793-814). He ruled in the early 9th century CE and is known for his military campaigns against the Palas and Rashtrakutas.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Bhoja I / Mihir Bhoja (c.836-885 AD) was the successor of Nagabhatta II, who had a long reign of over 44-46 years and proved to be the most successful and popular ruler of Pratiharas. An Arab visitor to western India, the merchant Sulaymn, referred to the kingdom of Juzr (which is generally identified as Gurjara) and its strong and able ruler, who may have been Bhoja. The Rashtrakuta dynasty was a prominent power in the Deccan, with kings like Amoghavarsha and Krishna I.

Explanation

The Mongol invasions of India, particularly during the Delhi Sultanate, began in the early 13th century under Genghis Khan and continued through the 14th century. The invasions targeted northern India, with significant assaults during the reigns of Iltutmish, Ala-ud-din Khalji, and Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. Despite several incursions, the Mongols did not establish permanent control over Indian territories.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The first Mongol invasion of Indiatook place in the reign of Sultan Shams-ud-din Iltutmish. Who was a ruler of Slave dynasty and was also able to preserve his kingdom.

Statement 2 is correct: During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, Mongols attacked and pillaged not only the surrounding areas, but Delhi itself. Alauddin formed a large standing army for conquest and defense, but the Mongols attacked during his Chittor siege.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq faced several Mongol invasions during his reign but he successfully defended his kingdom against them and did not lose any territory to the Mongols. In some cases, he even launched counterattacks and drove the Mongols out of the region.

Explanation

The ’Kulah-Daran’ are a group of Persian immigrants who lived in India in the eleventh century. "Kulah-Daran" literally translates to "hat-wearers" and was used to describe people who wore a specific kind of Persian cap called a "kulah." The Sayyids (1414 to 1451 AD) were known as ‘Kulah Daran’ during the Delhi sultanate. They were the fourth ruling family of the Delhi Sultanate established by Khizr khan. Other dynasties of the Dehi Sultanate are:

Mamluks (AD 1206-AD 1290) The Khaljis (AD 1290-AD 1320) The Tughlaqs (AD 1320-AD 1412) The Lodis (AD 1451-AD 1526).

Explanation

Abdur Razzak, was a the Iranian ambassador who visited the Indian subcontinent during the reign of Deva Raya II, noted that in Vijayanagar, three types of coins were prominently used:

Varaha, Dinara, and Fanam. Among these, the Fanam was the most widely used. The chief gold coin of the Vijayanagar Empire was the varaha or pagoda. Tar was a silver coin Jittal was a copper coin.

Explanation

Sri Ramanujacharya was born in 1017 AD in Tamil Nadu. He is the most respected Acharya in the philosophy of Sri Vaishnavism. Ramanuja was deeply influenced by the Alvars. Shri Ramanujacharya firmly believed that intense devotion to Vishnu was the best means to attain salvation. He is famous as the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita subschool of Vednta. Vishishtadvaita is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity. He was also referred to as Ilaya Perumal, which means the radiant one. His works such as Vedartha-Sangraha, the Sribhasya and the Bhagavad Gita-bhashya aimed at providing a philosophical foundation for devotional worship.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: In the pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince, Changez Khan arrived in India during the reign of Iltutmish. By denying shelter to Prince Jalaluddhin of Central Asia, Iltutmish protected India from Changez Khan’s fury.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The period of Muhammad bin Tughlaq was from 1325 to 1351. Taimur invaded India during the reign of Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq (1394-1412), the last Tughlaq ruler.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala in 1498, but Deva Raya II ruled the Vijayanagara Empire earlier, from 1424 to 1446. At the time of his arrival, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire was Krishnadevaraya (reigned 1509-1529).