Mughal Period: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Medieval History)

Explanation

The political situation in north-west India during early 16th CE was a suitable condition for Babur’s entry into India. Ibrahim Lodi came to the throne of Delhi in 1517 and aimed to establish a large centralised empire that had alarmed the Afghan chief as well as Rajputs.

Option (a) is correct: Alam Khan, who invited Babur to invade India was an uncle of Ibrahim Lodi and a pretender to the throne of Delhi. Alam Khan along with Daulat Khan Lodi invited Babur to India. In the first battle of Panipat in 1526, Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur.

Explanation

Mughal Emperor Shahjahan’s failing health set off the war of succession among his four sons Shuja, Murad, Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb in 1657.

Option (c) is correct: The Battle of Dharmat was fought between Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh on April 30, 1658, who were both vying for the Mughal throne. Aurangzeb emerged victorious in the battle.

Explanation

Jahandar Shah (1661-1713) was the 9th Mughal Emperor who reigned from 1712 to 1713 and he was the son of Bahadur Shah. After the death of Bahadur Shah, a new element entered Mughals’ political arena, in which nobles were ‘king makers,’ and rulers were only ‘puppets’ in their hands. Jahandar Shah was considered as the first Mughal India puppet ruler as he won the seat of throne with the support of Zulfiqar Khan, the most powerful noble of the time. Jahandar Shah’s reign came to an early end in January 1713. He was defeated in the battle at Samugarh (a city near Agra) by his nephew Farrukhsiyar on 10th January 1713 with the help of Sayyid Brothers. Farrukshiyar proclaimed himself the Mughal emperor after the battle.

Explanation

Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) used diplomacy and military campaigns to expand the Mughal Empire. Assertion (A) is correct: In 1580s, Akbar led his army to Kabul and defeated Hakim Mirza, the king of Kabul. When Hakim Mirza died, the territory of Kabul was annexed to the Mughal Empire. Reason (R) is incorrect: Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1580s to create a safety valve to this empire but not to reclaim his ancestral country of Ferghana in Central Asia.

Explanation

/(c) Shah Alam II (1728-1806) was the Mughal Emperor, ruling from 1759 to 1806. His reign marked a period of decline for the Mughal Empire, as it faced significant challenges, including invasions and internal rebellions. Assertion (A) is Correct: Shah Alam II spent his early years away from Delhi, primarily in Bihar and Allahabad, due to political instability, including internal rivalries and external threats, such as Ahmed Shah Durrani’s invasions. Reason (R) is correct: During Shah Alam II’s reign, invasions from the northwest, especially by Ahmed Shah Durrani, posed significant threats to the Mughal Empire. The primary reason for Shah Alam II’s absence was internal threats and the dominance of nobles like Najib-ud-Daula in Delhi, rather than solely the danger of foreign invasions. Hence Reason (R) does not explain Assertion (A). Hence, Option (b) is the correct answer.