Regional Kingdoms: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Medieval History)

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

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Nizamat of Arcot was a Muslim princely state in South India during the 18th century. It was founded by the Nawabs of Arcot, who initially served as vassals under the Nizam, the ruler of the Hyderabad State. After the weakening of the Nizam’s power, they gained greater control over the region. The Nizamat of Arcot included areas such as Arcot, Carnatic, and parts of modern-day Tamil Nadu.

Statement 2 is correct: Under the Vijayanagar Empire, there was a small feudal kingdom called Mysore. The Kingdom of Mysore was founded by the Wodeyar dynasty in 1399. The Wodeyar dynasty declared their independence following the fall of Vijayanagar in 1565, and Raja Wodeyar ascended the throne in 1578. The capital moved from Mysore to Srirangapatna in 1610.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Afghan Chiefs under the leadership of Daud Khan established Rohilakhand, from erstwhile Mughal territory in Awadh region, by taking advantage of the breakdown of authority in North India following Nadir Shah’s invasion.

Explanation

Correct chronology is as follows: 2-4-1-3 The Pallavas were a powerful dynasty that ruled a large part of southern India between the 6th and 9th centuries AD, with Kanchipuram (now in Tamil Nadu) as their capital. The Pallavas achieved their pinnacle with Mahendravarman I’s rule (c. 600-630), who reigned alongside Harsha and Pulakeshin II. The Pala Empire, which started in the Bengal region and ruled throughout the post-classical period (8th and 9th century AD), was an imperial power. The empire was officially established when Gopala was chosen to rule as Gauda’s emperor in 750 AD. Nagabhatta I founded the Gurjara Pratihara Dynasty (8th to 11th Century AD) in the Malwa region around the 8th century AD. Mihir Bhoja (836-885 AD) was the greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty. The Cholas rose to prominence in the 9th century and formed an empire that included most of South India; Tanjore/ Tanjavur served as their capital. The reign of the Chola king Parantaka, who succeeded his father Aditya I as king, lasted from 907-953 AD.

Explanation

The Kakatiya dynasty ruled in South India. The dynasty governed much of the eastern Deccan region, which includes modern-day Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha, from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Their capital was Orugallu, now called Warangal.

Option (b) is correct: Motupalli was the chief port of the Kakatiyas and this port was visited by the Venetian traveller, Marco Polo. Options (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Kakinada emerged as a significant port much later, after the decline of the Kakatiya dynasty. While Machilipatnam was the main port of Golconda Kingdom, In the thirteenth century, the port town of Nelluru was a part of the Kakatiya kingdom. After a while, it passed back and forth between Kakatiya and Pandyas until Pandyas was vanquished by Prataprudra II. But Motupalli was more important than this.

Explanation

The 9th century saw the rise of a number of hill states, some of which maintained their identity until recent years, despite their wars with each other and frequent raids from the plain areas. Medieval Indian State Present Region Champaka Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) Durgara Jammu Kuluta Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) Malwa Central India Kamarupa Assam Trigarta Jalandhar Utkala Odisha Twipra Tripura

Explanation

The Nizam Shahi dynasty (1490 to 1633 AD) ended when the Mughals annexed Ahmadnagar in 1633. Hussain Shah, the last ruler, was captured and imprisoned for life by the Mughal forces, marking the dynasty’s end and strengthening Mughal control over the Deccan.

Option (b) is incorrect: Nizam-ul-Mulk, a key figure of the Nizam Shahi dynasty of Ahmadnagar, did not die as a result of battle with the Mughals. Instead, he passed away from natural causes.

Option (c) is incorrect: The son of Malik Amber, Fateh Khan surrendered to the Mughals in the siege of Daulatabad in 1633 and handed over the young Nizam Shahi ruler Hussain Shah to the Mughals who was sent as a prisoner to the fort of Gwalior.

Option (d) is incorrect: Malik Ambar was a prominent general and regent in the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, but he died in 1626, and the Nizam Shahi dynasty’s formal end came in 1636. Furthermore, the entire royal family was not killed by Mughal troops.

Explanation

Marathas were a prominent warrior group from the western region of India who rose to power in the 17th century under the leadership of Shivaji Maharaj. They formed the Maratha Empire, which became the strongest native power in India following the decline of the Mughal Empire. Assertion (A) is correct: The Marathas emerged as a dominant force after the decline of the Mughal Empire due to their military strength, administrative capabilities, and extensive networks of alliances. Reason (R) is incorrect: Marathas did have a vision of a strong and unified empire under their control, but the idea of a "united Indian nation" as a political and cultural entity was not articulated in the way we understand the modern concept of a nation-state today. The Maratha Empire was driven more by regional, dynastic, and military ambitions rather than a unifying national ideology.

Explanation

Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580-1627 AD) of Bijapur sultanate was known for promoting religious harmony and blending Hindu-Muslim traditions in music, art, and literature. His secular outlook earned him the title ’Jagadguru’ (World Teacher) among his subjects. He also wrote a book called ’Kitab-i-Nauras’, which discussed religious tolerance and philosophical ideas. Gulshan- i-Ishq was one of his portraits made after his death.

Explanation

Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1720 AD) became the Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire in 1714 during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, the grandson of Shivaji Maharaj. He is credited with playing a pivotal role in strengthening the administration of the Maratha Empire and ensuring the centralization of power under the Peshwa system. His leadership set the stage for the Maratha Empire’s expansion in the 18th century.