Q151. During the prolonged Mughal-Maratha war, which Maratha queen provided formidable leadership and established a parallel court at Kolhapur after the death of Rajaram?
Medieval Indian History: RAS Prelims MCQs
333 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on medieval Indian history are on this page, in 6 chapters. They cover the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagar Empire and regional kingdoms, the Mughal Empire, the Marathas, medieval art, architecture, literature and music, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements. Each question has an answer and an explanation, and the formats match the exam: facts, statements, match-the-list and assertion-reason.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 151–160 of 333 questions
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Q152. In 1707, the release of Shahu by the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I led to a civil war within the Maratha camp. This civil war culminated in which decisive battle in 1707?
Explanation
Shahu was released by Bahadur Shah I in 1707, and his struggle with Tarabai’s side was decided at the Battle of Khed in 1707.
Q153. Consider the following statements about Balaji Vishwanath:
I. He was the first to make the office of the Peshwa hereditary.
II. He secured the release of Shahu’s mother from Mughal captivity.
III. He commanded the Maratha forces during the Battle of Panipat.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. He was the first to make the office of the Peshwa hereditary.
II. He secured the release of Shahu’s mother from Mughal captivity.
III. He commanded the Maratha forces during the Battle of Panipat.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Balaji Vishwanath made the office of the Peshwa hereditary and secured the release of Shahu’s mother Yesubai from the Mughals. He did not command at Panipat, which was in 1761, so III is wrong.
Q154. Consider the following statements about the agreement secured by Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath from the Sayyid brothers in 1719:
I. The Mughal Emperor recognized Shahu as the legitimate ruler of Shivaji’s Swarajya.
II. The Marathas were granted the right to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the six Mughal subahs of the Deccan.
III. In return, Shahu agreed to maintain a contingent of 15,000 troops for the Mughal Emperor.
IV. The treaty explicitly permitted the Marathas to annex the territory of Awadh.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?
I. The Mughal Emperor recognized Shahu as the legitimate ruler of Shivaji’s Swarajya.
II. The Marathas were granted the right to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the six Mughal subahs of the Deccan.
III. In return, Shahu agreed to maintain a contingent of 15,000 troops for the Mughal Emperor.
IV. The treaty explicitly permitted the Marathas to annex the territory of Awadh.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?
Explanation
In 1719 the Mughals recognised Shahu’s Swarajya, granted Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from six Deccan subahs and Shahu agreed to keep 15,000 troops for the emperor. The treaty did not allow annexing Awadh, so IV is incorrect.
Q155. The document signed in 1719 granting Marathas rights in the Deccan was famously termed by a British historian as the "Magna Carta of the Maratha Dominion." Who was this historian?
Explanation
The 1719 agreement is described as the Magna Carta of the Maratha dominion by the historian Richard Temple.
Q156. What was the most significant political consequence of Baji Rao I’s policy of northward expansion?
Explanation
Baji Rao I’s northward expansion turned the Maratha state into a pan-Indian power.
Q157. During his campaigns, Baji Rao I famously stated, "Let us strike at the trunk of the withering tree, the branches will fall of themselves." To which empire was he referring?
Explanation
Baji Rao I said this of the Mughal Empire. He meant that striking at its centre would make the provinces fall by themselves, and he led Maratha expansion to the north.
Q158. Arrange the following military campaigns and battles of Baji Rao I in correct chronological order:
I. Battle of Palkhed
II. Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon
III. Battle of Bhopal
IV. Raid on Delhi
Which of the following represents the correct chronological order?
I. Battle of Palkhed
II. Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon
III. Battle of Bhopal
IV. Raid on Delhi
Which of the following represents the correct chronological order?
Explanation
Baji Rao I won at Palkhed in 1728, secured the Treaty of Mungi Shevgaon in 1728, raided Delhi in 1737 and won the Battle of Bhopal in 1737-38. The order is I, II, IV, III.
Q159. The Saranjam system, which expanded significantly during the Peshwa period, primarily dealt with which aspect of Maratha administration?
Explanation
Under the Saranjam system, Maratha chiefs were given revenue grants of land to maintain troops. It expanded in the Peshwa period.
Q160. Which treaty was signed between the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad following the Battle of Bhopal in 1737?
Explanation
After the Battle of Bhopal the Marathas and the Nizam signed the Treaty of Doraha Sarai in 1738.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 151 | (d) Tarabai |
| 152 | (a) Battle of Khed |
| 153 | (a) I and II only |
| 154 | (c) IV only |
| 155 | (d) Richard Temple |
| 156 | (b) Expansion of the Maratha state into a pan- Indian empire |
| 157 | (d) The Mughal Empire |
| 158 | (a) I, II, IV, III |
| 159 | (b) Land revenue grants to Maratha chiefs for maintaining military troops |
| 160 | (b) Treaty of Doraha Sarai |
Key facts from Medieval Indian History
- The RPSC syllabus names the Sultanate period, the political and cultural achievements of Vijayanagar, Mughal administration and policies, the Marathas, medieval art and literature, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
- Delhi Sultanate questions revolve around reforms: Alauddin Khalji’s market control and cash salaries, Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s public works and the Iqta system.
- Mughal and Maratha questions pair a ruler with a battle, treaty or institution, such as Panipat 1526, Khanwa 1527, Purandar 1665 and the Ashtapradhan.
- Art questions link monuments, painters and poets to their patron, for example the Buland Darwaza with Akbar and the Bani Thani with Savant Singh of Kishangarh.
- Bhakti questions test founders, philosophies and texts, such as Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita and Kabir’s Bijak.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Medieval Indian History?
This page has 333 practice MCQs on Medieval Indian History. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters are in the medieval Indian history set?
Six chapters: the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagar Empire and regional kingdoms, the Mughal Empire (administration and policies), the Marathas, medieval art, architecture, literature and music, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
Is medieval history in the RAS Prelims syllabus?
Yes. RPSC includes the Sultanate period, Vijayanagar, Mughal administration and policies, the Marathas, medieval art and literature, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements in the ancient and medieval part of Indian History.
How can I revise medieval history quickly?
Make a timeline of rulers, battles and treaties for each chapter, and a table of reforms, buildings and texts against their rulers. Then attempt the chapter questions, read each explanation, and repeat the ones you missed.