Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms: RAS Prelims MCQs
61 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Vijayanagar Empire and the regional kingdoms cover the four dynasties, the great rulers, the struggle with the Bahmanis and the Rajput states of the north. Krishnadeva Raya’s campaigns, the Battle of Talikota, the Bahmani rise in 1347 and Maharana Kumbha and Sanga of Mewar are all tested.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 31–40 of 61 questions
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q31. Consider the following statements regarding the causes of the Battle of Talikota (1565): I. The arrogant and aggressive diplomacy of Rama Raya alienated the Deccan Sultanates. II. Rama Raya frequently interfered in the internal conflicts of the Sultanates, playing them against each other. III. The immediate cause was a dispute over the monopoly of the diamond trade in Golconda. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Battle of Talikota was largely triggered by the aggressive foreign policy of the regent Rama Raya. He frequently interfered in the internal politics of the Deccan Sultanates, playing them against each other to expand Vijayanagar’s influence. His perceived arrogance and the humiliation he inflicted upon the Sultans eventually forced the rival states to set aside their differences and form a united front against him.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q32. The Battle of Talikota, which marked a catastrophic defeat for the Vijayanagar Empire, is also historically known by which of the following names?
Explanation
The Battle of Talikota is also known as the Battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi, named after the two villages near which the decisive encounter took place in 1565. This conflict pitted the forces of the Vijayanagar Empire against the combined armies of the Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar Sultanates. The crushing defeat of the Vijayanagar army marked the beginning of the end for the empire’s dominance in South India.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q33. Who was the de jure ruler (the king) of the Vijayanagar Empire during the Battle of Talikota, while real power rested with Rama Raya?
Explanation
Sadasiva Raya was the nominal or de jure ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire during the time of the Battle of Talikota. However, he exercised very little actual authority, as the real power was concentrated in the hands of his powerful minister and regent, Rama Raya. This period of dual leadership ended abruptly when Rama Raya was captured and executed by the Sultanates during the disastrous battle.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q34. Consider the following statements regarding the consequences of the Battle of Talikota: I. The city of Vijayanagara (Hampi) was thoroughly sacked and abandoned. II. Rama Raya was captured and executed during the battle. III. Tirumala relocated the capital to Penukonda and founded the Aravidu dynasty. IV. The Portuguese gained control over the entire Konkan coast without resistance. V. The Nayakas of Madurai, Tanjore, and Gingee asserted their complete independence shortly thereafter. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Following the defeat, Hampi was sacked, and Rama Raya was executed. Tirumala subsequently established the Aravidu dynasty at Penukonda. This vacuum of central power allowed regional Nayakas, such as those in Madurai and Tanjore, to gradually assert their independence. However, the Portuguese did not gain control over the entire Konkan coast effortlessly, as they continued to face local resistance and competition from various Deccan powers.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q35. What was the primary political factor that facilitated the rise of the Bahmani Kingdom in 1347 CE?
Explanation
The Bahmani Kingdom was established in 1347 CE primarily due to the widespread rebellion of the ‘Sada’ amirs (Centurions) against the oppressive and unstable policies of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Led by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, these officials successfully broke away from the Delhi Sultanate’s control. This secession occurred during a period of general fragmentation within the Tughlaq Empire, allowing the new kingdom to solidify its power in the Deccan.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q36. Which of the following pairs relating to the Bahmani Kingdom is incorrectly matched?
Explanation
Ahmad Shah Wali is noted for shifting the Bahmani capital from Gulbarga to Bidar in 1424, not the reverse. Gulbarga had served as the first capital since the kingdom’s inception under Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah. Mahmud Gawan was indeed a highly influential Persian merchant who served as the Prime Minister, significantly modernizing the state’s administration and military before being executed due to court intrigues.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q37. Match the items in List I with those in List II and select the correct answer using the options given below.
Deccan Sultanate
Ruling Dynasty
A. Bijapur
i. Nizam Shahi
B. Ahmadnagar
ii. Adil Shahi
C. Golconda
iii. Barid Shahi
D. Bidar
iv. Qutb Shahi
Explanation
After the disintegration of the Bahmani Empire, five independent Sultanates emerged. The Adil Shahi dynasty ruled Bijapur, while the Nizam Shahi dynasty governed Ahmadnagar. Golconda was controlled by the Qutb Shahi dynasty, and the Barid Shahi dynasty held power in Bidar. These states often engaged in mutual warfare but occasionally united, most notably to defeat the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 at the Battle of Talikota.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q38. The architectural marvel ‘Gol Gumbaz’, famous for its massive dome and whispering gallery, is located in which of the successor states of the Bahmani Kingdom?
Explanation
The Gol Gumbaz is the magnificent mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah and is located in Bijapur. It is world-renowned for its massive dome, which is one of the largest in existence, and its famous whispering gallery where even the slightest sound is echoed multiple times. This architectural masterpiece represents the pinnacle of the Adil Shahi style, blending Persian and Indian influences into a grand structural form.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q39. Consider the following statements regarding the successor states of the Bahmani Kingdom (the five Deccan Sultanates): I. Berar was the first state to break away from the Bahmani Kingdom. II. Golconda was absorbed by the Mughal Empire during the reign of Akbar. III. Ahmadnagar successfully defended itself against Mughal incursions under the leadership of Chand Bibi. IV. Bidar was the last of the five Sultanates to declare its independence. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Berar was the first Sultanate to declare independence, and Bidar was the last. Ahmadnagar resisted the Mughals for a time under the heroic leadership of Chand Bibi. However, Golconda was not absorbed during Akbar’s reign; it maintained its independence much longer, finally falling to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. These Sultanates represent the complex political landscape of the Deccan during the transition to Mughal dominance.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Q40. Which of the following Deccan Sultanates did NOT participate in the grand alliance that defeated the Vijayanagar Empire at the Battle of Talikota?
Explanation
The grand alliance formed to challenge the power of Vijayanagar included the Sultanates of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, and Bidar. Berar did not participate in this coalition, largely due to its ongoing territorial conflicts and strained relations with the neighboring state of Ahmadnagar.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
31
(b) I and II only
32
(b) Battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi
33
(c) Sadasiva Raya
34
(d) I, II, III, and V only
35
(c) The revolt of the Centurions against Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s policies
36
(b) Ahmad Shah Wali - Shifted the capital from Bidar to Gulbarga
37
(d) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii
38
(a) Bijapur
39
(a) I, III, and IV only
40
(d) Berar
Key facts from Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms
Harihara and Bukka, founders of Vijayanagar, are said to have been feudatories of the Kakatiyas; the Raichur Doab between the Tungabhadra and Krishna was a zone of conflict with the Bahmanis.
Deva Raya II earned the title Gajabetegara; Krishnadeva Raya took the title Abhinava Bhoja and defeated Prataparudra Deva of Odisha and Ismail Adil Shah in 1520.
Saluva Narasimha, governor of Chandragiri, started the Saluva dynasty in the First Usurpation.
Sadasiva Raya was the de jure king at the Battle of Talikota in 1565.
The Bahmani Kingdom arose in 1347 after the revolt of the centurions against Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Sist was the standard land revenue tax; the Hazara Rama temple was built by Krishnadeva Raya; the Gol Gumbaz is at Bijapur.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms?
This page has 61 practice MCQs on Vijayanagar Empire and Regional Kingdoms (Medieval Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who won the Battle of Raichur in 1520?
Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar defeated Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur and captured the Raichur Doab, the fertile land between the Krishna and Tungabhadra. It is regarded as his greatest victory over the Deccan Sultanates.
Who was the king of Vijayanagar at Talikota?
Sadasiva Raya was the de jure ruler at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, though real power was held by Rama Raya of the Aravidu family. The defeat led to the sack of Hampi.
What was Sist in Vijayanagar?
Sist was the standard land revenue tax collected from peasants in the Vijayanagar Empire. Knowing such terms matters because the exam often asks for the meaning of a revenue term rather than a date.
