1.Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched. Choose the correct answer from the codes given below.
| Dynasty | Capital |
| 1) Chandel Dynasty | Gwalior |
| 2) Parmar Dynasty | Dhar |
| 3) Gurjar Pratihara Dynasty | Khajuraho |
| 4) Tomar Dynasty | Ujjain |
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 only
C. 3 and 4 only
D. 4 only.
Solution
The correct answer is 2 only.
Key Points
- The Paramara dynasty ruled the Malwa region in Central India i.e. present-day Madhya Pradesh.
- It was founded during the 9th and 10th century A.D.
- It was founded by Upendra.
- Bhoja-I was one of the most famous rulers of the Paramara dynasty.
- The capital of the Paramara dynasty was at Dhar.
- Hence pair 2 is correctly matched.
- The Chandeladynasty is an Indian Rajput clan found in Central India i.e. present-day Madhya Pradesh.
- Chandela dynasty ruled much of the Bundelkhand region of central India for long periods between the 10th and the 13th centuries AD.
- The founder of the Chandel dynasty was Nannuk.
- The capital of the Chandel dynasty was Khajuraho. Hence pair 1 is not correctly matched.
- The Gurjar Pratihara dynasty appeared to be the most powerful in the region during 730-1036 A.D.
- The founder of the Gurjar Pratihara dynasty was Nagabhatta-l.
- The capital of the Gurjar Pratihara dynasty was Ujjain. Hence pair 3 is not correctly matched.
- Tomar dynasty ruled the Gwalior and its surrounding region in central India during the 14th-16th centuries.
- The founder of the Tomar dynasty was Veer Singh Dev.
- The capital of the Tomar dynasty was Gwalior.
- Hence pair 4 is not correctly matched.
- They are known for their patronage of the cultural activities in Gwalior.
2. Arrange the following Pala rulers in chronological order.
(i) Devapala
(ii) Gopala
(iii) Mahipala
(iv) Dharmapala
Select the answer from the codes given below:
A. ii, iv, i, iii
B. i, iii, iv, ii
C. iii, iv, ii, i
D. iv, i, ii, iii
Solution
The correct chronology is ii, iv, I, iii.
Key Points
- Gopala:
- The founder of the Pala Dynasty was Gopala, who ascended the throne in 750 AD.
- Gopala was a local chieftain who lived in the region of Bengal and rose to power by overthrowing the last ruler of the Gauda Kingdom.
- He founded the Pala Dynasty and established his capital at Pataliputra, present-day Patna in Bihar state, India.
- Under the leadership of Gopala and his successors, the Pala Dynasty became a formidable power in eastern India, with extensive territorial control and significant cultural and intellectual achievements.
- Dharmapala:
- Dharmapala was a ruler of the Pala Dynasty who ruled from 770-810 CE.
- He was the Pala Dynasty’s second ruler and Gopala’s son and successor.
- Dharmapala is considered one of the greatest rulers of the Pala Dynasty.
- He expanded the empire’s territory and conquered a large part of northern India, including Kanyakubja (present-day Kannauj), which became the capital of the Pala Empire during his reign.
- Dharmapala was also a patron of Buddhism and is credited with reviving Buddhism in India.
- Devapala:
- Devapala was a ruler of the Pala Dynasty who ruled from 810-850 CE.
- He was the Pala Dynasty’s third ruler and Dharmapala’s son and successor.
- Devapala is considered one of the most powerful rulers of the Pala Dynasty.
- During his reign, he expanded the empire’s territory to its greatest extent, conquering large parts of northern and central India, including Kamarupa (present-day Assam) and parts of the Himalayan region.
- He also undertook military campaigns against the Rashtrakuta Dynasty in the Deccan region.
- Mahipala:
- Mahipala was a ruler of the Pala Dynasty who ruled from 988-1038 CE.
- He was the sixth ruler of the Pala Dynasty and the son and successor of his father, Vigrahapala II.
- Mahipala was known for his military campaigns against the Chola Dynasty in southern India.
- However, his rule was temporarily hampered by the northern expedition of the Chola Emperor, Rajendra I.
- After his death, the Pala Empire declined in power and was eventually replaced by the Sena Dynasty in the 12th century.
Hence we conclude that the correct chronology is ii, iv, I, iii.
3. Which among the following forts was principal capital of Qutb Shahi dynasty in Hyderabad?
A. Chiktan Fort
B. Rajgad Fort
C. Red Fort
D. Golconda Fort
Solution
The correct answer is Golconda Fort.
Key Points
- Golconda Fort:-
- The Golconda Fort was built by the Qutubshahi of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty.
- Golconda Fort is a fortified citadel.
- It was the capital city of the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
- It is located in Hyderabad, Telangana.
- It was originally known as Mankal and built on a hilltop in 1143.
- It has thick walls and tall heavy gates with sharp iron spokes.
- In some places, a part of the wall comes out in a round shape.
- These are called bastions (Burj).
- These bastions have small holes in them to attack enemies while being hidden.
- These are even higher than the wall.
- The outer wall of this fort has 87 bastions.
- The Golconda Fort was made strong and big to protect it from any outside enemy attack.
- In 1200, this fort was made of mud and different rulers lived here.
Additional Information
- Red Fort (Lal Qila):-
- It is a monument built in 1638 that rises 33 meters (108 ft) above Old Delhi.
- It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the mid-17th century. The fort is located in what is now the center of Delhi, India.
- Red Fort massive, 2.5-km-long enclosing walls are made of red sandstone and that’s where the monument got its name from.
- A few parts of the fort are also made of red stone while the remaining structure is built using marble.
- Rajgad Fort:-
- It is a fort situated in the Pune district of Maharastra.
- It was also known as Murumdev.
- It served as the capital of the Maratha Empire under the rule of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
- Chiktan Fort:-
- Chiktan Fort is located in Chiktan village of Kargil district by the river Indus.
- The fort was built in the 16th century and had nine stories.
- Balti craftsmen constructed the castle in the 16th century which served as a royal residence for centuries.
4. Consider the following pairs:
| S.No | Regional Kingdoms | Rulers |
| 1. | Gujarat | Raja Ajit Singh |
| 2. | Malwa | Sawai Raja Jai Singh |
| 3. | Bharatpur | Suraj Mal |
| 4. | Hyderabad | Chin Qulich Khan |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Solution
The correct answer is All four pairs.
Key PointsRajput State:
- Many Rajput kings, particularly those from Amber and Jodhpur, had served the Mughals with distinction.
- In the eighteenth century, these rulers attempted to expand their control over neighbouring regions.
- Ajit Singh, the ruler of Jodhpur, was also involved in factional politics at the Mughal court.
- These powerful Rajput families claimed the subadari of the rich provinces of Gujarat and Malwa.
- Gujarat was led by Raja Ajit Singh of Jodhpur, and Malwa was led by Sawai Raja Jai Singh of Amber. Hence, Pair 1 and 2 are correctly matched.
- In 1722, Sawai Raja Jai Singh established his new capital at Jaipur and was given the subadari of Agra.
- From the 1740s, Maratha’s campaigns in Rajasthan put severe pressure on these principalities, limiting their further expansion.
Jats:
- The Jats, like the other states, consolidated their power in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
- Under their leader, Churaman, they gained control of territories to the west of Delhi, and by the 1680s, they had begun to dominate the region between the two imperial cities of Delhi and Agra.
- Under Suraj Mal, the kingdom of Bharatpur grew into a powerful state. Hence, Pair 3 is correctly matched.
- When Nadir Shah sacked Delhi in 1739, many of the city’s notables sought refuge there.
Hyderabad:
- Chin Qulich Khan, a powerful noble at the imperial court who later took the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, founded the autonomous kingdom of Hyderabad in 1724. Hence, Pair 4 is correctly matched.
- He never openly declared his independence from the Central government, but in practice, he ruled as an independent ruler.
- Hyderabad began to experience a series of crises following the death of Nizam, Asaf Jah.
- The Marathas, Mysore, and the Carnatic all settled their territorial scores with Hyderabad in the years that followed.
5. The ruler of which dynasty had written ‘Mattvilasprahasan’ ?
A. Parmar
B. Chola
C. Pallava
D. Rashtrakuta
Solution
The correct answer is Pallava.
Key Points
- Mahendra Varman I, the author of the book Mattavilasa Prahasana, belonged to the Pallava dynasty.
- Mattavilas Prahasana is an ancient Sanskrit one-act play.
- He was earlier a follower of Jainism and became a Shaivite under the influence of the Tamil saint Appar.
- He adopted the titles of Vichitra Chitta and Gunabhar etc.
- During his period, when the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II came to attack Kanchi, Mahendravarman defeated him badly.
Hence we can conclude that Mahendra Varman I Pallava, the author of the famous book Matvilasa Prahasana, was a scholar king, due to which religion and literature flourished during his period.
Additional Information
- Parmar dynasty:
- The Parmar dynasty was founded by Upendra Krishnaraja.
- The capital of the Parmar dynasty was Dhara city (modern Dhar).
- Bhoja Parmar was one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty.
- He was a great scholar of politics, astrology, poetry, architecture, and medicine.
- He composed many texts, in which Ayurveda Sarvasva, Siddhanta Sangraha, Prabandha Chintamani, Shringaramanjari, Shabdanushasan, and Saraswati Kanthabharana are prominent.
- Chola dynasty:
- The Chola Empire was founded by Vijayalaya.
- The Cholas had a powerful navy.
- An important example of Chola sculpture is the idol of Nataraja in the Tandava dance posture.
- The Chola bronze sculptures are considered to be among the best in the world.
- Rashtrakuta dynasty:
- Dantidurga was the founder of the Rashtrakuta Empire who made Manyakhet the capital.
- Amoghavarsha Rashtrakuta, the ruler of this dynasty, composed a book named Kaviraj Marga.
- During the 8th century, there was a struggle between the three major kingdoms of India namely the Palas, Pratiharas, and Rashtrakutas for control of Kannauj. This struggle is famous in history as the tripartite struggle.
6. Gol Gumbaz is situated in Bijapur district of
A. Odisha
B. Andhra Pradesh
C. Karnataka
D. Bihar
Solution
The correct answer is Karnataka.
Key Points
- Gol Gumbaz has also written Gol Gumbad a 17th-century mausoleum located in Bijapur, a city in Karnataka, India.
- It houses the remains of Mohammad Adil Shah, the seventh sultan of the Adil Shahi dynasty, and some of his relatives.
- Begun in the mid-17th century, the structure never reached completion. The mausoleum is notable for its scale and exceptionally large dome.
- The construction of the Gol Gumbaz began in the mid-17th century, during the close of Mohammad Adil Shah’s reign, which was from 1627 to 1656.
Additional Information Konark Sun Temple – Odisha
- Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE (the year 1250) Sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometers northeast of Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha, India.
- The temple is attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.
Golghar – Bihar
- The Golghar is a large granary located to the west of the Gandhi Maidan in Patna, the capital of Bihar state, India.
- According to a contemporary inscription at its base, the Golghar in Patna was intended to be just the first of a series of huge grain stores.
- In the end, however, no others were ever built.
Venkateswara Temple – Andhra Pradesh
- Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
- The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared on the earth to save mankind from the trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.
7. Upon the fragmentation of Bahmani Kingdom, the sultanate of Bijapur was founded by ________.
A. Ismail Adil Shah
B. Mallu Adil Shah
C. Ali Adil Shah I
D. Yusuf Adil Shah
Solution
The correct answer is Yusuf Adil Shah.
Key Points
- Upon the fragmentation of the Bahmani Kingdom, the sultanate of Bijapur was founded by Yusuf Adil Shah.
- Yusuf Adil Shah was the son of the Sultan of Turkey and was purchased by Mahmud Gavan.
- Yusuf showed valor and loyalty to protect the sultanate and so he was given the governorship of Bijapur.
- Yusuf built Arkilla fort or Bijapur Fort and Faroukh Mahal whose planners were brought from Persia, Turkey, and Rome.
Additional Information
- The Bahmani kingdom ruled between 1347-1526 AD.
- The Bahmani Kingdom was founded by Alauddin Bahaman Shah in the year 1347.
- He was also known as Hasan Gangu.
- The capital of the Bahmani Kingdom was Gulbarga.
- It was a Persianised Muslim state of the Deccan in South India and one of the major medieval Indian Kingdoms.
- Later, Ahmad Wali Shah shifted the capital from Gulbarga to Bidar in the year 1424.
- Bahmani Kingdom reached its peak under the reign of Muhammad Shah III.
- The Kingdom stretched from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, included the whole of Deccan.
8. Vijayanagara empire was founded in which of the following years?
A. 1210
B. 1315
C. 1336
D. 1368
Solution
The correct answer is 1336.
Key Points
- The Vijayanagara empire was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I.
- The empire was destroyed in the Battle of Talikota in 1565.
- The ruins at Hampi were brought to light in 1800 by an engineer and antiquarian named Colonel Colin Mackenzie.
- An employee of the English East India Company, he prepared the first survey map of the site.
- Much of the initial information he received was based on the memories of priests of the Virupaksha temple and the shrine of Pampadevi.
- Subsequently, from 1856, photographers began to record the monuments which enabled scholars to study them.
- As early as 1836 epigraphists began collecting several dozen inscriptions found at this and other temples at Hampi.
Important Points
- During this time four dynasties ruled, which are as follows:
- Sangam (1336-1485 AD)
- Suluva (1485-1505 AD)
- Tuluva (1505–1570 AD)
- Aravidu (1570–1649 AD)
9. Who among the following built Mandu as his capital?
A. Dilawar Khan
B. Hoshang Shah
C. Mir Jafar
D. Bahman Shah
Solution
The correct answer is Hoshang Shah.
Key Points
- Hoshang Shah built Mandu as his capital.
- He was the first independent ruler of the Ghori Dynasty.
- He was the second sultan of Malwa, a dynasty that ruled Mandu between 1401 and 1531.
- He was also known as Alp Khan before he took the title of Hoshang Shah.
- He was the son of Dilawar Khan Ghori, who was a court member of Delhi Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
- They renamed the fort “Shadiabad” (city of joy) and built palaces, mosques, and tombs amid the gardens, lakes, and woodland within its walls.
Additional Information
- Dilawar Khan Ghori was governor of the Malwa province of central India and later Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate during the decline of the Delhi Sultanate.
- Mir Jafar was a successor of Siraj ud-Daulah to whom he served as a Commander and betrayed him in the Battle of Plassey.
10. The Arab invasion of India 712 AD was led by ______.
A. Muhammad Shaybani Khan
B. Muḥammad Bakhtiyar Khalji
C. Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah
D. Muhammad Bin Qasim
Solution
The correct answer is Muhammad Bin Qasim.
Key Points
- In 712 AD, Muhammad Bin Qasim conquered the Sind province.
- It was the first Arab victory in India and it led to the foundation for Arab invasion in India.
- Qasim succeeded in conquering Sind in his third attempt in which he defeated Dahir, the King of Sind.
Additional Information
- Muhammad bin Qasim was born on 31st December, 695 AD and he is also known as Laquab of Imad-ad-Din.
- During the invasion of Mohammad Bin Qasim, many Hindus in Sindh were forcibly converted to Islam and they were reconverted to Hinduism by the authority of Devala Smriti.
- Mohammad Bin Qasim was the first Muslim to invade India in 712 AD and was the commander of the Umayyad Caliphate.
- He was sent as a prisoner to Mesopotamia.
- In 711 AD he defeated Raja Dahir.
