Selina Textbook Solutions: Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi Sultanate | History Class 7 ICSE PDF Download

 Page 1


Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi 
Sultanate 
Important Words 
? Qazis administered justice according to the Islamic law, in cases that involved 
Muslims. 
? Amir Khusrau was a famous Perisan poet who invented the Indian sitar. 
? Qawwali is the Persian style of chorus singing which was popularized by Sufi 
saints. 
? Kathak is a dance form which originated during the Sultanate period. It combines 
Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Time To Learn 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The village administration was managed by Muqaddam. 
2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the Iqtdary system hereditary. 
3. Iqtdar received Iqtas. 
4. Firoz Shah Tughlaq arranged irrigation facilities for the farmers. 
5. The mixture of Persian and Hindu style in architecture is called Indo-Islamic style. 
II. Match Column A with Column B: 
 
 
Page 2


Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi 
Sultanate 
Important Words 
? Qazis administered justice according to the Islamic law, in cases that involved 
Muslims. 
? Amir Khusrau was a famous Perisan poet who invented the Indian sitar. 
? Qawwali is the Persian style of chorus singing which was popularized by Sufi 
saints. 
? Kathak is a dance form which originated during the Sultanate period. It combines 
Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Time To Learn 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The village administration was managed by Muqaddam. 
2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the Iqtdary system hereditary. 
3. Iqtdar received Iqtas. 
4. Firoz Shah Tughlaq arranged irrigation facilities for the farmers. 
5. The mixture of Persian and Hindu style in architecture is called Indo-Islamic style. 
II. Match Column A with Column B: 
 
 
Answer: 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False: 
1. Urdu, a new language, developed in the Sultanate period. 
True 
2. The Sufi saints believed in one God. 
False. 
3. The Sultanate was a military rule. 
True. 
4. The village administration was managed by the Bakshi. 
False.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. 
5. The culture of the sultanate period saw healthy blending of Hindu and Muslim 
traditions. 
True. 
IV. Answer the following questions briefly: 
Question 1. 
How did the government function during the Sultanate Period? 
Answer: 
The government run under various departments. Each department was supervised by a 
minister or a high official. 
The most important departments were: 
1. Diwan-i-wazarat or the revenue department headed by the Chief Minister called 
Wazir. 
2. Diwan-i-Arz or the military department headed by Ariz- i-Mumalik. It was the 
responsibility of this department to recruit, equip and pay the army. 
3. Diwan-i-Risalat dealing with religious matters, pious foundations and stipends to 
scholars. It was presided over by Chief Sadr also known as Chief Qazi. The Chief 
Qazi was the head of department of justice. 
4. Diwan-i-Insha dealt with all kinds of domestic as well as foreign 
correspondence.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. The 
Munsif supervised the accounts of the village while Patwari kept the local records. 
Page 3


Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi 
Sultanate 
Important Words 
? Qazis administered justice according to the Islamic law, in cases that involved 
Muslims. 
? Amir Khusrau was a famous Perisan poet who invented the Indian sitar. 
? Qawwali is the Persian style of chorus singing which was popularized by Sufi 
saints. 
? Kathak is a dance form which originated during the Sultanate period. It combines 
Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Time To Learn 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The village administration was managed by Muqaddam. 
2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the Iqtdary system hereditary. 
3. Iqtdar received Iqtas. 
4. Firoz Shah Tughlaq arranged irrigation facilities for the farmers. 
5. The mixture of Persian and Hindu style in architecture is called Indo-Islamic style. 
II. Match Column A with Column B: 
 
 
Answer: 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False: 
1. Urdu, a new language, developed in the Sultanate period. 
True 
2. The Sufi saints believed in one God. 
False. 
3. The Sultanate was a military rule. 
True. 
4. The village administration was managed by the Bakshi. 
False.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. 
5. The culture of the sultanate period saw healthy blending of Hindu and Muslim 
traditions. 
True. 
IV. Answer the following questions briefly: 
Question 1. 
How did the government function during the Sultanate Period? 
Answer: 
The government run under various departments. Each department was supervised by a 
minister or a high official. 
The most important departments were: 
1. Diwan-i-wazarat or the revenue department headed by the Chief Minister called 
Wazir. 
2. Diwan-i-Arz or the military department headed by Ariz- i-Mumalik. It was the 
responsibility of this department to recruit, equip and pay the army. 
3. Diwan-i-Risalat dealing with religious matters, pious foundations and stipends to 
scholars. It was presided over by Chief Sadr also known as Chief Qazi. The Chief 
Qazi was the head of department of justice. 
4. Diwan-i-Insha dealt with all kinds of domestic as well as foreign 
correspondence.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. The 
Munsif supervised the accounts of the village while Patwari kept the local records. 
Question 2. 
What do you understand by Iqta system? How was this system organised? 
Answer: 
The system of granting revenue from a piece of land or a village to an officer instead of 
paying him a cash salary was called the Iqta system. Under this system, an officer 
(iqtadar) would collect the revenue from his territory (iqta). He would keep a certain 
amount of his salary from this revenue and another part of revenue was spent for 
maintaining the soldiers for the Sultan. They also had to.pay a fixed amount annually to 
the Sultan. The officer had to keep a detailed account of his income and expenditure. 
Question 3. 
How was society divided during the Sultanate period? 
Answer: 
The society during the Sultanate period was divided into-four main classes. The first or 
the aristocratic class was the most influential class in the society. This class consisted 
of the nobility and high officials. They were very rich and lived a luxurious life.The 
second important group were the Ulemas and the Hindu priests who advised the Sultan 
on how to carry on his administration in accordance with the sacred law.The third 
category of people or the town dwellers consisted of officials, merchants and artisans 
who were fairly well-to- do.The common people or the peasantry who formed the bulk of 
the population were poor and did not have enough to satisfy their needs. 
Question 4. 
Describe the important developments which took place in the following fields during the 
Sultanate period (a) Language (b) Music and (c) Dance. 
Answer: 
(a) Language: Persian was the language of administration and the nobility. Arabic was 
mostly used by traders from Western Asia. Sanskrit continued to be the language of 
high learning among the Hindus. The blending of Persian and Hindi, gave birth to a new 
language, Urdu. The word ‘Urdu’ means camp. It was the language used in camps by 
soldiers with different mother-tongues to communicate with each other. 
(b) Music: During this time fusion of Perso-Arabic and Indian classical music styles 
were done and outcome of it was Hindustani Music. New musical instruments like the 
tabla, sitar and sarangi were also developed during this time. The Persian style of 
chorus qawwali was also popularized during this timer 
(c) Dance: Kathak a dance form, originated during the Delhi Sultanate period. It 
combines Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Question 5. 
With examples explain how the Turks and the Arabs influenced the architecture of the 
Sultanate period. 
Answer: 
The characteristic feature of Sultanate architecture is the extensive use of bricks, 
arches, domes, beams and balconies. The Turkish monuments were plain. There was 
liberal use of floral and geometric designs. The use of red sandstone added colour to 
Page 4


Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi 
Sultanate 
Important Words 
? Qazis administered justice according to the Islamic law, in cases that involved 
Muslims. 
? Amir Khusrau was a famous Perisan poet who invented the Indian sitar. 
? Qawwali is the Persian style of chorus singing which was popularized by Sufi 
saints. 
? Kathak is a dance form which originated during the Sultanate period. It combines 
Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Time To Learn 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The village administration was managed by Muqaddam. 
2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the Iqtdary system hereditary. 
3. Iqtdar received Iqtas. 
4. Firoz Shah Tughlaq arranged irrigation facilities for the farmers. 
5. The mixture of Persian and Hindu style in architecture is called Indo-Islamic style. 
II. Match Column A with Column B: 
 
 
Answer: 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False: 
1. Urdu, a new language, developed in the Sultanate period. 
True 
2. The Sufi saints believed in one God. 
False. 
3. The Sultanate was a military rule. 
True. 
4. The village administration was managed by the Bakshi. 
False.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. 
5. The culture of the sultanate period saw healthy blending of Hindu and Muslim 
traditions. 
True. 
IV. Answer the following questions briefly: 
Question 1. 
How did the government function during the Sultanate Period? 
Answer: 
The government run under various departments. Each department was supervised by a 
minister or a high official. 
The most important departments were: 
1. Diwan-i-wazarat or the revenue department headed by the Chief Minister called 
Wazir. 
2. Diwan-i-Arz or the military department headed by Ariz- i-Mumalik. It was the 
responsibility of this department to recruit, equip and pay the army. 
3. Diwan-i-Risalat dealing with religious matters, pious foundations and stipends to 
scholars. It was presided over by Chief Sadr also known as Chief Qazi. The Chief 
Qazi was the head of department of justice. 
4. Diwan-i-Insha dealt with all kinds of domestic as well as foreign 
correspondence.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. The 
Munsif supervised the accounts of the village while Patwari kept the local records. 
Question 2. 
What do you understand by Iqta system? How was this system organised? 
Answer: 
The system of granting revenue from a piece of land or a village to an officer instead of 
paying him a cash salary was called the Iqta system. Under this system, an officer 
(iqtadar) would collect the revenue from his territory (iqta). He would keep a certain 
amount of his salary from this revenue and another part of revenue was spent for 
maintaining the soldiers for the Sultan. They also had to.pay a fixed amount annually to 
the Sultan. The officer had to keep a detailed account of his income and expenditure. 
Question 3. 
How was society divided during the Sultanate period? 
Answer: 
The society during the Sultanate period was divided into-four main classes. The first or 
the aristocratic class was the most influential class in the society. This class consisted 
of the nobility and high officials. They were very rich and lived a luxurious life.The 
second important group were the Ulemas and the Hindu priests who advised the Sultan 
on how to carry on his administration in accordance with the sacred law.The third 
category of people or the town dwellers consisted of officials, merchants and artisans 
who were fairly well-to- do.The common people or the peasantry who formed the bulk of 
the population were poor and did not have enough to satisfy their needs. 
Question 4. 
Describe the important developments which took place in the following fields during the 
Sultanate period (a) Language (b) Music and (c) Dance. 
Answer: 
(a) Language: Persian was the language of administration and the nobility. Arabic was 
mostly used by traders from Western Asia. Sanskrit continued to be the language of 
high learning among the Hindus. The blending of Persian and Hindi, gave birth to a new 
language, Urdu. The word ‘Urdu’ means camp. It was the language used in camps by 
soldiers with different mother-tongues to communicate with each other. 
(b) Music: During this time fusion of Perso-Arabic and Indian classical music styles 
were done and outcome of it was Hindustani Music. New musical instruments like the 
tabla, sitar and sarangi were also developed during this time. The Persian style of 
chorus qawwali was also popularized during this timer 
(c) Dance: Kathak a dance form, originated during the Delhi Sultanate period. It 
combines Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Question 5. 
With examples explain how the Turks and the Arabs influenced the architecture of the 
Sultanate period. 
Answer: 
The characteristic feature of Sultanate architecture is the extensive use of bricks, 
arches, domes, beams and balconies. The Turkish monuments were plain. There was 
liberal use of floral and geometric designs. The use of red sandstone added colour to 
their buildings. Verses from the Koran were engraved on the walls of some buildings. 
Some of the important monuments of the Sultanate period are the Qutab Minar 
complex, the Alai Darwaza, the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Kotla, the 
Tughlaqabad for and the tombs of the Todi kings. 
V. Picture study: 
This is a picture of popular form of devotional music. 
 
1. What is the name of this form of music? 
Ans. Qawwali performance. 
2. Name the famous personality who created this. 
Ans. Amar Khusrau. 
3. What is the theme of the music? 
Ans. Ghazal, a combination of beautiful poetry with melody, is also a contribution 
of the Sultanate period. 
A. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The rule of the Delhi Sultans lasted for over three centuries. 
2. Society during the Sultanate period was divided into four major groups. 
3. The Turks introduced Arabic and Persian architectural styles. 
4. New musical instruments such as the tabla, sitar and sarangi were developed 
during the Sultanate period. 
5. The establishment of the Turkish rule in India led to the replacement 
of Sanskrit by Persian as the official language in many regions. 
Page 5


Government, Society and Culture Under The Delhi 
Sultanate 
Important Words 
? Qazis administered justice according to the Islamic law, in cases that involved 
Muslims. 
? Amir Khusrau was a famous Perisan poet who invented the Indian sitar. 
? Qawwali is the Persian style of chorus singing which was popularized by Sufi 
saints. 
? Kathak is a dance form which originated during the Sultanate period. It combines 
Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Time To Learn 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The village administration was managed by Muqaddam. 
2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the Iqtdary system hereditary. 
3. Iqtdar received Iqtas. 
4. Firoz Shah Tughlaq arranged irrigation facilities for the farmers. 
5. The mixture of Persian and Hindu style in architecture is called Indo-Islamic style. 
II. Match Column A with Column B: 
 
 
Answer: 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False: 
1. Urdu, a new language, developed in the Sultanate period. 
True 
2. The Sufi saints believed in one God. 
False. 
3. The Sultanate was a military rule. 
True. 
4. The village administration was managed by the Bakshi. 
False.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. 
5. The culture of the sultanate period saw healthy blending of Hindu and Muslim 
traditions. 
True. 
IV. Answer the following questions briefly: 
Question 1. 
How did the government function during the Sultanate Period? 
Answer: 
The government run under various departments. Each department was supervised by a 
minister or a high official. 
The most important departments were: 
1. Diwan-i-wazarat or the revenue department headed by the Chief Minister called 
Wazir. 
2. Diwan-i-Arz or the military department headed by Ariz- i-Mumalik. It was the 
responsibility of this department to recruit, equip and pay the army. 
3. Diwan-i-Risalat dealing with religious matters, pious foundations and stipends to 
scholars. It was presided over by Chief Sadr also known as Chief Qazi. The Chief 
Qazi was the head of department of justice. 
4. Diwan-i-Insha dealt with all kinds of domestic as well as foreign 
correspondence.The village administration was managed by the Muqaddam. The 
Munsif supervised the accounts of the village while Patwari kept the local records. 
Question 2. 
What do you understand by Iqta system? How was this system organised? 
Answer: 
The system of granting revenue from a piece of land or a village to an officer instead of 
paying him a cash salary was called the Iqta system. Under this system, an officer 
(iqtadar) would collect the revenue from his territory (iqta). He would keep a certain 
amount of his salary from this revenue and another part of revenue was spent for 
maintaining the soldiers for the Sultan. They also had to.pay a fixed amount annually to 
the Sultan. The officer had to keep a detailed account of his income and expenditure. 
Question 3. 
How was society divided during the Sultanate period? 
Answer: 
The society during the Sultanate period was divided into-four main classes. The first or 
the aristocratic class was the most influential class in the society. This class consisted 
of the nobility and high officials. They were very rich and lived a luxurious life.The 
second important group were the Ulemas and the Hindu priests who advised the Sultan 
on how to carry on his administration in accordance with the sacred law.The third 
category of people or the town dwellers consisted of officials, merchants and artisans 
who were fairly well-to- do.The common people or the peasantry who formed the bulk of 
the population were poor and did not have enough to satisfy their needs. 
Question 4. 
Describe the important developments which took place in the following fields during the 
Sultanate period (a) Language (b) Music and (c) Dance. 
Answer: 
(a) Language: Persian was the language of administration and the nobility. Arabic was 
mostly used by traders from Western Asia. Sanskrit continued to be the language of 
high learning among the Hindus. The blending of Persian and Hindi, gave birth to a new 
language, Urdu. The word ‘Urdu’ means camp. It was the language used in camps by 
soldiers with different mother-tongues to communicate with each other. 
(b) Music: During this time fusion of Perso-Arabic and Indian classical music styles 
were done and outcome of it was Hindustani Music. New musical instruments like the 
tabla, sitar and sarangi were also developed during this time. The Persian style of 
chorus qawwali was also popularized during this timer 
(c) Dance: Kathak a dance form, originated during the Delhi Sultanate period. It 
combines Hindu themes with Persian costumes. 
Question 5. 
With examples explain how the Turks and the Arabs influenced the architecture of the 
Sultanate period. 
Answer: 
The characteristic feature of Sultanate architecture is the extensive use of bricks, 
arches, domes, beams and balconies. The Turkish monuments were plain. There was 
liberal use of floral and geometric designs. The use of red sandstone added colour to 
their buildings. Verses from the Koran were engraved on the walls of some buildings. 
Some of the important monuments of the Sultanate period are the Qutab Minar 
complex, the Alai Darwaza, the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Kotla, the 
Tughlaqabad for and the tombs of the Todi kings. 
V. Picture study: 
This is a picture of popular form of devotional music. 
 
1. What is the name of this form of music? 
Ans. Qawwali performance. 
2. Name the famous personality who created this. 
Ans. Amar Khusrau. 
3. What is the theme of the music? 
Ans. Ghazal, a combination of beautiful poetry with melody, is also a contribution 
of the Sultanate period. 
A. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The rule of the Delhi Sultans lasted for over three centuries. 
2. Society during the Sultanate period was divided into four major groups. 
3. The Turks introduced Arabic and Persian architectural styles. 
4. New musical instruments such as the tabla, sitar and sarangi were developed 
during the Sultanate period. 
5. The establishment of the Turkish rule in India led to the replacement 
of Sanskrit by Persian as the official language in many regions. 
B. Match the following: 
 
 
Answer: 
 
 
C. Choose the correct answer: 
1. Under the Delhi Sultanate, the aristocrats/the priests/ the peasants were the most 
powerful class in society. 
Ans. Under the Delhi Sultanate, the aristocrats were the most powerful class in 
society. 
2. The brahmanas/the ulema/the merchants were the chief advisors to the sultans. 
Ans. The ulema were the chief advisors to the sultans. 
3. The life of the peasants/the nobles/the priests was one of drudgery and poverty. 
Ans. The life of the peasants was one of drudgery and poverty. 
4. The caste system was followed strictly/sometimes followed/ignored by Hindus. 
Ans. The caste system was followed strictly by Hindus. 
5. Amir Khusrau is believed to have invented the harmonium/sitar/veena. 
Ans. Amir Khusrau is believed to have invented the sitar.