Textbook Solutions: New kings and Kingdoms | Window on the Word Class 7: Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

A. Choose the correct answer.

1.
Ans: (b)
The capital of Harshavardhana's empire Kannauj

2.
Ans: (d)
This ruler established control over Kannauj in 836CE Mihir Bhoja

3.
Ans: (a)
The Pala dynasty was founded by Gopala

4.
Ans: (d)
Shahnamah was authored by Firdausi

5.
Ans: (a)
Rajendra Chola shifted the Chola kingdom from Thaniavur to Gangaikondacholapuram

B. Fill in the blank

1.
Ans: Nagabhata I was one of the most important rulers of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty.

2.
Ans: The events of Prithviraj Chauhan's reign have been immortalised by Chauhan's court poet Chand Bardai in the poem Prithviraj Raso.

3.
Ans: The Palas were followers of Mahayana Buddhism.

4.
Ans: The Rashtrakuta dynasty was founded by Dantidurga.

5.
Ans: India was raided by Mahmud of Ghazi on several occasions between 997 and 1026 CE.

C. Define the following.

1.
Ans: Bhukti: Bhukti was a smaller administrative unit into which a kingdom was divided for the ease of administration during the medieval period in India.

2.
Ans: Mandalam: Mandalam was the term used to describe provinces during the rule of the Cholas in South India.

3.
Ans: Valanadu: Valanadu was a smaller unit of administration, formed by groups of villages, during the Chola rule.

4.
Ans: Ur: Ur was a type of village assembly made up of ordinary citizens during the Chola rule.

5.
Ans: Sabha: Sabha was a type of administrative assembly managed by Brahmin landholders during the rule of the Cholas.

D. Answer in one or two sentences.

1.
Ans: The Rajputs were clans or social groups who established several powerful kingdoms in northern and northwestern India from the 8th to the 12th centuries. They were trained in the art of warfare and were known for their courage and sense of chivalry. Some of the more prominent Rajput dynasties were the Gurjara-Pratiharas and the Chahamanas.

2.
Ans: The downfall of the Gurjara-Pratiharas was caused by several factors. The empire was weakened by repeated attacks from the Rashtrakutas. By 950 CE, the Pratihara Empire had started crumbling. It finally came to an end when Mahmud of Ghazni gained control of Kannauj in 1019 CE.

3.
Ans: The First Battle of Tarain was fought between the Turkic invader Muhammad Ghori and the Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan. The outcome of the battle was a victory for Prithviraj Chauhan.

4.
Ans: The Palas supported the ancient universities of Vikramasila and Nalanda, which were located in present-day Bihar and became world famous under their patronage.

5.
Ans: The book authored by Amoghavarsha is called Kavirajamarga. It is the first book on poetics and grammar in the Kannada language.

6.
Ans: The special feature about the Kailasa temple that was built by Krishna I at Ellora is that the entire temple was carved out of a single rock.

E. Answer in a paragraph.

1.
Ans: The Rashtrakutas were a powerful dynasty that ruled over the Deccan region in India with Malkhed or Manyakheta as their capital. The dynasty was founded by Dantidurga and saw its peak under the rule of Govinda III and Amoghavarsha. Govinda III expanded the empire from Kannau in the north to Kanchipuram in the south. Amoghavarsha, on the other hand, was a skilled poet and scholar who wrote Kavirajamarga, the first book on poetics and grammar in the Kannada language. The Rashtrakutas were also known for their patronage of art and architecture, as evidenced by the famous rock-cut Kailasa temple at Ellora.

2.
Ans: The tripartite struggle refers to the conflict for control over the city of Kannauj that took place among the Gurjara-Pratiharas, Palas, and Rashtrakutas during the early medieval period of Indian history. Kannauj was a strategically important city due to its central location and economic prosperity, so control over it was highly sought after.

3.
Ans: The kingdoms of this period had a similar administrative and economic structure. Supreme authority was held by the king, who was advised by a council of ministers. The kingdom was divided into smaller units called bhuktis, which were further divided into vishyas, each consisting of several villages. An important feature of this period was the growing prominence of samantas or feudal chiefs, who were often paid in land grants rather than cash. The rulers collected taxes from the people, which they used to wage wars, administer the kingdom, and finance construction projects.

4.
Ans: Mahmud of Ghazni was the son of Sabuktigin, the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty. After ascending the throne of Ghazni, Mahmud launched a series of raids into India between 1000 and 1026 CE. He was drawn by the tales of India's wealth and his task was made easier by the disunity among Indian rulers. Unlike his predecessor, Muhammad Ghori, who attacked India about 150 years later, had intentions of establishing an empire in India. Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan, marking a major turning point in the history of India. The main difference between the two was that Mahmud of Ghazni was interested in plundering India's wealth, while Muhammad Ghori intended to establish his rule in India.

5.
Ans: The key factors that allowed the Turkic people to establish their rule in India include the disunity and infighting among Indian rulers, their unity under one leader, their superior military strategies, and the speed and agility of their horse-mounted troops compared to the Indian armies' elephants.

6.
Ans: Inscriptions, engraved writings on stone or metal, provide invaluable information about the rule of the Cholas. They include prashastis or eulogies of the kings, and plates documenting land grants. For example, the Brihadeeshwarar temple in Thanjavur bears inscriptions of Rajaraja Chola that provide details about administration, economy, land surveys, irrigation, taxation, customs, music and dance during his rule. Similarly, the Uthiramerur inscriptions found in Kanchipuram district describe the advanced system of local government and electoral system that existed during that period.

7.
Ans: During the reign of the Cholas, the fertile banks of the Kaveri River greatly aided agriculture, particularly rice cultivation. The Cholas had a well-planned irrigation system that included wells, artificial lakes and tanks for collecting rainwater, and channels to carry water to the fields. Dams, such as the Kallanai Dam in Thanjavur, were also built across the Kaveri River for storing water.