UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims): The Delhi Sultanate | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Q.1. Consider the following statements:       (2021)

1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khawarezm prince.
2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus.
3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?   
(a)  1 Only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 3 Only
(d) 2 and 3

Correct Answer is Option (a)

• Changez Khan attacked the Khwarizm Prince Jalaluddin Magbrani, who sought refuge to the court of Iltutmish. But Iltutmish decided not the give refuge to Jalauddin, and hence he avoided the invasion of Changez Khan to India → #1 is right.
• Taimur invaded India in 1398- During this period, Nasiruddin Mohammed Tughlaq was the ruler and not Mohammed bin Tughlaq (1325-1350) → #2 is wrong.
• Vasco de Gama came to India in 1498- was welcomed by the ruler of Calicut- Manna Vikrama- also called as Zamorin. Krishnadeva Raya, the Vijaynagar ruler came to power in 1509 onwards. → 3 also wrong.

Q.2. Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the Afghan rulers to the throne of Delhi?       (2006) 
(a) Sikandar Shah-Ibrahim Lodi-Bahlol Khan Lodi 
(b) Sikandar Shah-Bahlol Khan Lodi-Ibrahim Lodi
(c) Bahlol Khan Lodi-Sikandar Shah-Ibrahim Lodi
(d) Bahlol Khan Lodi-Ibrahim Lodi-Sikandar Shah

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Bahlol (1451–1489); Sikandar (1489–1517); Ibrahim (1517–1526)

Q.3. Assertion (A): Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued a new gold coin which was called Dinar by Ibn Battuta.
Reason (R): Muhammad bin Tughlaq wanted to issue token currency in gold coins to promote trade with West Asian and North African countries.        (2006) 
(a) Both A are R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Correct Answer is Option (c)
A is correct but R is wrong as he issued bronze coins as the token currency which was a great fiasco.

Q.4. Who was the last ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate?        (2004)
(a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(b) Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq Shah II 
(c) Nasir-ud-din Mahmud
(d) Nasrat Shah

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq founded the Tughlaq dyn asty in 1320 AD (CE). Nasiruddin Mahmud was the last ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty (1395-1412 AD).

Q.5. Consider the following statements:        (2004)

1. Narasimha Saluva ended the Sangama dynasty and seized the throne for himself and started the Saluva dynasty. 
2. Vira Narasimha deposed the last Saluva ruler and seized the throne for himself. 
3. Vira Narasimha was succeeded by his younger brother, Krishnadeva Raya. 
4. Krishnadeva Raya was succeeded by his half-brother, Achyuta Raya. 

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4  
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Correct Answer is Option (d)
Sangama dynasty was founded by Harihara-I. Saluva dynasty was founded by Narasimha Saluva by defeating Dev Rayua-II of the Sangama dynasty. Taluva dynasty was founded by Vira Narasimha and was succeeded by KD Raya and Achyuta Raya.

Q.6. How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak die?        (2003) 
(a) He was treacherously stabbed to death by one of his ambitious nobles
(b) He was killed in a battle with Taj-u-din Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni who entered into a contest with him over the capture of Punjab
(c) He sustained injuries while besieging the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand and succumbed to them later 
(d) He died after a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan

Correct Answer is Option (d)
Qutbud-din Aibak died after a fall from his horse while playing chaugan (polo) in 1210. He was succeeded by Aram Shah. Qutbud-din Aibak was the founder of the first independent Turkish kingdom in Northern India in 1206.

Q.7. Assertion (A): Saluva Narasimha put an end to the old dynasty and assumed the royal title.
Reason (R): He wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration.        (2003)
(a) Both A and R are individually true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Correct Answer is Option (c)
He assumed the royal title not to save the kingdom but due to his greed for power.

Q.8. Direction: The following item consists of two statements, one labelled as "Assertion A" and the other as "Reason R". You are to examine these two statements carefully and decide if "Assertion A" and "Reason R" are individually true and if so, whether the "Reason R" is the correct explanation for the given Assertion A". Select your answers to these items using the codes given below and mark your Answer Sheet accordingly.        (2002)
Assertion (A): Muhammad Bin Tughlaq left Delhi, and for two years lived in a camp called Swarga-Dwari. 
Reason (R): At that time, Delhi was ravaged by the plague and many people died. 
(a) Both A and R are individually true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not a correct explanation of A 
(c) A is true but R is false 
(d) A is false but R is true

Correct Answer is Option (a)
Like Allauddin Khalji, Muhammad bin Tughlaq also tried to bring changes in the agrarian setup. Some historians point out that he made an over-assessment because of which many peasants fled the region. But the states share remained half. A severe famine in this period worsened the situation. Muhammad bin Tughlaq tried to provide relief to those affected and made efforts to improve and extend cultivation. The sultan left Delhi and was rendered in a camp called swargadwari near kanauj. He also set up a separate department called diwan-i amir-i kohi whose function was to extend cultivation by providing loans.

Q.9. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?        (2001)
(a) Dewan-i-Bandagani – Tughlaq 
(b) Dewan-i-Mustakhraj – Balban
(c) Dewan-i-Kohi – Alauddin Khilji
(d) Dewan-i-Arz – Muhammad Tughlaq

Correct Answer is Option (a)
Dewan-i-Bandagani (Department of Slaves) was constituted by Firoz Tughlaq; Dewan-i-Mustakhraj (Dept of Arrears) – Alauddin Khalji; Dewan-i-Kohi (Dept of Agriculture) – Muhammad Bin Tughlaq; Dewan-i-Arz (Dept of Military) - Balban.

Q.10. Mongols under Chengiz Khan invaded India during the reign of        (2001)
(a) Balban 
(b) Firoz Tughlaq 
(c) Iltutmish
(d) Muhammad Bin Tughlaq

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Mongols under Chengiz Khan (died in 1227) invaded India during the reign of Iltutmish (1211-36) but did not enter deep in India as Iltutmish refused to give shelter to the Persian king, Khwarizm Shah, whom Chengiz Khan was chasing.

Q.11. The shaded area in the above map shows the empire of:        (2000)
(a) Alauddin Khalji 
(b) Mohammad Tughlaq 
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Aurangzeb

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Shah Jahan assumed the Mughal throne on 24 January 1628 in Agra, a few days after the death of Jahangir. He inherited a vast and rich empire; and at mid-century this was perhaps the greatest empire in the world, exhibiting a degree of centralized control rarely matched before. Shah Jahan expanded his empire in all directions: he annexed the Rajput kingdoms of Baglana and Bundelkhand to the west, and in 1635 he captured the kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda in the Deccan.

Q.12. 'The king was freed from his people and they from their king'. On whose death did Badauni comment thus?       (1999)
(a) Balban
(b) Ala-ud-din Khalji
(c) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
(d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Muhammad Bin Tughlaq died in 1351 CE. He was succeeded by his cousin Firoz Tughlaq.

Q.13. Assertion (A): At first the Turkish administration in India was essentially military. 
Reason (R):  The country was parcelled out as 'Iqtas' among leading military leaders.        (1998)
(a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A 
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Correct Answer is Option (a)
Iqta is that part of the land granted by the sultan to its military chiefs for maintenance of troopers. The land was taken back when the Iqtadars were not in a position to maintain the army.

Q.14. Sultan of Delhi who is reputed to have built the biggest network of canals in India was:        (1998)
(a) Iltutmish
(b) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
(c) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(d) Sikandar Lodi

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Firoz Shah Tughlaq built and repaired a large number of canals.

Q.15. Fawazil in the Sultanate period meant:        (1998) 
(a) extra payment to the nobles
(b) revenue assigned in lieu of salary 
(c) excess amount paid to the exchequer by the Iqtadars
(d) illegal exactions extracted from the peasants

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Fawazil was a balance between the income and expenditure of Iqta-holders.