The Mughal Empire Class 7 Worksheet History Chapter 4

Q1. What was the Mughal tradition of succession? 

They followed the Mughal and Timurid custom of coparcenary inheritance or a division of the inheritance amongst all the sons.

Q2. What is the rule of primogeniture?

Primogeniture is a legal rule regarding inheritance. It states that a father’s estate is passed down to his eldest son.

Q3. Who was Jahangir's mother? 

The mother of Jahangir was a Kachhwaha princess. She was the daughter of the Rajput ruler of Amber, which is in modern-day Jaipur.

Q4. What forced Humayun to flee to Iran? 

Sher Khan defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), forcing him to flee to Iran.

Q5. Who defeated the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, and where? 

Babur defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Panipat in 1526.

Q6. What was the relationship between the man Sardar and the jagir? 

Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs. Most mansabdars did not actually reside in or administer their jagirs. They only had rights to the revenue of their assignments which was collected for them by their servants while the mansabdars themselves served in some other part of the country.

Q7. What were the military responsibilities of mansabdars?

The mansabdar’s military responsibilities required him to maintain a specified number of sawar or cavalrymen. The mansabdar brought his cavalrymen for review, got them registered, their horses branded, and then received money to pay them as salary.

Q8. What helped the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains?

The careful balance between defeating but not humiliating their opponents enabled the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains.

Q9. What was the role of the zamindar in the Mughal administration?

The zamindar played a crucial role in the Mughal administration by:

• Collecting taxes from peasants.
• Serving as intermediaries between the peasants and the ruler.
• Exercising significant power in certain regions.

This system helped maintain order and manage agricultural production across the empire.

Q10. How important was the income from land revenue to the stability of the Mughal Empire?

The main source of income for the Mughal rulers was land revenue. This was vital due to the following reasons:

• The Mughal Empire's vast size required significant revenue for administration and maintaining law and order.
• Land revenue funded the salaries of soldiers and officials.
• It supported welfare initiatives for the common people.
• The immense wealth of the Mughal elite contributed to their power in the late seventeenth century.

In summary, land revenue was essential for the stability of the Mughal Empire.

Q11. How were the debates with religious scholars important in the formation of Akbar’s ideas on governance? 

Akbar’s interactions with various religious scholars were crucial in shaping his governance ideas. Through these debates, he observed that:

• Many scholars focused on rituals and dogma, often leading to division and intolerance.
• This awareness prompted him to embrace the concept of sulh-i kul, meaning “universal peace”.
• His approach to governance promoted tolerance among different religions.
• Rather than favouring one faith, he emphasised a system of ethics based on honesty, justice, and peace, applicable to all subjects.

Q12. Why was it important for the Mughals to recruit mansabdars from diverse backgrounds and not just Turanis and Iranis?

As the empire expanded to encompass different regions the Mughals recruited diverse bodies of people. From a small nucleus of Turkish nobles (Turanis) they expanded to include Iranians, Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, Marathas and other groups. Those who joined Mughal service were enrolled as mansabdars.

Q13. Write about the major campaigns and events of Shah Jahan reign. 

Mughal campaigns continued in the Deccan under Shah Jahan. The Afghan noble Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled and was defeated. Campaigns were launched against Ahmadnagar; the Bundelas were defeated and Orchha seized. In the northwest, the campaign to seize Balkh from the Uzbeks was unsuccessful and Qandahar was lost to the Safavids. In 1632 Ahmadnagar was finally annexed and the Bijapur forces sued for peace.

Q14. How were the Mughal different from their predecessors? 

In contrast to their predecessors, the Mughals created an empire and accomplished what had hitherto seemed possible for only short periods of time. From the latter half of the sixteenth century they expanded their kingdom from Agra and Delhi, until in the seventeenth century they controlled nearly all of the subcontinent. They imposed structures of administration and ideas of governance that outlasted their rule, leaving a political legacy that succeeding rulers of the subcontinent could not ignore.

Q15. Write a brief note on the Land Revenue System of Akbar. 

Akbar’s revenue minister, Todar Mal, carried out a careful survey of crop yields, prices and areas cultivated for a 10-year period, 1570- 1580. On the basis of this data, tax was fixed on each crop in cash. Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. This revenue system was known as zabt. It was prevalent in those areas where Mughal administrators could survey the land and keep very careful accounts.