The Delhi Sultans Class 7 Worksheet History Chapter 3

Q.1. Who defeated the Tomara Rajputs and when?

Tomara Rajputs were defeated in the middle of the twelfth century by the Chauhans (also referred to as Chahamanas) of Ajmer.

Q.2. What is called qibla?

During prayer, Muslims stand facing Mecca. In India, this is to the west. This is called the qibla.

Q.3. What was the duty of muqtis? 

The duty of the muqtis was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas.

Q.4. When and where the idea of "Three orders" was first formulated?

The idea of the “Three Orders” was first formulated in France in the early eleventh century.

Q.5. Name the ruler of Delhi's sultanate after Iltutmish. What Minhaj-i Siraj thought about this ruler?

In 1236 Sultan Iltutmish’s daughter, Raziyya became Sultan after Iltutmish. Minhaj-i Siraj thought that the queen’s rule went against the ideal social order created by God, in which women were supposed to be subordinate to men.

Q.6. What is meant by the “internal” and “external” frontiers of the Sultanate?

“Internal frontiers” of the Sultanate mean the hinterlands of the garrison towns. The “external” frontiers of the Sultanate mean unconquered territories such as Southern India.

Q.7. Define the term iqta, iqtadar or muqti.

Like the earlier Sultans, the Khalji and Tughluq monarchs appointed military commanders as governors of territories of varying sizes. These lands were called iqta and their holder was called iqtadar or muqti.

Q.8. What do you mean by birthright? 

Birthright means privileges claimed on account of the birth. For example, people believed that nobles inherited their rights to govern because they were born into certain families.

Q.9. When was the Begumpuri mosque built?

Begumpuri mosque, built in the reign of Muhammad Tughluq, was the main mosque of Jahanpanah, the “Sanctuary of the World”, his new capital in Delhi.

Q.10. Who was Raziyya? Why was she removed from the throne?

Raziyya was Sultan Iltutmish’s daughter. In 1236 she became Sultan. The chronicler of the age, Minhaj-i Siraj, recognized that she was more able and qualified than all her brothers. But he was not comfortable with having a queen as ruler. Nor were the nobles happy at her attempts to rule independently. So, she was removed from the throne in 1240.

Q.11. How did Delhi become an important city in the twelfth century?

Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs, who were defeated in the middle of the twelfth century by the Chauhans (also referred to as Chahamanas) of Ajmer. It was under the Tomaras and Chauhans that Delhi became an important commercial center. Many rich Jaina merchants lived in the city and constructed several temples. Coins minted here, called Dhaliwal, had a wide circulation.

Q.12. Why do you think Barani criticized the Sultan?

Sultan Muhammad Tughluq appointed Aziz Khummar, a wine distiller, Firuz Hajjam, a barber, Mank a Tabbakh, a cook, and two gardeners, Ladha and Pira, to high administrative posts. Ziyauddin Barani, a mid-fourteenth century-chronicler, reported their appointments as a sign of the Sultan’s loss of political judgment and his incapacity to rule.

Q.13. Who were the bandages and what was their role in the Delhi Sultanate?

The early Delhi Sultans, especially Iltutmish, favored their special slaves purchased for military service, called bandagan in Persian. They were carefully trained to man some of the most important political offices in the kingdom. Since they were totally dependent upon their master, the Sultan could trust and rely upon them.

Q.14. Why did Alauddin control the prices of goods in Delhi? What did he do for this?

Alauddin Khalji raised a large standing army. The soldiers had to be paid. Alauddin chose to pay his soldier's salaries in cash rather than iqtas. The soldiers would buy their supplies from merchants in Delhi and it was thus feared that merchants would raise their prices. To stop this, Alauddin controlled the prices of goods in Delhi. Prices were carefully surveyed by officers, and merchants who did not sell at the prescribed rates were punished.

Q.15. ‘Muhammad Tughluq’s administrative measures were a failure. How?

Muhammad Tughluq’s administrative measures were a failure. His campaign into Kashmir was a disaster. He then gave up his plans to invade Transoxiana and disbanded his large army. Meanwhile, his administrative measures created complications. The shifting of people to Daulatabad was resented. The raising of taxes and famine in the Ganga-Yamuna belt led to widespread rebellion. And finally, the “token” currency had to be recalled.