Civil Services Examination - History: medieval India Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. The earliest historical account of medieval India begins with the disintegration of which empire?

A) Gupta Empire B) Mauryan Empire C) Kushan Empire D) Chola Empire

2. Which dynasty established its rule in the Delhi Sultanate after overthrowing the Ghurid governor?

A) Khalji Dynasty B) Tughlaq Dynasty C) Sayyid Dynasty D) Mamluk (Slave) Dynasty

3. Who was the first ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty to ascend the throne of the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Muhammad bin Tughlaq B) Firoz Shah Tughlaq C) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq D) Ruknuddin Firuz

4. The famous 'Tughlaqabad Fort' was built by which ruler?

A) Alauddin Khalji B) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq C) Firoz Shah Tughlaq D) Muhammad bin Tughlaq

5. Which ruler of the Delhi Sultanate is known for his ambitious and often controversial projects like shifting the capital to Daulatabad and introducing token currency?

A) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq B) Firoz Shah Tughlaq C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq D) Alauddin Khalji

6. The 'Diwan-i-Bandagan', a department for slaves, was established by which Sultan?

A) Muhammad bin Tughlaq B) Firoz Shah Tughlaq C) Bahlol Lodi D) Sikandar Lodi

7. The practice of 'Iqta' system, land grants in lieu of salary, was extensively developed during the rule of which dynasty?

A) Khalji Dynasty B) Tughlaq Dynasty C) Sayyid Dynasty D) Lodi Dynasty

8. Who was the founder of the Lodi dynasty, the last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Sikandar Lodi B) Ibrahim Lodi C) Bahlol Lodi D) Khizr Khan

9. The city of Agra was founded by which ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Bahlol Lodi B) Sikandar Lodi C) Ibrahim Lodi D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

10. The famous 'Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi' was written by Ziauddin Barani during the reign of which Sultan?

A) Alauddin Khalji B) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

11. The invasion of Timur (Tamerlane) in 1398 led to the weakening and eventual collapse of which Sultanate?

A) Khalji Sultanate B) Tughlaq Sultanate C) Sayyid Sultanate D) Lodi Sultanate

12. Who was the founder of the Sayyid dynasty, which succeeded the Tughlaqs?

A) Mubarak Shah B) Muhammad Shah C) Alauddin Alam Shah D) Khizr Khan

13. The 'Musaharat' policy of consolidating power through marriage alliances was associated with which ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Alauddin Khalji B) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

14. Which Sufi saint's shrine is located in Ajmer and was a prominent figure during the Delhi Sultanate period?

A) Nizamuddin Auliya B) Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki C) Moinuddin Chishti D) Shamsuddin Iltutmish

15. The 'Qutub Minar' was initiated by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed by whom?

A) Iltutmish B) Alauddin Khalji C) Ruknuddin Firuz D) Nasiruddin Mahmud

16. Which architectural style, characterized by pointed arches and ribbed vaults, began to flourish during the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Nagara Style B) Dravida Style C) Indo-Islamic Architecture D) Gupta Architecture

17. The 'Akkai Din ka Jhonpra' mosque in Ajmer was originally a Sanskrit college, destroyed and converted by whom?

A) Iltutmish B) Qutb-ud-din Aibak C) Alauddin Khalji D) Muhammad Ghori

18. The 'Alai Darwaza', a magnificent gateway to the Qutub complex, was built by which ruler?

A) Qutb-ud-din Aibak B) Iltutmish C) Alauddin Khalji D) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

19. Who is credited with establishing the first permanent army and regular pay for soldiers in the Delhi Sultanate?

A) Qutb-ud-din Aibak B) Iltutmish C) Alauddin Khalji D) Muhammad bin Tughlaq

20. The 'Bara Gumbad' and 'Sheesh Gumbad' are important tombs from the period of which dynasty?

A) Tughlaq Dynasty B) Sayyid Dynasty C) Lodi Dynasty D) Khalji Dynasty

21. Which Chola ruler was a contemporary of the early Delhi Sultans and known for his naval expeditions?

A) Rajaraja Chola I B) Rajendra Chola I C) Kulottunga Chola I D) Virarajendra Chola

22. The Vijayanagara Empire, a major South Indian kingdom during the medieval period, was founded by whom?

A) Krishnadevaraya B) Harihara I and Bukka I C) Vira Narasimha D) Sadasiva Raya

23. The Bahmani Sultanate, a significant Muslim kingdom in the Deccan, was founded by whom?

A) Alauddin Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu) B) Muhammad Shah I C) Firoz Shah Bahmani D) Ahmad Shah Wali

24. The famous 'Gol Gumbaz' at Bijapur, the mausoleum of Adil Shah I, belongs to which of the successor states of the Bahmani Sultanate?

A) Berar Sultanate B) Bidar Sultanate C) Bijapur Sultanate D) Golkonda Sultanate

25. The 'Ashtapradhan', a council of eight ministers, was a feature of administration in which Maratha kingdom during the medieval period?

A) Satavahana Kingdom B) Chalukya Kingdom C) Rashtrakuta Kingdom D) Shivaji Maharaj's Kingdom

26. Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, defeating the last Lodi Sultan at the First Battle of Panipat?

A) Humayun B) Akbar C) Babur D) Jahangir

27. The Second Battle of Panipat, fought in 1556, saw the Mughal forces led by Akbar defeating whom?

A) Sher Shah Suri B) Rana Sanga C) Hem Chandra Vikramaditya (Hemu) D) Maharana Pratap

28. The 'Mansabdari system', a ranking system for military and civil officials, was introduced by which Mughal Emperor?

A) Babur B) Akbar C) Jahangir D) Shah Jahan

29. The 'Din-i-Ilahi', a syncretic religion propounded by Akbar, was an attempt to unify his diverse subjects. What does 'Din-i-Ilahi' mean?

A) Divine Law B) Peace of God C) Divine Monotheism D) Theology of God

30. Who was the Rajput ruler who famously fought against Akbar at the Battle of Haldighati?

A) Raja Man Singh B) Raja Bhagwant Das C) Maharana Pratap D) Rao Chandrasen

31. The Mughal Emperor known for his patronage of art and architecture, and for building the Taj Mahal, was:

A) Akbar B) Jahangir C) Shah Jahan D) Aurangzeb

32. The 'Buland Darwaza' at Fatehpur Sikri was erected by Akbar to commemorate his victory over which region?

A) Gujarat B) Malwa C) Bengal D) Kashmir

33. The Mughal painting reached its zenith during the reign of which emperor?

A) Akbar B) Jahangir C) Shah Jahan D) Aurangzeb

34. Who was the Sikh Guru who was executed by the Mughal emperor Jahangir for allegedly supporting a rebel prince?

A) Guru Nanak Dev B) Guru Angad Dev C) Guru Arjan Dev D) Guru Hargobind

35. The 'Zabt system' of land revenue assessment, which involved measurement and classification of land, was perfected during the reign of:

A) Sher Shah Suri B) Akbar C) Shah Jahan D) Aurangzeb

36. Aurangzeb's reign was marked by a significant expansion of the Mughal Empire but also by increasing religious intolerance and conflict. Which of these was NOT a policy of Aurangzeb?

A) Reimposition of Jaziya tax on non-Muslims B) Destruction of temples C) Patronage of Hindu scholars and poets D) Expansion into the Deccan

37. The Battle of Khanwa in 1527, in which Babur defeated Rana Sanga, was crucial for consolidating Mughal power in North India. Who was Rana Sanga?

A) Ruler of Mewar B) Ruler of Marwar C) Ruler of Amber D) Ruler of Bundi

38. The 'Shikast' and 'Paiwast' forms of land revenue collection were prevalent during the Mughal period. What do they refer to?

A) Cash and kind payments B) Fixed and share-based revenue C) Direct and indirect taxes D) Land measurement and classification

39. The 'Ganj-i-Shakar' was a title associated with which prominent Sufi saint of the Chishti order?

A) Nizamuddin Auliya B) Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki C) Fariduddin Ganjshakar D) Salim Chishti

40. The 'Bhakti movement' saw the rise of influential saints like Kabir, Guru Nanak, and Mira Bai. What was a common theme emphasized by many Bhakti saints?

A) Ritualistic worship and sacrifices B) Caste distinctions and hierarchy C) Devotion to a personal God and rejection of elaborate rituals D) Strict adherence to Vedic scriptures

41. The Sufi concept of 'Wahdat-ul-Wujud' (Unity of Being) was popularized in India by which mystic?

A) Moinuddin Chishti B) Nizamuddin Auliya C) Sharafuddin Yahya Maneri D) Akbar

42. The 'Dohas' of Kabir are known for their simple yet profound teachings on:

A) Political governance B) Social reform and spiritualism C) Economic policies D) Military strategies

43. The 'Adi Granth', compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, is the holy scripture of which religion?

A) Hinduism B) Jainism C) Sikhism D) Buddhism

44. The 'Battle of Talikota' in 1565 led to the decline of which powerful South Indian empire?

A) Chola Empire B) Chera Empire C) Pandya Empire D) Vijayanagara Empire

45. Who was the founder of the Maratha Confederacy, which emerged as a significant power in the 17th century?

A) Shivaji Maharaj B) Sambhaji C) Balaji Vishwanath D) Peshwa Bajirao I

46. The 'Treaty of Purandar' in 1665 was signed between Shivaji Maharaj and which Mughal general?

A) Shaista Khan B) Mir Jumla C) Jai Singh I D) Mahabat Khan

47. The 'Guru-ka-Langar' (community kitchen) was a significant institution started by the Sikh Gurus to promote:

A) Military training B) Equality and service C) Monastic living D) Philosophical debate

48. The 'Chahar Taslim' and 'Zamin Bos' were forms of salutation or obeisance practiced in the Mughal court, which were later abolished by:

A) Akbar B) Jahangir C) Shah Jahan D) Aurangzeb

49. The 'Ain-i-Akbari', a comprehensive account of Akbar's administration, revenue system, and household, was written by whom?

A) Faizi B) Abul Fazl C) Tansen D) Birbal

50. The period of medieval Indian history is generally considered to span from the 8th century CE to the:

A) Mid-17th Century B) Late 18th Century C) Early 19th Century D) Mid-19th Century

History: medieval India - Online Test

Test Results