Medieval Indian History — 30Q Speed Round

Question 1

The 'Napoleon of India' is:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Samudragupta — Samudragupta (Gupta dynasty, 335-375 CE) was called the 'Napoleon of India' by historian V.A. ‌​‍Smith for his military conquests.

Answer

Chandragupta I

Answer

Chandragupta II

Answer

Ashoka

Question 2

Firoz Shah Tughlaq is known for:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Irrigation canals and public works — Firoz Shah Tughlaq built canals, hospitals, and promoted public welfare. ‌​‍He brought Ashoka pillars to Delhi.

Answer

Military conquests

Answer

Market reforms

Answer

Capital shifting

Question 3

The Battle of Panipat (1526) was between:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Babur and Ibrahim Lodi — The First Battle of Panipat (1526): Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, ending the Delhi Sultanate and founding the Mughal Empire.‌​‍

Answer

Akbar and Hemu

Answer

Ahmad Shah Abdali and Marathas

Answer

Humayun and Sher Shah

Question 4

Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment at:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Bodh Gaya — Buddha attained enlightenment (Bodhi) under the Peepal tree at Bodh Gaya (Bihar). ‌​‍He was born at Lumbini, gave first sermon at Sarnath, and died at Kushinagar.

Answer

Lumbini

Answer

Sarnath

Answer

Kushinagar

Question 5

The last Mughal Emperor was:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Bahadur Shah Zafar — Bahadur Shah Zafar (1837-1857) was the last Mughal Emperor. ‌​‍He was the symbolic leader of the 1857 Revolt and was exiled to Rangoon (Yangon) by the British.

Answer

Aurangzeb

Answer

Shah Alam II

Answer

Muhammad Shah

Question 6

Akbar founded which new religion?‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Din-i-Ilahi — Akbar founded Din-i-Ilahi (Divine Faith) in 1582, synthesising elements from multiple religions.‌​‍

Answer

Sikhism

Answer

Sufism

Answer

Bhakti

Question 7

Muhammad bin Tughlaq shifted the capital from Delhi to:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Daulatabad — Muhammad bin Tughlaq shifted the capital to Daulatabad (Maharashtra) — a disastrous decision.‌​‍

Answer

Agra

Answer

Lahore

Answer

Jaunpur

Question 8

The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur after the First Battle of Panipat in:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

1526 — Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat on 21 April 1526, founding the Mughal Empire in India.‌​‍

Answer

1498

Answer

1556

Answer

1600

Question 9

Who shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Muhammad bin Tughlaq — Muhammad bin Tughlaq shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Maharashtra) — a disastrous decision that caused immense suffering.‌​‍

Answer

Alauddin Khilji

Answer

Firoz Shah Tughlaq

Answer

Sikandar Lodi

Question 10

The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled to:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Rangoon (Yangon) — After the 1857 Revolt, the British exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar to Rangoon (Burma/Myanmar), where he died in 1862.‌​‍

Answer

London

Answer

Kabul

Answer

Medina

Question 11

The Kalinga War (261 BCE) was fought by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Ashoka — Ashoka fought the Kalinga War in 261 BCE. ‌​‍The massive bloodshed led him to renounce violence and embrace Buddhism.

Answer

Chandragupta Maurya

Answer

Bindusara

Answer

Samudragupta

Question 12

Akbar's revenue minister was:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Todar Mal — Todar Mal introduced the Zabt/Dahshala revenue system — scientific land measurement and fair taxation.‌​‍

Answer

Birbal

Answer

Tansen

Answer

Abul Fazl

Question 13

Din-i-Ilahi was founded by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Akbar — Akbar founded Din-i-Ilahi (Divine Faith) in 1582, attempting to synthesise elements from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism.‌​‍

Answer

Babur

Answer

Shah Jahan

Answer

Aurangzeb

Question 14

The Chinese traveller Fa Hien visited India during the reign of:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Chandragupta II — Fa Hien (Faxian) visited India around 399-414 CE during the reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) of the Gupta dynasty.‌​‍

Answer

Ashoka

Answer

Harsha

Answer

Akbar

Question 15

Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Muhammad bin Tughlaq — Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller, visited India around 1334 CE during Muhammad bin Tughlaq's reign. ‌​‍He wrote about his experiences in 'Rihla'.

Answer

Alauddin Khilji

Answer

Firoz Shah Tughlaq

Answer

Akbar

Question 16

Nalanda University was founded by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Kumaragupta I — Kumaragupta I (Gupta dynasty, 415-455 CE) founded Nalanda University, which became one of the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world.‌​‍

Answer

Ashoka

Answer

Chandragupta II

Answer

Harsha

Question 17

The Qutb Minar in Delhi was started by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Qutbuddin Aibak — Qutbuddin Aibak started the construction of Qutb Minar. ‌​‍It was completed by his successor Iltutmish.

Answer

Iltutmish

Answer

Alauddin Khilji

Answer

Balban

Question 18

Tansen was famous for:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Music — Tansen was one of the greatest musicians in Indian history, one of Akbar's Navratnas.‌​‍

Answer

Painting

Answer

Poetry

Answer

Architecture

Question 19

Aurangzeb reimposed which tax on non-Muslims?‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Jizya — Aurangzeb reimposed Jizya (tax on non-Muslims) which had been abolished by Akbar.‌​‍

Answer

Zakat

Answer

Kharaj

Answer

Ushr

Question 20

The Mansabdari system was introduced by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Akbar — Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system — a ranking system for military and civil officials.‌​‍

Answer

Babur

Answer

Shah Jahan

Answer

Aurangzeb

Question 21

India's national emblem is adopted from Ashoka's pillar at:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Sarnath — The national emblem (four lions) is from Ashoka's Sarnath Lion Capital. ‌​‍The Ashoka Chakra (24-spoke wheel) on the Indian flag is also from this pillar.

Answer

Sanchi

Answer

Bodh Gaya

Answer

Amaravati

Question 22

Kalidasa, the great Sanskrit poet, was in the court of:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Chandragupta II — Kalidasa was one of the Navratnas (Nine Gems) in the court of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). ‌​‍His works include Abhijnanashakuntalam and Meghadutam.

Answer

Samudragupta

Answer

Kumaragupta I

Answer

Ashoka

Question 23

Sher Shah Suri is known for:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Grand Trunk Road and administrative reforms — Sher Shah built the Grand Trunk Road (Peshawar to Bengal) and introduced postal and revenue reforms.‌​‍

Answer

Building Taj Mahal

Answer

Din-i-Ilahi

Answer

Conquering Deccan

Question 24

The language that developed during the Sultanate period is:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Urdu — Urdu developed as a mix of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and local Hindi during the Sultanate period.‌​‍

Answer

Sanskrit

Answer

Tamil

Answer

Bengali

Question 25

The Bahmani Kingdom was founded by:‌​‍

Accepted Answer

Alauddin Bahman Shah — Alauddin Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu) founded the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 in the Deccan.‌​‍

Answer

Muhammad Gawan

Answer

Yusuf Adil Shah

Answer

Ibrahim Adil Shah

Medieval Indian History — 30Q Speed Round