Question 1

Muhammad-bin-Tughluq transferred his capital from Delhi to Devagiri (which he named Daulatabad) because ______.

Accepted Answer

Muhammad bin Tughlaq transferred his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad primarily because of two reasons:Daulatabad was centrally located and equidistant from Delhi and other important places.Because Delhi was within the reach of the Mongols, Daulatabad appeared to be at a safe distance from the possible Mongol attacks in the future.

Question 2

What was the impact of the Mongol invasions on the Delhi Sultanate?

Accepted Answer

The Delhi Sultanate mobilised a large standing army in Delhi as it posed a big administrative challenge.Alauddin Khalji constructed a new garrison town at Siri for his soldiers. He imposed taxes on land to feed the army at the rate of  50  percent of peasant's yield. He began to pay the soldiers in cash.Muhammad Tugluq shifted people of Delhi to Daulatabad in south and thus converted Delhi into a garrison town. He also disbanded the army. He also paid the soldiers in cash.

Question 3

What were the steps taken to ensure that muqtis performed their duties? Why do you think they may have wanted to defy the orders of the Sultans?

Accepted Answer

The steps taken are given below:Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected.Care was taken that the muqti collected only the taxes prescribed by the state and not more than that.It was also taken care that he kept only the required number of soldiers.The muqtis may have wanted to defy the orders to the Sultans because their appointment was not hereditary. Also, their job was transferable. What is more, the conditions of service were severely imposed on them which they did not like.

Question 4

Who were the authors of tawarikh? Write in brief about them.

Accepted Answer

The authors of tawarikh were learned men. They were secretaries, administrators, poets and courtiers who recounted events as well as advised rulers on governance, emphasising the importance of just rule. The authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly in Delhi and therefore they were cut off from the village. They used to write histories in praise of the Sultans and in return got rich rewards. These authors advised rulers that they should follow an ideal social order based on birthright and gender distinctions. Common mass had nothing to do with their ideas.

Question 5

Kharaj was a tax on ________.

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

Who was the first Sultan to introduce the system of branding horses?

Accepted Answer

Alauddin Khilji brought many reforms which included introduction of the system of branding of horses which made administration more efficient. The corruption was checked by the dagh or branding system. Every soldier had his face recorded and his horse branded with imperial sign.

Question 7

Minhaj-i-Siraj was a ________.

Accepted Answer

Minhaj al-Siraj, was a 13th-century Persian historian born in the Ghurid capital city of Firuzkuh, which was located in Ghor Province.

Question 8

Who is credited with reorganizing the Iqta System created by Mohammad Ghori?

Accepted Answer

Iqta system as introduced at the start of Delhi Sultanate basically consisted of grant of two kinds of iqtas - large and small. Small iqtas were under khuts and muqaddams who had become quite powerful by Alauddin's reign. Alauddin abolished the system of small iqtas and incorporated them in the khalisa, i.e. the land under the central Govt. This helped in streamlining the administration of the Sultanate.

Question 9

Who among the following Sultans of Delhi has been described by the historians as the 'mixture of opposites?

Accepted Answer

Historians have described the Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq as the mixture of opposites because he was extremely humble but at the same time extremely arrogant. At many times, he was extremely generous and at other times, an extremely narrow-minded.

Question 10

Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the _________.

Accepted Answer

Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs in the 12th century.