BPSC CCE Prelims
Medieval History Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Balban (1266-1287) was the first ruler to adopt the title Zill-i-Ilahi (Shadow of God) to establish divine kingship and centralize power in the Delhi Sultanate.

This title elevated him above nobles and rivals, justifying his absolute authority and reducing the influence of the Chalisa (group of forty Turkish nobles).

Detailed Explanation:

Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi was written by Shams Siraj Afif, a court historian of the Tughlaq dynasty.

The text chronicles the reign of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388) and details his administration, public works, and religious policies.

Detailed Explanation:

Bahlol Lodi ruled for the maximum period of 38 years (1451–1489 CE) among the given rulers.

Muhammad bin Tughluq ruled for 26 years (1325–1351 CE), Alauddin Khilji for 20 years (1296–1316 CE), and Balban for 21 years (1266–1287 CE).

Detailed Explanation:

✅ a) Babar – 3) Kamran: Kamran Mirza was Babar's son and rival to Humayun for succession.

✅ b) Akbar – 1) Salim: Salim was Akbar's son who later became Emperor Jahangir (1605-1627).

✅ c) Shah Jahan – 4) Murad: Murad Baksh was one of Shah Jahan's four sons in the succession war.

✅ d) Jahangir – 2) Khusrau: Khusrau Mirza was Jahangir's eldest son who rebelled against him in 1606.

Detailed Explanation:

Muqaddam or Chaudhuri were titles used during the Delhi Sultanate for the village headman who acted as a liaison between the state and the rural population.

They were responsible for maintaining order, collecting land revenue from villagers, and ensuring compliance with state directives at the village level.

The village accountant was separately designated as Patwari, while higher revenue officials included positions like Amil or Muqti.

Detailed Explanation:

Firdousia Silsilah was founded in Bihar by Shaikh Sharfuddin Ahmad Yahya Maneri in the 14th century as a branch of the Chishti order.

Quaderia was founded by Abdul Qadir Gilani in Baghdad, Qalandhar was a wandering Sufi sect, and Kubriya was founded by Najmuddin Kubra in Central Asia.

Detailed Explanation:

The Asht Pradhan (Council of Eight Ministers) was established by Chhatrapati Shivaji in the Maratha administration.

Peshwa – Prime Minister (head of the council)
Sachiva/Surunavis – Incharge of Royal Correspondence (maintained royal records)
Amatya – Finance Minister (managed revenue and accounts)
Samant – Foreign Minister (handled diplomatic affairs)

Correct matching: a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3

Detailed Explanation:

Chach Nama is a historical account of the Arab conquest of Sindh, originally written in Arabic.

Muhammad Ali Bin Abu Bakr Kufi translated it into Persian in the 13th century at Uch (present-day Pakistan), preserving the history of Muhammad bin Qasim's campaigns.

Nuruddin Muhammad Aufi wrote Lubab al-Albab and Shams-i-Siraj authored Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi, not translations of Chach Nama.

Detailed Explanation:

Malik Kafur, nicknamed "Hazar Dinari" (thousand dinars), was originally purchased by Nusrat Khan, a general of Alauddin Khilji.

Nusrat Khan later presented him to Sultan Alauddin Khilji, who recognized his military talent and made him a prominent general leading successful campaigns in the Deccan and southern India.

Detailed Explanation:

Sher Khan (later Sher Shah Suri) made an offer to Humayun in 1538 to surrender Bihar and pay an annual tribute of 10 lakh dinars if allowed to retain Bengal.

Humayun rejected this offer and instead chose to besiege Chunar Fort, which gave Sher Khan crucial time to consolidate his power in Bengal and Bihar, ultimately leading to his victory over Humayun at the Battle of Chausa (1539) and Battle of Kannauj (1540).

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Battle of Haldighati (1576) was fought between Maharana Pratap of Mewar and forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar led by Raja Man Singh.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: First Battle of Panipat (1526) was fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, establishing Mughal rule in India.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Second Battle of Panipat (1556) was fought between Akbar (Bairam Khan) and Hemu Vikramaditya, not Tipu Sultan and Marathas. Tipu Sultan fought against the Marathas in late 18th century battles.

Option 3 is the correct answer as it incorrectly states the opponents.

Detailed Explanation:

Muqaddam or Chaudhari was the designation for the village headman during the Delhi Sultanate.

The village headman was responsible for local administration, maintaining law and order in the village, and acted as an intermediary between villagers and revenue officials. The village accountant was called Patwari or Qanungo, while revenue officials held titles like Amil, Muqta, or Khwaja.

Detailed Explanation:

Tabaqat-i-Akbari was written by Nizamuddin Ahmad, a contemporary historian during Akbar's reign.

This biographical work covers the history from Timur to Akbar and is valued for its independent perspective, sometimes considered more reliable than Abul Fazl's Akbarnama, which had official patronage.

Gulbadan Begum wrote Humayun-nama, while Abdul Hamid Lahori authored Padshahnama (on Shah Jahan's reign).

Detailed Explanation:

Krishnadevaraya founded the suburban township of Nagalapuram near Vijayanagara after his mother Nagaladevi.

Harihara and Bukka were the founders of the Vijayanagara Empire (1336 CE), while Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529 CE) was the greatest ruler of the Tuluva dynasty who expanded the empire to its zenith.

Detailed Explanation:

Qutub Minar was started by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1199 CE but he completed only the basement. Iltutmish (his successor) added three more storeys and completed the major structure. Later, Firoz Shah Tughlaq repaired and added the fifth storey after lightning damage in 1369 CE.

Since more than one ruler (Iltutmish and Firoz Shah Tughlaq, along with Aibak's initial work) contributed to its completion, no single option is fully correct.

Therefore, multiple rulers completed the Qutub Minar, making Option 5 the correct answer.