UPSC Prelims 2021
Medieval History Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — 2 Only

This question tests knowledge about the emergence of various provincial kingdoms in Indian history. Only statement 2 is correct, as the Mysore Kingdom indeed emerged from the Vijayanagara Empire after its fall in 1565.

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Nizamat of Arcot (Carnatic) was established by Aurangzeb as a subdivision under the Deccan Subedar. While it was administratively under the Nizam of Hyderabad, it did not emerge out of Hyderabad State; rather, both were Mughal administrative units.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Mysore Kingdom emerged from the Vijayanagara Empire. After the Battle of Talikota (1565), the Wodeyar dynasty, which had been subordinate chiefs under Vijayanagara, established their independent kingdom at Mysore.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed by Rohilla Afghans who migrated to India in the 18th century. Ali Muhammad Khan established this kingdom by taking advantage of the power vacuum following Nadir Shah's invasion (1739), not from territories directly occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.

📝 Short Notes: Successor States of Mughal and Vijayanagara Empires

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — 1 only

This question tests the chronological accuracy of three historical events and their associated rulers. Only the first statement correctly matches the event with the ruler's reign, while the other two contain factual errors regarding either the ruler or the timeline.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: In 1221, Genghis Khan reached the Indus pursuing Jalal-ad-Din Mangburni, the Khwarazmian prince, during Iltutmish's reign. Iltutmish wisely refused asylum, avoiding a Mongol invasion of the Delhi Sultanate.

❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Timur invaded India in 1398 during the reign of Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughlaq (last Tughlaq ruler), not Muhammad bin Tughluq who died in 1351. Timur's grandson Pir Muhammad occupied Multan before Timur crossed the Indus.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498 during the reign of Immadi Narasimha Raya of the Saluva Dynasty. Deva Raya II of the Sangama Dynasty ruled from 1422-1446, more than 50 years before the Portuguese arrival.

📝 Short Notes: Medieval Indian Rulers and Key Events

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 1 — Paragana- Sarkar- Suba

The administrative divisions in medieval India, particularly during the Mughal period, were organized hierarchically with Pargana being the smallest unit comprising a group of villages, Sarkar as a mid-level division (district) formed by grouping several Parganas, and Suba as the largest provincial division encompassing multiple Sarkars. This ascending order of Pargana → Sarkar → Suba reflects the administrative structure from the grassroots village cluster level to the provincial level.

📝 Short Notes: Mughal Administrative Divisions

• Revenue Administration: At the Pargana level, the key officials were Shiqdar (law and order), Amin (land revenue assessment), and Munsif (records and accounts).
• Provincial Governance: Each Suba was headed by a Subedar/Sipahsalar (governor) who was responsible for military and civil administration.
• Financial Control: The Diwan (finance minister) at the Suba level managed revenue collection and financial matters independently of the Subedar to ensure checks and balances.

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2, 3 and 4

According to the Portuguese chronicler Fernão Nuniz, who visited the Vijayanagara Empire during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, women in the royal household were trained and employed in diverse professional roles. His accounts specifically mention their expertise in wrestling, astrology, accounting, and soothsaying, highlighting the progressive attitude towards women's education and professional engagement in the empire.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Women were skilled in wrestling and martial arts, serving as guards and warriors in the royal palace.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Women practiced astrology and were employed as astrologers in the royal court.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Women were trained in accounting and managed financial records in the palace administration.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Women practiced soothsaying (divination) and fortune-telling at the royal court.

📝 Short Notes: Women in Vijayanagara Empire

• Foreign Accounts: Portuguese travelers like Domingo Paes, Fernão Nuniz, and Italian Niccolò de' Conti provided detailed accounts of women's status in Vijayanagara.
• Royal Employment: Women served in various professional capacities in the royal household including guards, wrestlers, accountants, astrologers, musicians, and dancers.
• Literary Patronage: Krishnadevaraya patronized female poets and writers; several women contributed to Telugu and Sanskrit literature during this period.
• Military Roles: Women were trained in martial arts and archery; some served as bodyguards to queens and royal women.
• Economic Independence: Women engaged in trade, owned property, and had inheritance rights, showing their economic agency.
• Social Status: Despite progressive roles in certain areas, practices like Sati and restrictions on widow remarriage also existed in the empire.