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Class 12 History Chapter 10 Emperors and Histories: The Mughal Court (16th–17th Century CE)
Selected Questions & Answers
A. Very Short Answer Questions: (Marks for each – 1)
1. Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire?
Ans: Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur.
2. From where has the word ‘Mughal’ originated?
Ans: The word ‘Mughal’ has originated from the word ‘Mongol.’
3. To which dynasty did the Mughal emperor Babur belong?
Ans: He was a descendant of Timur.
4. From the maternal side, to which lineage did Babur belong?
Ans: He was a descendant of Genghis Khan.
5. Who was Babur’s father?
Ans: Amir Umar Sheikh Mirza.
6. At what age did Babur ascend the throne of Fergana?
Ans: At the age of eleven.
7. At what age did Babur conquer Samarkand?
Ans: At the age of fourteen.
8. In which year did the First Battle of Panipat take place?
Ans: In 1526 CE.
9. At whose invitation did Babur come to invade India?
Ans: At the invitation of Daulat Khan.
10. Who ascended the Mughal throne after Babur?
Ans: Babur’s son Humayun.
11. In which year did Humayun ascend the Mughal throne?
Ans: In 1530 CE.
12. In which battle did the Afghan leader Sher Shah defeat Humayun?
Ans: In the Battle of Chausa in 1539 CE.
13. When did Humayun die?
Ans: In 1556 CE.
14. Who ascended the Mughal throne after Humayun’s death?
Ans: Humayun’s son Akbar.
15. Who is regarded as the greatest Mughal emperor?
Ans: Akbar.
16. When did the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb die?
Ans: In 1707 CE.
17. Who was the last Mughal emperor?
Ans: Bahadur Shah II Zafar.
18. In which language were the histories of the Mughal court written?
Ans: In Persian language.
19. What was the mother tongue of the Mughals?
Ans: Turkish.
20. In which language did Babur compose his autobiography?
Ans: In Turkish.
21. Who first recognized Persian as the court language of the Mughals?
Ans: Emperor Akbar.
22. How did the Urdu language originate?
Ans: Urdu originated as a result of the interaction between Persian and Hindi languages.
23. What was the main centre for manuscript preparation in the Mughal period called?
Ans: Shahi Kitabkhana.
24. What did Abul Fazl call painting?
Ans: A magical art.
25. Who received the honour of being the best painter in Akbar’s court?
Ans: Dasobant.
26. Where did Abul Fazl grow up?
Ans: In Agra.
27. How long did Abul Fazl take to compose the book “Akbarnama”?
Ans: Thirteen years.
28. Who conspired to assassinate Abul Fazl?
Ans: Bir Singh Bundela, an associate of Prince Salim.
29. Who composed the book ‘Badshah Nama’?
Ans: Abdul Hamid Lahori.
30. Who completed the book ‘Badshah Nama’ begun by HamidLahori?
Ans: The historian Waris.
31. Who translated the book ‘Akbarnama’ into English?
Ans: Henry Beveridge.
32. Who presented the illustrated “Badshah Nama” to King George III of England as a gift?
Ans: In 1799, the Nawab of Awadh.
33. Which Mughal emperor abolished the “Jizya tax” imposed on non-Muslims?
Ans: Emperor Akbar.
34. What did Abul Fazl describe just sovereignty as?
Ans: He described it as a social contract.
35. Who constructed the Agra Fort?
Ans: Mughal emperor Akbar (in 1560 CE).
36. Who shifted the capital of the Mughal Empire to Fatehpur Sikri?
Ans: Mughal emperor Akbar.
37. Which Mughal emperor had an intimate relationship with the Sufi silsila?
Ans: Mughal emperor Akbar.
38. Who constructed the ‘Buland Darwaza’?
Ans: Mughal emperor Akbar.
39. Which Mughal emperor shifted the capital of the Mughal Empire to Lahore?
Ans: Akbar (in 1585 CE).
40. From where has the word ‘Harem’ originated?
Ans: From the Persian word ‘Haram.’
41. What is the meaning of the word ‘Haram’?
Ans: A sacred place.
42. Who prepared the layout of the famous Chandni Chowk of Delhi?
Ans: Jahanara, the sister of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
43. During whose reign did the Iranians obtain high positions in the Mughal court?
Ans: During the reign of Emperor Jahangir.
44. What is the meaning of the word ‘Mansab’?
Ans: Rank or status.
45. Who was the artisan of the ‘Peacock Throne’?
Ans: Bebadal Khan.
46. Who composed the book ‘Chahar Chaman’?
Ans: Chandrabhan Brahman during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan.
47. Between whom was the First Battle of Panipat fought?
Ans: Between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi.
48. Between whom was the Second Battle of Panipat fought?
Ans: Between Akbar and Hemu (in 1556 CE).
49. Which Mughal emperor adopted the title ‘Alamgir’?
Ans: Aurangzeb.
50. What is meant by ‘Bharat Takht’?
Ans: It referred to the Mughal royal throne.
51. What is meant by ‘Khilat’?
Ans: When the garments worn by the Mughal emperor became old, they were presented as robes of honour and were called ‘Khilat.’
Note: Generally, ‘Khilat’ referred to a robe of honour bestowed by the emperor and not specifically to his worn-out garments.
52. Who discovered the direct sea route from Europe to India?
Ans: Vasco da Gama (in 1498 CE).
53. Who composed the book ‘Alamgir Nama’?
Ans: Muhammad Kazim.
54. What was ‘Agrahar’? H. S. ’19
Ans: ‘Agrahar’ means a land grant. In ancient times, kings granted land to Brahmins, which was called ‘Agrahar.’
55. What is meant by ‘Jama’ and ‘Hasil’?
Ans: ‘Jama’ means assessed amount and ‘Hasil’ means the amount collected.
B. Short Answer Questions: (Marks for each – 2)
1. What information can be obtained from Mughal histories?
Ans: Many histories were written during the Mughal period. From these histories, information can be gathered about the royal family and about the political, social, economic, cultural and religious life of the empire. Besides this, much information can also be known about the neighbouring states of the contemporary period.
2. From where has the word ‘Mughal’ originated? Did the Mughals use this word?
Ans: The word ‘Mughal’ has originated from the word ‘Mongol.’ The Mughals themselves did not use this word. In the 16th century, the Europeans used the word ‘Mughal’ to refer to the rulers of Delhi.
3. Why did the Mughals call themselves ‘Timurid’?
Ans: The Mughals, especially the founder of the Mughal Empire, Zahirud-din Muhammad Babur, identified themselves as being of Timurid origin because they were descendants of the Turkish conqueror Timur.
4. Who was the greatest Mughal emperor? Write about two of his notable achievements.
Ans: Among the Mughal emperors, Akbar is regarded as the greatest emperor. His two notable achievements are:
(a) During his reign, the Mughal Empire expanded considerably, and the stability of the empire was firmly established.
(b) During his reign, harmony was established between the Hindus and the Muslims in India.
5. Write two objectives of writing histories.
Ans: Many histories were written during the Mughal period. The main objectives of writing these histories were:
(a) To present the Mughal Empire as an enlightened empire.
(b) To inform those who opposed the Mughal Empire that their opposition would not succeed.
6. Which language did Akbar declare as the court language and why?
Ans: Mughal emperor Akbar recognized Persian as the court language. The reasons were:
(a) During his reign, Persian language and literature reached their highest stage of development.
(b) In order to obtain positions in the Mughal court, the Iranian and Central Asian migrants attracted Emperor Akbar towards the Persian language.
7. What is the ‘Nastaliq’ style?
Ans: The ‘Nastaliq’ style was a type of writing style. It was a flowing script written with a pen on a smooth, flat surface. The pens had pointed nibs of five to ten millimetres. The nibs were dipped in ink and were split in the middle so that the ink could flow smoothly.
8. Write the names of two important illustrated Mughal manuscripts.
Ans: ‘Badshah Nama’ and ‘Akbar Nama.’
9. Who founded the Asiatic Society and when?
Ans: The Asiatic Society was founded in 1784 CE under the leadership of Sir William Jones.
10. What is meant by ‘Sulh-i-Kul’?
Ans: ‘Sulh-i-Kul’ means complete peace. According to Abul Fazl, “Sulhi-Kul” was a doctrine based on the ideal of tolerance among all religions and communities.
11. What is ‘Jizya tax’?
Ans: In India, during the Sultanate period, especially from the time of Sultan Alauddin Khalji of the Khalji dynasty, a tax was imposed on the non-Muslim subjects and Hindu pilgrims. This tax was called ‘Jizya tax.’ In return for paying this tax, the emperor assured the security of their life and property.
12. Who was Jahanara? Mention two of her contributions.
Ans: Jahanara was the daughter of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. She participated in the architectural project of the new capital, Shahjahanabad, built by Shah Jahan. She also prepared the layout of the markets of Chandni Chowk, the central area of Shahjahanabad.
13. Write the names of two artists who came with Humayun.
Ans: The names of the two artists who came from Iran with Humayun were Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad.
14. What was the name of the famous painter of the Safavid Empire?
Ans: The name of the famous painter of the Safavid Empire was Bihzad.
15. What was the name of the language that was created as a result of the mixture of Persian and Hindi?
Ans: The name of the language was Urdu.
16. By what name was the Mahabharata translated into Persian?
Ans: It was translated as ‘Razm Nama.’
17. In which language were Babur’s memoirs written?
Ans: They were written in Turkish language.
18. What is meant by ‘Kitab Khana’? H. S. ’18
Ans: ‘Kitab Khana’ was a scriptorium of the Mughal period where manuscripts of books were collected, and new manuscripts were prepared.
19. How did Mughal paintings express the idea of ‘divine light’?
Ans: The historians of the Mughal court tried to show through various accounts that the emperors received a divine power directly from God. They created a narrative similar to mythological tales that the Mughal queen Alanquwa became pregnant by a heavenly light while resting in a camp. As a result, the child born carried divine qualities, and this influence continued through generations. Mughal paintings expressed this idea. In particular, the painters depicted the Mughal emperors with a radiant halo around them.
20. According to Abul Fazl, which four elements did the emperor protect?
Ans: According to Abul Fazl, the emperor protected four elements, namely life (jan), wealth (mal), honour (namus), and faith (din).
21. Who was Gulbadan Begum? What was the name of the book written by her?
Ans: Gulbadan Begum was the sister of Mughal emperor Humayun. Thename of the book written by her was “Humayun Nama.”
22. Mention two contributions made by women in agrarian society.H. S. ’15
Ans: In the medieval period, especially during the Mughal era, women inagrarian society contributed in the following ways:
(a) They helped men in sowing and harvesting crops.
(b) They made various earthen utensils and engaged in spinning and weaving.
23. Mention two functions of the caste panchayat. H. S. ’15
Ans: The two functions of the caste panchayat were:
(a) To try to resolve various problems of the villages.
(b) To settle civil disputes.
24. What technologies were used in medieval India to increase agricultural production? H. S. ’17
Ans: In medieval India, irrigation arrangements were made to increase agricultural production. Wells and tanks were the main sources of supplying water to the agricultural fields.
C. Answer the questions in detail: (Marks for each – 4/6)
1. Write in detail about the preparation of manuscripts in the Mughal court.
Ans: In the Mughal period, the centre where manuscripts were prepared was known as the ‘Shahi Kitab Khana’. The Kitab Khana may be compared to a modern library. Manuscripts were collected and preserved there, and new copies were also prepared from them. Many people were involved in different stages of manuscript preparation. Some prepared the pages of the manuscripts. The scribes copied the texts in beautiful handwriting. Some enhanced the pages by applying gold illumination. Others gathered the pages together and bound them into book form with covers. The artists and craftsmen associated with manuscript preparation were rewarded according to their rank and merit. These royal manuscripts, prepared under imperial patronage, reflected the power of the emperors and their deep interest in knowledge.
2. Discuss the role of women in the Mughal royal family.
Ans: In the Mughal period, the status and position of women depended on lineage, rank, and ability. The Mughals used the term ‘harem’ in the context of the royal household. The Mughal family included the emperor, his wives, concubines, relatives, attendants, and slaves. Polygamy was prevalent in the royal family. Differences existed among the wives. For example, a wife from a noble family enjoyed a higher position than one not born into nobility. A wife who brought a large dowry in cash and valuable property gained a higher status. The position of concubines was comparatively lower. They received cash allowances and gifts according to their rank. At times, according to the emperor’s wish, concubines were elevated to the status of wives. Besides the wives, there were many male and female slaves in the royal household.
From the reign of Emperor Jahangir, the influence of queens and princesses increased. For example, Jahanara and Roshanara, the daughters of Shah Jahan, received annual incomes equal to high-ranking mansabdars. Jahanaracollected revenue from the port of Surat. She also took part in the architectural projects of the new capital, Shahjahanabad, built by Shah Jahan, and prepared the layout of the famous Chandni Chowk. Gulbadan Begum, the sister of Humayun, was well-versed in Persian and Turkish and wrote a book titled‘Humayun Nama’.
3. Write about the provincial administration of the Mughals. How did the centre control the provinces? H.S. ’15
Ans: During the Mughal period, for administrative convenience, the vast empire was divided into several provinces called subas. The chief officer of a province was known as the Subedar, who was appointed by the emperor. He had to report directly to the emperor about all matters of the province. For better administration, provinces were further divided into districts. The officer in charge of a district was called the Faujdar. His main duty was to maintain law and order in his area. He could maintain a well-equipped military force.
Districts were further divided into parganas or mahals. Several officials were appointed to manage the affairs of the parganas. Each administrative department had many subordinate officials such as clerks, accountants, auditors, messengers, and other skilled employees. The emperor kept a close watch over all branches of administration and always tried to keep the officials under his control.
4. Discuss the main features of Mughal historiography.
Ans: During the Mughal period, there was remarkable development in historical literature. Learned scholars and courtiers were appointed by the emperor to write history, such as Abul Fazl, Hamid Lahori, Waris, Chandrabhan, and others. The Mughal emperors got histories written for various purposes, such as:
a) To present the Mughal Empire as an enlightened and glorious empire.
b) To inform opponents that resistance against the Mughal Empire would not succeed. The chief feature of Mughal historiography was that most works were written from a royal perspective. They mainly focused on praising the emperor, describing his activities, policies, and court affairs. The feelings and experiences of common people found little or no place. Often, the weaknesses and faults of the emperor were omitted.
5. Write a short note on ‘Akbarnama’.
Ans: ‘Akbarnama’ was written by Abul Fazl, a courtier of Emperor Akbar, under the emperor’s instruction. It is an important historical document of the Mughal period. Abul Fazl began writing it in 1589 and completed it in 1602. Nearly fifteen hundred paintings were included in the manuscript. Akbar himself revised the original text several times. The work was based on actual events, oral testimonies of learned men and scholars, and interviews. The book consists of three parts. The first part describes the first thirty years of Akbar’s reign. The second and third parts describe up to forty-six years of his reign. Soon after its completion in 1602, Abul Fazl was assassinated in a conspiracy byBir Singh Bundela, a supporter of Prince Salim.
6. Write a short note on ‘Badshah Nama’. H.S. ’16
Ans: ‘Badshah Nama’ is a historical work of the Mughal period containing an account of the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori, a disciple of Abul Fazl. The book was composed in imitation of‘Akbarnama’. It consists of three volumes. Due to old age, Lahori could not complete the third volume, and the historian Waris completed it. The book contains detailed information about Shah Jahan’s reign. However, it is somewhat biased, as it was written from a royal point of view. It does not reflect the sufferings and aspirations of the common people, nor does it provide much information about the distant regions of the empire. Nevertheless, ‘Badshah Nama’ remains an important historical source of the Mughal period.
7. What was the Mansabdari system? Mention its main features.
Ans: The Mansabdari system was introduced by Emperor Akbar as a measure to reform the military administration. The word ‘mansab’ means rank or position. The rank of a mansabdar was indicated by two numbersknown as ‘zat’ and ‘sawar’. The ‘zat’ determined the personal rank and status of the officer, while ‘sawar’ indicated the number of cavalrymen he was required to maintain. In the seventeenth century, those holding a zat rank of one thousand or above were called ‘Umara’ (plural: Amirs). During military campaigns, these nobles had to assist the emperor with their troops and were also appointed as provincial officials.
8. Mention the reasons for establishing the Mughal Empire as an ideal state.
Ans: There were several reasons why the Mughal Empire was regarded as an ideal state. Firstly, the Mughal emperors introduced a well-organised administrative system and governed the vast empire efficiently. The empire was divided into provinces under Subedars appointed by the emperor. Provinces were divided into districts under Faujdars, and districts into parganas managed by various officials. Numerous subordinate officers, such as clerks, accountants, and messengers, assisted in administration. The emperor maintained strict supervision over all departments.
Secondly, the Mughal emperors adopted a liberal religious policy. Akbar, in particular, followed a policy of religious tolerance. From his reign onwards, non-Muslims, especially Hindus, were appointed to important positions in the court and administration based on merit. Akbar also established cordial relations with Hindus through matrimonial alliances.
Thirdly, the Mughal emperors were patrons of art and architecture. They founded cities and constructed magnificent palaces, mosques, forts, and monuments, enhancing the glory of the empire. For these reasons, the Mughal Empire came to be regarded as an ideal state.
9. Write a short note on the irrigation system of the Mughal period. H.S. ’16
Ans: During the Mughal period, irrigation in India saw considerable development. The Mughal emperors undertook several welfare measures for the benefit of the people, among which irrigation for agricultural improvement was important.
They constructed many new canals in North India and repaired old ones. Through these canals, water from rivers and lakes was supplied to agricultural fields. During the reign of Shah Jahan, a canal named Shah Nahar, about 78miles long, was constructed. Another canal of about 84 miles was dug from the river Ravi to Lahore. Water was also channelled from the Dhebar Lake ofMewar. In addition, in Dilpur near Lahore, water was lifted to fields using the bucket and lever system.
10. Who was the author of ‘Badshah-Nama’? Write about its contents. H.S. ’16
Ans: ‘Badshah Nama’ was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori. It is a historical work describing the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. Written in imitation of ‘Akbarnama’, it consists of three volumes. Since Lahori could not complete the third volume due to old age, it was finished by the historian Waris. The book provides extensive information about Shah Jahan’s reign. However, it reflects a royal bias, as it was composed from the court’s perspective. The sufferings and expectations of common people are not represented, and distant
regions of the empire are not described in detail. Even so, it is an important historical source of the Mughal period.
