Quick Review Flashcards - Click to flip and test your knowledge!
Question
In the context of Indian history, what centuries generally define the 'medieval' period according to this source?
Answer
The 11th to the 17th centuries.
Question
The literal meaning of the term 'medieval' is _____.
Answer
between two ages
Question
The original application of the term 'medieval' referred to the history of which continent?
Answer
Europe
Question
European history's medieval period is roughly defined as the time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the _____.
Answer
Renaissance
Question
Which geographic barrier did foreign invaders cross in the early 11th century to reshape India's political map?
Answer
The Hindu Kush mountains.
Question
From which two specific ethnic origins were many of the Central Asian invaders of this period?
Answer
Turkic and Afghan.
Question
What event in 1192 marked the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate?
Answer
The defeat of King Prithviraj Chauhan.
Question
List the five successive dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in chronological order.
Answer
Mamluks (Slave), Khiljis (Khaljis), Tughlaqs, Sayyids, and Lodis.
Question
Term: Sultanate
Answer
Definition: A territory ruled by a 'Sultan'.
Question
What was the average length of a sultan's reign during the Delhi Sultanate period?
Answer
Hardly more than nine years.
Question
Approximately what proportion of Delhi sultans seized power by eliminating their predecessor?
Answer
Two out of three.
Question
Who was the first sultan to begin the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi?
Answer
Qutub-ud-din Aibak.
Question
An inscription at the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque states that materials from how many destroyed Hindu and Jain temples were used?
Answer
27
Question
Which Khilji ruler referred to himself as 'Sikander Sani' or the 'second Alexander'?
Answer
Ala-ud-din Khilji.
Question
During the 14th century, Ala-ud-din Khilji successfully repelled several invasions from which Central Asian power?
Answer
The Mongols.
Question
Who was the slave-general who expanded the Delhi Sultanate's reach into southern India?
Answer
Malik Kafur.
Question
Under whose rule did most of the Subcontinent come under one ruler for the first time since the Mauryan Empire?
Answer
Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Question
To which location did Muhammad bin Tughlaq attempt to move his capital from Delhi?
Answer
Daulatabad (formerly Devagiri).
Question
What economic reform did Muhammad bin Tughlaq introduce that resulted in widespread counterfeiting and economic decline?
Answer
Token currency (copper coins valued as silver or gold).
Question
The rejection or destruction of icons or religious images is known as _____.
Answer
iconoclasm
Question
List four classical Indian terms for religious images used for worship.
Answer
Mūrti, vigraha, pratimā, and rūpa.
Question
Term: Jizya
Answer
Definition: A tax imposed on non-Muslim subjects to grant protection and exemption from military service.
Question
Which Turkic-Mongol conqueror launched a devastating attack on Delhi in 1398?
Answer
Timur
Question
Which dynasty established the last period of the Delhi Sultanate after Timur's withdrawal?
Answer
The Lodis.
Question
Which independent kingdom in the east, covering present-day Odisha, successfully resisted the Delhi Sultanate?
Answer
The Eastern Ganga kingdom (Kalinga).
Question
Which Eastern Ganga ruler built the Sun temple at Konark to commemorate his military victories?
Answer
Narasimhadeva I.
Question
Which group of Telugu chieftains formed a confederacy to expel Muhammad bin Tughlaq's army from Warangal?
Answer
The Musunuri Nayakas.
Question
The Hoysala dynasty's name is derived from a Kannada folklore story about a young man named _____.
Answer
Sala
Question
Where did the Hoysalas build magnificent temples known for their intricate sculptures?
Answer
Belur and Halebidu.
Question
Which major regional Sultanate rose in the mid-14th century to control much of the Deccan?
Answer
The Bahmani Sultanate.
Question
Who was the 15th-century ruler of the Mewar kingdom who repelled invasions and built the Kumbhalgarh Fort?
Answer
Rana Kumbha.
Question
Kumbhalgarh Fort is famous for having a continuous wall that is _____ kilometres long.
Answer
36
Question
Which two brothers founded the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century?
Answer
Harihara and Bukka.
Question
The capital of the Vijayanagara Empire was established at Hampi on the advice of which guru?
Answer
Vidyaranya
Question
What were the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire called, according to their power titles?
Answer
Narapati
Question
The title 'Ashwapati' was commonly associated with the rulers of the _____.
Answer
Bahmani Sultanate
Question
The Bahmani Sultanate eventually fragmented into five independent states known as the _____.
Answer
Deccan Sultanates
Question
Name the five Deccan Sultanates that emerged after the fragmentation of the Bahmani Sultanate.
Answer
Bijapur, Golconda, Berar, Ahmednagar, and Bidar.
Question
Which celebrated 16th-century ruler brought the Vijayanagara Empire to its peak?
Answer
Krishnadevaraya
Question
What is the name of the Telugu epic poem on good governance composed by Krishnadevaraya?
Answer
Āmuktamālyada
Question
In Krishnadevaraya's Āmuktamālyada, what term is used to designate 'royal policy'?
Answer
Rājanīti
Question
Foreign travellers from which country were particularly well-treated in Vijayanagara due to their trade in horses?
Answer
Portugal
Question
Which Portuguese traveller described Vijayanagara city as being as large and beautiful as Rome?
Answer
Domingo Paes
Question
Which 1565 conflict resulted in the destruction of Vijayanagara city and the end of its dominance?
Answer
The Battle of Talikota.
Question
Who led the Vijayanagara forces during the Battle of Talikota?
Answer
Ramaraya
Question
Following the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire, smaller regions were ruled by military governors called _____.
Answer
Nayakas
Question
Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire after defeating Ibrahim Lodi in 1526?
Answer
Babur
Question
What specific technological advantages did Babur use to win the First Battle of Panipat?
Answer
Gunpowder, field artillery, and matchlock guns.
Question
Who was Babur's son and successor who struggled to maintain the Mughal Empire?
Answer
Humayun
Question
Which Afghan leader established the short-lived Sur Empire over large parts of North India?
Answer
Sher Shah Suri.
Question
At what age was Akbar declared emperor following the death of Humayun?
Answer
13
Question
The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate occurred in the year _____.
Answer
1206
Question
The re-establishment of the Mewar Kingdom occurred in the year _____.
Answer
1326
Question
The Portuguese arrived in India in the year _____.
Answer
1498
Question
The Battle of Talikota, which led to the destruction of Vijayanagara city, took place in the year _____.
Answer
1565
Question
In 1671, the Ahoms defeated the Mughals at the Battle of _____.
Answer
Saraighat
Question
The Khalsa was formed by Guru Gobind Singh in the year _____.
Answer
1699
Question
Maratha control of Delhi began in the year _____.
Answer
1754
Question
The Sikh Empire was established in the year _____.
Answer
1799