1. Which caliphate was in decline by the end of the ninth century, giving way to a series of states ruled by Islamized Turks?
2. The Turks first entered the Abbasid empire during the ninth century in which capacity?
3. The title formally granted by the caliph to generals who carved out independent spheres of authority, meaning "Commander of Commanders," was:
4. Consider the following statements regarding the titles assumed by new Turkish rulers as central Abbasid authority declined:
(I) They assumed the title of "amir" at first.
(II) They assumed the title of "sultan" later on.
(III) Both titles were used simultaneously from the outset.
Which of the above is/are correct?
5. The new type of soldier born out of the Samanid struggle against non-Muslim Turkish tribesmen, acting as both missionary and fighter, was called:
6. The Samanids, who ruled Trans-Oxiana, Khurasan and parts of Iran towards the end of the ninth century, were of which descent?
7. Alp-tigin, a Turkish slave among the Samanid governors, established an independent kingdom with its capital at:
8. Mahmud ascended the throne at Ghazni in which year?
9. Which poet, the author of the Shah Namah and poet laureate at Mahmud's court, glorified ancient Iranian heroes and the struggle between Iran and Turan?
10. Mahmud claimed descent from which legendary Iranian king, reflecting the Persianization of the Ghaznavid court?
11. The colossal statue of Buddha at Bamiyan, with caves for a thousand resident monks, stood approximately how tall?
12. Consider the following statements regarding Kabul, Qandahar and the adjoining Zabul/Zamindawar region before the Turkish conquest:
(I) They were considered parts of al-Hind or India till the end of the ninth century.
(II) The area up to the river Oxus was ruled by dynasties, some claiming descent from Kanishka.
(III) These kingdoms received no external support and stood entirely alone against Arab incursions.
Which of the above is/are correct?
13. The capital of the Hindushahi rulers, who held Peshawar and the Punjab, was located at:
14. The Hindushahi ruler who invaded Ghazni in alliance with the displaced Samanid governor and the Bhatti ruler of the Multan area, but suffered defeat, was:
15. Under which Ghaznavid ruler did the Shahis suffer a serious defeat around 990-91, leading to the annexation of Kabul and Jalalabad?
16. In a furious battle near Peshawar in 1001, which Shahi ruler was defeated by Mahmud, subsequently ceding territory west of the Indus?
17. Jayapala was succeeded as Shahi ruler by his son:
18. In a decisive battle near the Indus in 1009, Anandpala was defeated, and Mahmud devastated Anandpala's new capital located in the Salt Ranges, called:
19. In 1015, Mahmud advanced upon and plundered which city, ousting Anandpala who had been ruling there as a feudatory?
20. Mahmud's 1015 attack on which region was foiled due to weather conditions?
21. Which Muslim ruler was the only ally to support the Shahis in their struggle against Mahmud, having himself been harassed by slave-taking raids from Ghazni?
22. Consider the following statements regarding Rajput support for the Shahis against Mahmud:
(I) The seventeenth-century historian Ferishta claimed rulers from Delhi, Ajmer and Kanauj aided Jayapala in 1001.
(II) Ajmer had not even been founded at that time, undermining Ferishta's claim.
(III) The Gurjara-Pratiharas of Kanauj were, in fact, in a strong and unweakened condition at the time.
Which of the above is/are correct?
23. Mahmud's raids into the Indo-Gangetic plains were primarily aimed at:
24. Mahmud posed as a great destroyer of images for the glory of Islam, a title rendered in Persian as:
25. From the Punjab, Mahmud raided which town, the old capital of Harsha?
26. In his 1018 campaign, Mahmud sacked and plundered which two cities?
27. The year following the Kanauj campaign, Mahmud invaded which region in Bundelkhand and returned with fabulous riches?
28. Mahmud's raid on Somnath in Gujarat took place in which year?
29. Consider the following statements regarding Mahmud's 1025 Somnath campaign:
(I) He marched via Multan and Jaisalmer with a regular cavalry of 30,000.
(II) The commander of Somnath fled at Mahmud's approach, but citizens put up stout resistance.
(III) On his return, Mahmud faced no resistance and returned to Ghazni unopposed.
Which of the above is/are correct?
30. At Somnath, Mahmud broke which sacred object and ordered parts of it carried back to Ghazni?
31. On his return journey from Somnath, Mahmud had to counter marauding attacks by which group in Sind?
32. In which year did Mahmud of Ghazni die?
33. Following Mahmud's death, which empire arose and contended with the Ghaznavids for control of Khurasan, defeating his son Masud and forcing him to flee to Lahore?
34. Consider the following statements regarding Mahmud of Ghazni's legacy:
(I) In India, his memory is chiefly that of a plunderer and destroyer of temples.
(II) He is said to have made seventeen raids into India.
(III) He annexed most of the Gangetic plains territories he raided into the Ghaznavid empire.
Which of the above is/are correct?
35. Following the break-up of the Pratihara empire, which three dynasties are named as the most important Rajput states to arise in north India?
36. Consider the following pairs of Rajput/regional dynasties and their areas of rule during this period:
(I) Kalachuris – area around modern Jabalpur
(II) Chandellas – Bundelkhand
(III) Tomars – Delhi
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
37. Bengal remained under the control of the Palas and, later, under which dynasty?
38. Which dynasty gradually squeezed the Palas out of Bihar?
39. At its height, the Gahadavala kingdom extended from Mongyr in Bihar to which city?
40. The greatest Gahadavala ruler, who made Kanauj his capital with Banaras as a second capital, and was called the greatest ruler of Hindustan by Persian sources, was:
41. Govind Chandra of Kanauj was succeeded by:
42. The Chauhans established their capital, towards the end of the tenth century, at:
43. Which Chauhan ruler captured Chittor, established Ajmer (Ajayameru) as his capital, built a Sanskrit College, and constructed the Anasagar lake?
44. Vigraharaj captured Delhi (Dhillika) from the Tomars in which year, allowing them to continue ruling as feudatories?
45. The most famous Paramara ruler of Malwa, known in legend and credited with writing books on philosophy, poetics, yoga and medicine, was:
46. The most famous Chauhan ruler, who ascended the throne around age eleven in about 1177 and took administrative control at sixteen, was:
47. Prithviraj III was unsuccessful in his struggle against which ruler, which forced him to turn his expansionist efforts toward the Ganga valley instead?
48. In Prithviraj III's expedition against Mahoba in Bundelkhand, which two famous warriors lost their lives?
49. The Chandel ruler of Mahoba, in his struggle against Prithviraj III, is said to have been supported by which rival ruler?
50. The basis of Rajput society, with every clan tracing descent from a common ancestor, real or imaginary, was the:
51. Consider the following statements regarding the settlement structure of Rajput clans:
(I) Clans generally dominated a compact territory.
(II) Some settlements were based on units of 12, 24, 48 or 84 villages.
(III) Land was allotted directly by the chief to individual peasants, bypassing sub-chiefs entirely.
Which of the above is/are correct?
52. Land was allotted by sub-chiefs to individual Rajput warriors primarily for the maintenance of:
53. Each Rajput state was supposed to be ruled over by the rana or rawat in conjunction with his chiefs, who were generally:
54. Under what circumstances could a Rajput ruler resume a fief held by a chief, given the Rajput notion of the sanctity of land?
55. Which trait is identified as a key advantage of Rajput social organization, though it also made discipline difficult to maintain?
56. Consider the following statements regarding weaknesses in Rajput social organization:
(I) Feuds continued for several generations among Rajput clans.
(II) Rajputs formed exclusive groups, each claiming superiority over others, without extending brotherhood to non-Rajputs.
(III) This led to a growing gap between Rajput ruling groups and the largely non-Rajput population.
Which of the above is/are correct?
57. What proportion of Rajasthan's population do Rajputs form even today?
58. The Rajputs' attitude of treating war as a sport, combined with struggles over land and cattle, led to what recurring pattern?
59. The ideal Rajput ruler was expected to lead his armies to invade neighbouring territories after celebrating which festival?
60. Most Rajput rulers were champions of Hinduism, giving rich donations to Brahmans and temples, though some also patronized which other religion?
61. In return for donations and concessions such as a lower land-revenue rate, Brahmans were prepared to recognize Rajputs as descendants of which ancient families, believed to have become extinct?
62. The dominant style of temple construction that came into prominence in north India and the Deccan during this period, characterized by a tall curved spiral roof over the deity room, was called:
63. In the nagara style, the term for the deity room over which the tall curved spiral roof (deul) was built is:
64. The anteroom added to the sanctum sanctorum in nagara-style temples is called the:
65. Consider the following statements regarding the most representative nagara-style temple groups:
(I) The temples at Khajuraho are located in Madhya Pradesh.
(II) The temples at Bhubaneshwar are located in Orissa.
(III) Both groups were built primarily under Paramara patronage.
Which of the above is/are correct?
66. Which three Khajuraho temples are named as illustrating the nagara style in its richest and most finished form?
67. Most of the Khajuraho temples were built by which dynasty, which ruled the area from the beginning of the ninth to the end of the thirteenth century?
68. The Lingaraja temple in Orissa, one of the most magnificent examples of temple architecture of this period, was built in which century?
69. The Sun temple of Konark in Orissa, another magnificent example of temple architecture, belongs to which century?
70. Consider the following statements regarding temples of this period as institutions:
(I) They functioned as centres of social and cultural life.
(II) Some temples, such as Somnath, became extremely wealthy and ruled over many villages.
(III) Temples were entirely separate from and took no part in business activities.
Which of the above is/are correct?
71. Vastupala, famous minister of the Chalukyan ruler Bhima in Gujarat, is credited as the builder of the beautiful Jain temple located at:
72. Ujjain and Dhara, famous centres for Sanskrit learning during this period, were the capitals of which dynasty?
73. Which Jain scholar, the most famous contributor to Apabhramsha and Sanskrit literature of this period, is specifically named in the text?
74. With the revival of Brahmanism, which language supplanted Apabhramsha and Prakrit among the upper classes?
75. Consider the following statements regarding the emergence of modern north Indian languages during this period:
(I) Hindi, Bengali and Marathi began to emerge out of popular languages like Apabhramsha and Prakrit.
(II) Literature in Apabhramsha and Prakrit ceased entirely once Sanskrit was revived among the upper classes.
(III) These popular languages were closer to the spoken languages of the region than Sanskrit.
Which of the above is/are correct?
76. Consider the following statements regarding relations between Muslims and Hindus in north India after the Ghaznavid conquest of the Punjab:
(I) Rajput rulers won victories against Turkish raids on a number of occasions.
(II) These local victories made Rajput rulers more complacent, since the Ghaznavid state was no longer very powerful.
(III) Muslim traders were barred from settling in Indian towns to prevent Turkish influence.
Which of the above is/are correct?
77. Muslim religious preachers who came to Punjab in the wake of Muslim traders, preaching love, faith and dedication to one God, were called:
78. Which Hindu general, a barber by caste, commanded Ghaznavid armies that also recruited Hindu (Jat) soldiers?
79. Towards the middle of the twelfth century, which group of Turkish tribesmen, partly Buddhist and partly pagan, shattered the power of the Seljuk Turks?
80. Consider the following pairs regarding the two new powers that rose after the Seljuk decline:
(I) Khwarizmi empire – based in Iran
(II) Ghurid empire – based in Ghur, northwest Afghanistan
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
81. The Ghurid ruler who earned the title "jahan-soz" (the world burner) for ravaging and burning Ghazni in revenge for the treatment of his brothers was:
82. What ultimately forced the Ghurids to look toward India for expansion rather than Central Asia?
83. Muizzuddin Muhammad (Shahabuddin, also known as Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam) ascended the throne at Ghazni in which year?
84. In 1178, Muizzuddin Muhammad's attempt to penetrate Gujarat across the Rajputana desert was routed near which location?
85. By 1190, Muizzuddin Muhammad had conquered which three towns, positioning him for a thrust toward Delhi and the Gangetic doab?
86. The immediate conflict between Muizzuddin Muhammad and Prithviraj III began over rival claims to which town?
87. In the first battle of Tarain (1191), the outcome was:
88. After the first battle of Tarain, Prithviraj conquered Tabarhinda after a siege lasting how long?
89. The second battle of Tarain, regarded as one of the turning points in Indian history, was fought in which year?
90. Which Chauhan general, engaged elsewhere during the second battle of Tarain, had led Prithviraj's previous victorious campaign?
91. Which ruler notably stayed away from aiding Prithviraj III at the second battle of Tarain?
92. Consider the following statements regarding the legend of Prithviraj and Sanyogita in relation to the second battle of Tarain:
(I) The legend attributes Jaichandra's absence to Prithviraj's abduction of his daughter, Sanyogita.
(II) This legend is not accepted by many historians as the actual reason for Jaichandra's absence.
(III) The romance was written by the poet Chand Bardai and includes many improbable events.
Which of the above is/are correct?
93. Near which location was Prithviraj III captured after his defeat in the second battle of Tarain?
94. Consider the following statements regarding the aftermath of the second battle of Tarain:
(I) Prithviraj was initially allowed to continue ruling over Ajmer, as evidenced by coins bearing both his name and Muhammad Sam's.
(II) Prithviraj was soon after executed on a charge of conspiracy.
(III) Delhi was permanently restored to Tomar rule with no reversal of this policy.
Which of the above is/are correct?
95. After being ousted from Ajmer following a rebellion, where did Prithviraj's son move to found a new powerful Chauhan kingdom?
96. To establish themselves in the Ganga-Jamuna doab, the Turks first had to defeat which powerful kingdom?
97. After the first battle of Tarain, Muizzuddin returned to Ghazni, leaving Indian affairs in the hands of his trusted slave:
98. The battle in which Jaichandra of Kanauj was killed by an arrow after almost carrying the day, fought near Kanauj in 1194, was the battle of:
99. After defeating Jaichandra at Chandawar, Muizzuddin moved on and ravaged which city, destroying a large number of its temples?
100. Consider the following statements regarding the consolidation of Turkish rule after Tarain and Chandawar:
(I) These two battles laid the foundations of Turkish rule in north India.
(II) Consolidating the conquest proved an easy task completed within a few years.
(III) Muizzuddin occupied the forts of Bayana and Gwaliyar to guard Delhi's southern flank.
Which of the above is/are correct?
101. Aibak conquered Kalinjar, Mahoba and Khajuraho from which dynasty?
102. Aibak defeated Bhima III, ruler of Gujarat, and plundered Anhilwara, but the appointed Muslim governor there was soon ousted. This episode showed that:
103. Which Khalji officer, whose uncle had fought at Tarain, made frequent raids into Bihar and destroyed the Buddhist monasteries of Nalanda and Vikramasila?
104. Bakhtiyar Khalji's surprise attack on the Sena ruler's palace at Nadia, disguised as a horse-merchant, is dated to which year?
105. The Sena ruler who fled from Bakhtiyar Khalji's surprise attack at Nadia, believing the main Turkish army had arrived, was:
106. After fleeing Nadia, Lakshmana Sena and his successors continued to rule from:
107. Bakhtiyar Khalji occupied the Sena capital, without opposition, at:
108. Consider the following statements regarding Bakhtiyar Khalji's expedition into the Brahmaputra valley:
(I) The Magh rulers of Assam retreated, drawing the Turkish army in deep before it could advance no further.
(II) The Turkish army suffered a total defeat after being trapped between a wide river and the Assamese army.
(III) Bakhtiyar Khalji died in this battle itself.
Which of the above is/are correct?
109. In 1203, Muizzuddin suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of which ruler, which effectively ended Ghurid ambitions in Central Asia?
110. The warlike tribe in western Punjab that rebelled and cut off communications between Lahore and Ghazni after Muizzuddin's 1203 defeat was the:
111. Muizzuddin led his last campaign into India in 1206 to deal with which rebellion, before being killed by a Muslim fanatic on his way back to Ghazni?
112. Consider the following statements comparing Mahmud of Ghazni and Muizzuddin Muhammad:
(I) Mahmud never suffered a defeat in India or Central Asia, while Muizzuddin did.
(II) Muizzuddin had to contend with larger and better organised Indian states than Mahmud did.
(III) Both rulers were genuinely and primarily motivated by the propagation of Islam in India.
Which of the above is/are correct?
113. According to recent research cited in the text, which factor is identified as NOT giving the Turks a decisive advantage over the Indians?
114. Consider the following statements regarding weapons and equipment compared between Turks and Indians:
(I) Indian bows were considered more accurate and deadly, with poisoned arrowheads.
(II) The iron stirrup had spread to India from the eighth century onwards.
(III) Indian swords were considered inferior to Turkish swords in hand-to-hand combat.
Which of the above is/are correct?
115. The Turkish land-revenue system in which a chief was allotted land to collect revenue in return for maintaining troops for the ruler, and which was non-hereditary and transferable at the sultan's pleasure, was called:
116. The land from which the sultan drew revenue directly, enabling him to maintain a large standing army, was called:
117. What key organizational weakness of Indian states, linked to the growth of feudalism, is identified as a major cause of the Rajput defeat?
118. Consider the following statements regarding the role of caste and religion in the military defeat of the Rajputs:
(I) The Rajputs considered retreat in battle to be a dishonour.
(II) Caste did not prevent non-Rajputs (kuvarna) from taking part in battles.
(III) The role of religion and caste in this military defeat should not be unduly exaggerated.
Which of the above is/are correct?
119. What key strategic failing of the Rajputs, evident once Kabul and Lahore had fallen to the Turks, is highlighted as a long-term cause of their eventual defeat?
