Delhi 12th to 15th Century Class 7 History Extra Question Answer
Q: When did Delhi become an important city?
A: Delhi became an important city in the twelfth century under the Tomara Rajputs.
Q: Which dynasty defeated the Tomara Rajputs in the middle of the twelfth century?
A: The Chauhans (also referred to as Chahamanas) of Ajmer defeated the Tomara Rajputs.
Q: What was the name of the coins minted in Delhi during the Tomara and Chauhan rule?
A: The coins minted in Delhi during this period were called dehliwal.
Q: Who was the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
A: Raziyya, daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, became the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in 1236.
Q: What were the Persian language histories written during the Delhi Sultanate period called?
A: These histories were called tawarikh (singular)/tarikhs (plural).
Q: Who wrote about the “circle of justice” in the thirteenth century?
A: Fakhr-i Mudabbir wrote about the “circle of justice” in the thirteenth century.
Q: What was the term used for special slaves purchased for military service by the early Delhi Sultans?
A: These special slaves were called bandagan in Persian.
Q: Why did the early Delhi Sultans prefer bandagan over aristocrats and landed chieftains as governors?
A: The Sultans preferred bandagan because they were totally dependent on their master and could be trusted and relied upon.
Q: What was the title given to military commanders appointed as governors of territories?
A: These military commanders were called muqtis or wali.
Q: What was the term for the territories assigned to the military commanders?
A: These territories were called iqtas.
Q: What were the three types of taxes collected under Alauddin Khalji’s rule?
A: The three types of taxes were: (1) on cultivation called kharaj, (2) on cattle, and (3) on houses.
Q: Who was Ibn Battuta and what did he write about?
A: Ibn Battuta was a fourteenth-century traveller from Morocco who wrote about the fortifications of local chieftains.
Q: Which foreign power repeatedly attacked the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th and early 14th centuries?
A: The Mongols under Genghis Khan repeatedly attacked the Delhi Sultanate during this period.
Q: Who were the last two dynasties to rule the Delhi Sultanate?
A: The Sayyid and Lodi dynasties were the last to rule the Delhi Sultanate.
Q: What new ruling groups emerged in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries?
A: The Afghans and the Rajputs emerged as new ruling groups during this period.
Q: Who was Sher Shah Sur and what did he achieve?
A: Sher Shah Sur was an Afghan leader who defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun and established the Sur empire (1540-1555).
Q: Whose administrative model did the Mughal emperor Akbar follow?
A: Akbar followed the administrative model introduced by Sher Shah Sur.
Q: What was the kharaj tax and how much did it amount to?
A: Kharaj was a tax on cultivation, amounting to about 50 percent of the peasant’s produce.
Q: What was the jizyah tax?
A: Jizyah was a tax imposed on non-Muslims in the Delhi Sultanate.
Q: Who was Minhaj-us-Siraj and what did he write about?
A: Minhaj-us-Siraj was a chronicler who wrote about Raziyya’s rule, expressing discomfort with a woman ruler.
Q: What was unique about Queen Rudramadevi’s rule in the Kakatiya dynasty?
A: Rudramadevi changed her name on inscriptions and pretended to be a man during her rule.
Q: What was the significance of the bandagan in the Delhi Sultanate’s administration?
A: Bandagan were trusted slaves who were appointed to high administrative and military positions, ensuring loyalty to the Sultan.
Q: How did Alauddin Khalji change the land revenue system?
A: Alauddin Khalji brought the assessment and collection of land revenue under state control, cancelling the rights of local chieftains to levy taxes.
Q: What were some challenges faced by the Delhi Sultans in controlling their vast territory?
A: Challenges included maintaining control over distant provinces, dealing with forested areas, and defending against Mongol invasions.
