Selina Concise Solutions for ICSE Class 7 History Civics Chapter 4 The Delhi Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate

Important Words

1. Price control is when the ruler or government sets the cost of items. This stops shopkeepers from making things too expensive.
2. Devagiri was the new city where Muhammad bin Tughlaq moved his main base. He changed its name to Daulatabad.
3. Token currency was a money system started by Muhammad bin Tughlaq. In this system, cheap brass and copper coins were worth the same as silver and gold coins.
4. The ulema were Muslim holy scholars. They gave advice to the king.

Time To Learn

I. Fill in the blanks:

Question 1. ___________ was the real founder of the Slave Dynasty.
Answer: Qutab-ud-din Aibak
In simple words: Qutab-ud-din Aibak was the first main leader who started the Slave Dynasty.

Exam Tip: Remember to spell the name "Qutab-ud-din Aibak" correctly to secure full marks.

Question 2. ___________ was nominated by Iltutmish as his successor.
Answer: Razia
In simple words: Iltutmish chose his daughter Razia to rule after him.

Exam Tip: Razia is highly significant as the only female ruler of this sultanate, making her a frequent exam topic.

Question 3. Balban’s theory of kingship was ___________.
Answer: divine
In simple words: Balban believed that the king's power was given directly by God.

Exam Tip: The word 'divine' refers to Balban's belief that kings are God's representatives on earth.

Question 4. ___________ was the first Khalji ruler.
Answer: Jalal-ud-din Khalji
In simple words: Jalal-ud-din Khalji was the king who started the Khalji dynasty.

Exam Tip: Do not confuse Jalal-ud-din with his successor, the famous Ala-ud-din Khalji.

Question 5. Malik Kafur led many campaigns in ___________ and every time he brought a huge booty of gold, jewels, elephants and horses.
Answer: South India
In simple words: Malik Kafur led military trips to the south and brought back massive amounts of treasure.

Exam Tip: Pay attention to the direction - Malik Kafur is famous for his southern campaigns, not northern ones, even though some worksheets contain typos.

Question 6. ___________ was a well-known poet in the court of Ala-ud-din Khalji.
Answer: Amir Khusrau
In simple words: Amir Khusrau was a famous writer and poet in the king's court.

Exam Tip: Amir Khusrau is often called the 'Parrot of India' and is a key figure in medieval Indian literature.

Question 7. Ala-ud-din constructed a big tank called ___________.
Answer: Hauz khas
In simple words: Ala-ud-din built a large water tank known as Hauz khas.

Exam Tip: Hauz khas literally translates to 'royal tank', which was built to supply water to the Siri Fort area.

Question 8. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq shifted his capital from ___________ to ___________.
Answer: Delhi, Devagiri
In simple words: The king moved his main ruling city from Delhi to Devagiri.

Exam Tip: Remember both names of the new capital: Devagiri and Daulatabad.

Question 9. ___________ invaded India in AD 1398.
Answer: Amir Timur
In simple words: A powerful conqueror named Amir Timur attacked India in the year 1398.

Exam Tip: Keep the exact year AD 1398 in mind, as it is a major turning point that weakened the Tughlaq dynasty.

Question 10. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq introduced ___________ coins in place of gold and silver coins.
Answer: copper
In simple words: The king started using copper coins instead of expensive gold and silver money.

Exam Tip: The replacement coins were made of copper and brass, which was a bold economic experiment that failed.

II. Match Column A with Column B:

Question 1. Match the following items from Column A with the correct descriptions in Column B:

Answer:

In simple words: This table links key historical rulers, systems, and dates from the Delhi Sultanate period to their correct matches.

Exam Tip: Memorize the meaning of terms like 'Doab' (land between two rivers) and key dates like '1526' to pick up easy marks on matching questions.

III. State weather the following statements are True Or False:

Question 1. Qutub-ud-din Aibak built the Qutab Minar of Delhi.
Answer: True
In simple words: Yes, Qutub-ud-din Aibak started making the Qutab Minar in Delhi.

Exam Tip: Remember that although Aibak started the construction, it was later completed by Iltutmish.

Question 2. Balban believed in absolute monarchy.
Answer: True
In simple words: Balban believed that the king should have total and complete power over everyone.

Exam Tip: Balban's idea of absolute monarchy was tied directly to his 'Divine Theory' of kingship.

Question 3. Malik Kafur was also known as Hazar Dinari because he was bought for a thousand dinars.
Answer: True
In simple words: Malik Kafur got this nickname because he was purchased for one thousand gold coins.

Exam Tip: 'Hazar' means thousand and 'Dinar' was the currency, which explains the origin of this historical title.

Question 4. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq is known as a ‘mixture of opposites’.
Answer: True
In simple words: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq is called this because he was very smart but made many unwise decisions.

Exam Tip: This phrase is often used by historians to describe his combination of great learning and poor practical planning.

Question 5. Firoz Shah Tughlaq was Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s son.
Answer: False. Firoz Shah Tughlaq was Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s cousin.
In simple words: This statement is false because Firoz Shah Tughlaq was actually the cousin of the king, not his son.

Exam Tip: Always write the correct statement when marked 'False' to ensure you get full marks.

Question 6. Sikandar Lodi lost control over the Gangetic Valley.
Answer: False. Ibrahim Lodi lost control over the Gangetic Valley.
In simple words: This is false because it was Ibrahim Lodi who lost power over the Gangetic Valley, not Sikandar Lodi.

Exam Tip: Ibrahim Lodi was the final ruler of the dynasty, which is why he was the one who lost control of these lands.

Question 7. Khizr Khan was the founder of Sayyid dynasty.
Answer: False. Khizr Khan ruled as a deputy rather than the official independent founder.
In simple words: This is false because Khizr Khan chose to serve as a deputy instead of claiming the title of an independent king.

Exam Tip: Khizr Khan founded the dynasty but did not take the royal title of Sultan, ruling instead in the name of the Mongol conqueror Timur.

IV. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1. What were the difficulties that Iltutmish had to face and how did he tackle them?
Answer: From the start, people challenged Iltutmish because he did not inherit the throne from his family. However, he showed everyone that he was a powerful and capable leader who could handle these problems.
In simple words: Iltutmish did not get the throne by birth, so he faced many challenges. But he was a strong ruler who overcame them.

Exam Tip: Mention that Iltutmish lacked a hereditary claim to the throne, which was his main difficulty.

Question 2. Write in brief about the rise and fall of Razia Sultan.
Answer: Razia was a courageous and smart leader who had all the traits of a ruler. She wore male attire, held open court to do royal work, and rode horses. She was highly skilled and believed that taking care of her people was her main job. When she took power, the kingdom was in total confusion. As a capable ruler, she quickly brought peace and order. She was fair, kind, and led her soldiers herself. However, many court officials did not want a female ruler. Her special favor toward a slave named Yakut also angered them, leading to her quick downfall.
In simple words: Razia was a great and brave queen who ruled well. But the nobles did not want a woman to rule them, which led to her downfall.

Exam Tip: Highlight both her positive traits (bravery, administrative skills) and the key reasons for her fall (rebellion of nobles against a female ruler and her favor towards Yakut).

Question 3. Who was Balban? What step did he take to consolidate the Sultanate?
Answer: Balban was the father-in-law of Nasir-ud-din. He came to power after Nasir-ud-din died in AD 1266. To make the kingdom strong and secure, Balban took the following steps:
1. He improved the military to make it more powerful.
2. He made sure the people feared and respected him.
3. He forced the nobles and commoners to be faithful to the king.
4. He made the government work smoothly and orderly.
5. He stopped the Mongol forces from invading.
6. He set up a highly active network of secret agents.
7. He strongly believed that the king was God's agent on earth.
In simple words: Balban became king in 1266. He made the army strong, stopped invaders, and made sure everyone obeyed his rules.

Exam Tip: Mention at least three to four points when explaining how Balban made his kingdom strong, especially his spy system and his belief in divine kingship.

Question 4. Who was the greatest of the two - Iltutmish or Balban? Give reason for your answer.
Answer: Iltutmish was the greater ruler for these reasons:
1. He stopped the Turkish officials who tried to oppose his rule.
2. He crushed the rebellion started by the Khilji governor in Bengal.
3. He defeated his outside enemies who ruled Ghazni and Multan.
4. When the Mongol leader Chenghiz Khan came close to India chasing the Persian king, Iltutmish refused to help the Persian king. This smart choice protected India from a Mongol attack.
5. He went on to defeat several Rajput rulers in places like Ujjain and Malwa. He controlled North India down to the Narmada river, and the leader in Baghdad accepted him as India's true ruler.
In simple words: Iltutmish was a greater king because he stopped rebellions, kept Mongol invaders away, and won many new lands.

Exam Tip: Mentioning his clever refusal of refuge to the Persian king to avoid Chenghiz Khan's wrath is a high-scoring point.

Question 5. Discuss briefly Ala-ud-din’s conquest of the North.
Answer: Alauddin started by taking the fort at Ranthambore. After that, he went on to attack Chittor, which was Mewar's capital. Even though the Rajput soldiers fought with great courage, they were defeated. Next, he captured key cities in Malwa like Mandu, Ujjain, Dhar, and Chanderi. By the year 1305 CE, he had conquered all of Northern India.
In simple words: Alauddin took over key forts and cities in the north. By 1305, he ruled over almost all of Northern India.

Exam Tip: Name the specific places Alauddin conquered, such as Ranthambore, Chittor, and the Malwa cities, to score full marks.

Question 6. What was the system of chehra and dagh introduced by Ala-ud-din Khalji?
Answer: Ala-ud-din started using 'chehra', which was like an identity card system for each of his soldiers. He also used 'dagh' to put a special mark on horses that were meant for battle.
In simple words: This system kept details of every soldier and marked war horses so nobody could cheat the army.

Exam Tip: Define both terms separately: 'chehra' for the identity of soldiers, and 'dagh' for branding the horses.

Question 7. What was the consequence of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s project of shifting his capital?
Answer: Because the king was away, Delhi was left open to new attacks from the Mongols. When the king saw his mistake, he ordered everyone back to Delhi after two years. This journey caused great pain and made the people very angry. The plan was a complete failure that wasted the kingdom's money and left Delhi ruined. Daulatabad became an empty, lonely city.
In simple words: Moving the capital was a huge failure. It made the people suffer, wasted all the money, and left the cities ruined.

Exam Tip: Point out that this move left Delhi vulnerable to Mongol raids and drained the royal treasury.

Question 8. Who was Timur? When did he invade India?
Answer: Amir Timur was a conqueror who invaded India in AD 1398, and his actions paved the way for the Sayyid dynasty.
In simple words: Timur was an outside ruler who attacked India in 1398.

Exam Tip: Clearly state the exact year of the invasion, which is AD 1398.

Question 9. Why is Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq called an ill-starred idealist?
Answer: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq is viewed as an unlucky thinker because:
1. He was highly educated in philosophy and math.
2. He was an excellent military leader but lacked simple practical wisdom.
3. He did not let religious leaders interfere with his government.
4. Many writers believe his ideas were too modern for his era.
In simple words: He was very smart and had grand ideas, but his plans failed because they were not practical for his time.

Exam Tip: Contrast his great intellectual qualities with his lack of practical judgment when answering this question.

V. Give Reason why:

Question 1. Mahmud of Ghazni attacked India.
Answer: Mahmud of Ghazni raided India because he wanted to take its riches rather than build a kingdom there.
In simple words: He attacked India to steal its gold and wealth, not to rule it.

Exam Tip: Use the keyword 'wealth' or 'riches' to explain Mahmud's main motive for attacking India.

Question 2. Turks succeeded against Rajputs
Answer: Although the Rajputs were courageous and great fighters, they were repeatedly beaten. The Turkish forces won due to these factors:
1. The Rajputs were not united and fought among themselves, failing to join forces against Ghori.
2. The Rajput leaders were envious of one another.
3. They did not have a permanent army and relied on local lords for soldiers.
4. They could not compete with the fast-moving horse riders of Central Asia.
In simple words: The Rajputs lost because they fought each other instead of working together, and they did not have a fast, permanent army.

Exam Tip: The lack of unity among Rajput chiefs and their lack of a standing army are the most important points to emphasize.

Question 3. Nobles rebelled against Razia.
Answer: The royal court officials revolted against Razia because they refused to accept a female ruler over them.
In simple words: The rich nobles did not want a woman to be their queen.

Exam Tip: Focus on the conservative mindset of the Turkish nobles who disliked being ruled by a woman.

Question 4. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s token currency failed.
Answer: The new money system failed because the copper and brass coins were given the same value as precious gold and silver. This plan collapsed because ordinary people began making fake coins in their own houses.
In simple words: The new coins were easy to copy, so people made fake money at home and ruined the system.

Exam Tip: Highlight 'forgery at home' as the primary reason why this currency experiment failed.

VI. Picture study:

This is a picture of the remains Daulatabad Fort.

Question 1. Name the ruler who built it.
Answer: This fort was constructed by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
In simple words: The fort was built by King Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.

Exam Tip: Ensure you match this fort with Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq's plan to shift his capital.

Question 2. Write the two reasons behind the transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad.
Answer: The king decided to move his capital to Devagiri for two main reasons:
1. Middle position: The new site was right in the middle of his growing empire, making it easy to reach from all sides.
2. Mongol threats: Delhi faced constant attacks from Mongol armies, while the new capital was far safer from them.
In simple words: He moved his capital because Devagiri was in the center of the empire and safe from Mongol attacks.

Exam Tip: Remember the two main reasons: central location and safety from Mongol invasions.

Question 3. What were the results of the transfer of capital?
Answer: Leaving Delhi left the city open to Mongol raids. Seeing his error, the king made everyone move back to Delhi two years later. This forced move caused massive pain and made the public furious. The plan failed completely, wasting all the state funds and leaving Delhi ruined, while Daulatabad became empty.
In simple words: This decision made the people suffer, wasted the kingdom's money, and left both cities in bad shape.

Exam Tip: Mention the severe impact on the royal treasury and the hardships faced by the common people who had to march back and forth.

I. Time To Do

Question 1. Solve the crossword puzzle based on the following clues:
Down Clues:
1. Founder of Slave Dynasty
2. Leader of Mongols
Across Clues:
3. Daughter of Iltutmish
4. Strong king who believed in divine theory of kingship
5. Group of forty Turkish nobles
Answer:

Down Answers:
1. QUTBUDDIN
2. GENGHIS KHAN
Across Answers:
3. RAZIA
4. BALBAN
5. FORTY
In simple words: This crossword puzzle tests your knowledge of key rulers and groups during the Delhi Sultanate.

Exam Tip: Memorize terms like 'Forty' (Chahalgani) and 'Genghis Khan' as they frequently appear in short-answer questions.

Additional Questions (The Delhi Sultanate)

A. Fill in the blanks:

Question 1. The founder of the Khilji dynasty was ___________.
Answer: Jalaluddin Khilji
In simple words: Jalaluddin Khilji was the ruler who started the Khilji dynasty.

Exam Tip: Be sure to spell 'Jalaluddin' correctly, as historical names must be exact.

Question 2. Alauddin was a brilliant ___________ and a shrewd ___________.
Answer: general, administrator
In simple words: Alauddin was very good at leading the army and running the government.

Exam Tip: Remember these two key roles that made Alauddin a very powerful ruler.

Question 3. Alauddin was the first Turkish ruler to build an ___________ in India.
Answer: empire
In simple words: Alauddin was the first Turkish leader to build a massive kingdom across India.

Exam Tip: Alauddin was different from earlier rulers because he expanded his kingdom far into the south.

Question 4. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was an ___________ administrator and a ___________ military commander.
Answer: efficient, capable
In simple words: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was great at managing things and was a strong army leader.

Exam Tip: Remember Ghiyasuddin as the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty who brought order back to the kingdom.

Question 5. Muhammad bin Tughlaq realized the importance of a strong and powerful ___________ to strengthen and secure the position of the ___________. He needed additional ___________ to increase military resources.
Answer: army, ruler, revenue
In simple words: The king knew he needed a powerful army to stay safe, which required more tax money to pay for it.

Exam Tip: This need for more tax money explains why he raised taxes in the fertile Doab region.

Question 6. Firoze Shah’s economic reforms improved ___________ and made the peasants ___________ and ___________.
Answer: agricultural production, prosperous, happy
In simple words: Firoze Shah made changes that helped farmers grow more food, making them wealthy and happy.

Exam Tip: Firoze Shah is remembered for his peaceful reforms that helped ordinary people instead of war campaigns.

Question 7. Alauddin built a strong ___________ to protect his empire from ___________ raids.
Answer: defence system, Mongol
In simple words: Alauddin built strong forts and walls to keep out the Mongol invaders.

Exam Tip: His defense system included repairing old forts and building a strong standing army.

Question 8. Iltutmish defeated the Rajput rulers of ___________, ___________, ___________, and ___________ and brought the whole of North India upto the ___________ under his control.
Answer: Ujjain, Ranthambore, Malwa, Gwalior, river Narmada
In simple words: Iltutmish won battles against several Rajput kings and took control of North India down to the Narmada river.

Exam Tip: Memorize the names of these four cities and the Narmada river as they define the boundaries of his kingdom.

Question 9. The ___________ of ___________ recognized Iltutmish as the sovereign of India. He was succeeded by ___________.
Answer: Caliph, Baghdad, his daughter Razia
In simple words: The religious leader in Baghdad accepted Iltutmish as India's true ruler, and Iltutmish's daughter Razia ruled after him.

Exam Tip: Getting recognition from the Caliph of Baghdad gave Iltutmish's rule legal and religious approval.

B. Match the following:

Question 1. Match the historical terms and names in Column A with their correct matches in Column B:

Answer:

In simple words: This matching list connects the traits and actions of the Khilji rulers to their respective descriptions and locations.

Exam Tip: Remember that 'Shahna' was the officer in charge of Alauddin's market price control system.

C. State weather the following statements are True Or False:

Question 1. Alauddin conquered Chittor, the capital of Mewar/ Malwa/Warangal.
Answer: Mewar
In simple words: Alauddin took control of Chittor, which was the main city of Mewar.

Exam Tip: Chittor was specifically the capital of the Rajput state of Mewar.

Question 2. Alauddin was the first Turkish ruler to send an expedition to Gujarat/Rajasthan/the Deccan.
Answer: the Deccan
In simple words: Alauddin was the first Turkish king to send soldiers into the southern Deccan region.

Exam Tip: This southern expansion was a historic move that went beyond the Vindhya mountains.

Question 3. Most historians have traced the failure of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s schemes to his character/education/ intelligence.
Answer: character
In simple words: Many writers believe his plans failed because of his personality and lack of practical sense.

Exam Tip: Even though he was very smart, his hasty character and poor planning caused his schemes to fail.

Question 4. Firoze Shah laid out about 1,200 gardens and orchards/ lakes/roads around Delhi
Answer: gardens and orchards
In simple words: Firoze Shah built around 1,200 gardens and fruit orchards near Delhi to improve the area.

Exam Tip: Firoze Shah's building of gardens helped improve the economy and beauty of the capital.

Question 5. The final blow to the Delhi Sultanate was dealt by the invasion of Babur/Timur/Khizr Khan.
Answer: Timur
In simple words: The final massive blow that weakened the Delhi kingdom was the invasion by Timur.

Exam Tip: Timur's invasion in 1398 broke the power of the sultanate and led to its eventual decline.

D. State whether the following are true or false:

Question 1. Alauddin dreamt of conquering the whole world.
Answer: True
In simple words: Yes, Alauddin wanted to conquer the entire world and even called himself the 'Second Alexander'.

Exam Tip: Alauddin's coins carried the title 'Sikandar-i-Sani' which means the Second Alexander.

Question 2. Under Alauddin, spies were kept in every unit of the army.
Answer: True
In simple words: Yes, he placed secret agents in all military groups to stop any rebellions against him.

Exam Tip: His strong spy network was a key reason why he was able to keep power and prevent revolts.

Question 3. Alauddin’s death was followed by great political turmoil.
Answer: True
In simple words: Yes, after Alauddin died, there was a lot of fighting and confusion over who would be the next king.

Exam Tip: This political confusion eventually led to the end of the Khilji dynasty and the rise of the Tughlaqs.

Question 4. Muhammad bin Tughlaq was a diligent ruler who undertook projects that were brilliantly conceived and executed.
Answer: False. Correct: Muhammad bin Tughlaq was a diligent ruler who undertook projects that were brilliantly conceived and poorly executed.
In simple words: This is false because although his ideas were brilliant, his execution of these projects was quite weak.

Exam Tip: The contrast between his brilliant ideas and poor execution is what made his plans fail.

Question 5. Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s of increasing the taxes in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab region led to the development of agriculture in that region.
Answer: False. Correct: The policy of increasing the taxes in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab region led to the severe set back of agriculture in that region.
In simple words: This is false. Raising the taxes in this region actually caused great harm to farming instead of helping it grow.

Exam Tip: Since this tax increase happened during a famine, it ruined the farmers and destroyed local agriculture.

Question 6. Muhammad bin Tughlaq stayed in Daulatabad for 5 years.
Answer: False. Correct: Muhammad bin Tughlaq stayed in Daulatabad for 2 years.
In simple words: This is false because he only lived in Daulatabad for two years before moving back to Delhi.

Exam Tip: Remember that his capital transfer experiment lasted for only two years before he ordered everyone back.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences:

Question 1. Under what circumstances did Alauddin ascend the throne of Delhi?
Answer: Alauddin took the Delhi throne by murdering his uncle, Jalaluddin Khilji. At that time, the kingdom was in a bad state because Jalaluddin's gentle nature had led to widespread rebellion and lawlessness. Alauddin used this chaos to seize power.
In simple words: Alauddin became king by killing his uncle. He took advantage of the chaos in the kingdom to take power.

Exam Tip: Mention the assassination of his uncle Jalaluddin Khilji as the primary event that brought him to power.

Question 2. How did Alauddin Khilji win over the rebellious nobles after capturing the throne?
Answer: He won the support of the disloyal nobles by giving them expensive gifts and bribes.
In simple words: He gave the nobles rich gifts to make them support him.

Exam Tip: Focus on 'wealth' and 'bribes' as his tools to gain the loyalty of the nobles.

Question 3. Name the capital of Mewar.
Answer: The capital city of Mewar was Chittor.
In simple words: Chittor was the capital of Mewar.

Exam Tip: Make sure you do not confuse Chittor (the capital) with Mewar (the kingdom).

Question 4. What did the Rajput women in the royal palace do when Alauddin Khilji captured Chittor?
Answer: The women chose to commit jauhar, ending their own lives by jumping into fire.
In simple words: They chose to burn themselves to death to protect their honor.

Exam Tip: Use the term 'jauhar' specifically to refer to this mass self-immolation practice.

Question 5. Who led Alauddin’s Deccan campaigns?
Answer: Malik Kafur was the commander who led the military campaigns into the Deccan region.
In simple words: Malik Kafur led these military journeys into the south.

Exam Tip: Malik Kafur is the key military figure responsible for the Deccan conquests.

Question 6. Why do modern historians reject the account of a mass exodus from Delhi to Daulatabad?
Answer: Today's historians doubt that everyone left Delhi. They believe the city was never fully empty, as records show that building projects continued in Delhi during that exact time.
In simple words: Historians believe that some people stayed behind because building work continued in Delhi.

Exam Tip: The main evidence is the ongoing construction work in Delhi, proving that the city was not completely abandoned.

Question 7. Mention any one economic reform introduced in the Doab region by Firoze Shah Tughlaq.
Answer: He lowered land taxes in the Doab, cancelled the loans given during the food shortage, and removed several other taxes.
In simple words: He made life easier for farmers by lowering taxes and cancelling old loans.

Exam Tip: Mentioning either the reduction of land tax or the cancellation of famine loans is a good answer.

Question 8. Give one example to show that Firoze Shah was concerned about the welfare of his poor subjects.
Answer: He established free clinics and hospitals to care for poor people.
In simple words: He opened free hospitals to help poor people get medical care.

Exam Tip: Setting up free hospitals (known as Dar-ul-Shifa) is the best example of his welfare work.

F. Answer the following questions briefly:

Question 1. With reference to the following conquests, briefly explain how Alauddin extended the boundaries of the - Delhi Sultanate: (a) Conquest of Gujarat (b) Conquest of the Rajput states.
Answer:
(a) Conquest of Gujarat: Alauddin grew his kingdom by launching a military march into Gujarat, which his forces defeated and took over.
(b) Conquest of the Rajput states: He began by seizing the fort at Ranthambore, then moved to attack Chittor, the capital of Mewar. Although the Rajputs fought with great bravery, they were defeated. After this, he took over key Malwa cities including Mandu, Ujjain, Dhar, and Chanderi. By 1305 CE, he controlled all of Northern India.
In simple words: Alauddin added Gujarat to his empire and defeated the Rajput kings to control North India by 1305.

Exam Tip: Address both parts (a) and (b) clearly and separately in your response to secure full marks.

Question 2. Give an account of Alauddin Khilji’s (a) Deccan conquest and (b) Deccan policy.
Answer:
(a) Deccan conquest: Alauddin was the earliest Muslim leader to march into the Deccan. Malik Kafur led this campaign, defeating the rulers of Devagiri, Warangal, and Dwarasamudra, and looting Madurai in the deep South. This made Alauddin the first Turkish king to expand his power below the Vindhya hills.
(b) Deccan policy: He chose not to take direct control of the southern lands because ruling them from Delhi was too difficult. Instead, his main goal was to gather riches from the south to fund his massive army. He forced the southern kings to accept him as their master and pay him large amounts of money every year.
In simple words: Alauddin was the first ruler to raid the south. Instead of ruling those lands directly, he made their kings pay him a lot of money.

Exam Tip: Explain clearly that his policy was not to annex the Deccan but to extract wealth from it to maintain his army.

Question 3. How did Alauddin protect the Delhi Sultanate from repeated Mongol invasions?
Answer: He kept the Mongol invaders out using these steps:
1. He fixed the forts near the invasion routes and put his top generals in charge of border areas.
2. He rebuilt and made his army much stronger.
3. He caught Mongol chiefs and had them crushed by elephants.
4. He killed the Mongols who had converted to Islam and lived in Delhi since the previous king's rule.
In simple words: He fixed his border forts, made his army stronger, and punished the Mongol invaders severely to keep them away.

Exam Tip: Mentioning the defensive measures (repairing border forts) alongside the harsh military punishments will give a complete answer.

Question 4. Why is Muhammad bin Tughlaq regarded as one of the most accomplished and learned scholars of his times?
Answer: He is seen as a highly educated thinker because of his deep curiosity and desire to learn. He possessed an amazing memory and excelled in logic, philosophy, math, astronomy, and science. He also enjoyed Persian books, poetry, neat handwriting, art, and music, and spent a lot of time with other scholars.
In simple words: He was very smart, had an amazing memory, and loved learning about science, math, art, and books.

Exam Tip: List several subjects he excelled in, such as logic, mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy, to show the depth of his knowledge.

Question 5. Discuss the causes and results of the taxation scheme of Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the Doab.
Answer: To make his army larger and keep his rule safe, the king needed more money. He decided to raise land taxes in the fertile area between the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Sadly, a bad drought started right after, causing a terrible famine. The farmers could not pay the higher tax, but the collectors forced them to pay anyway. To escape this cruel treatment, many farmers left their fields and ran away to live in the forests.
In simple words: The king raised taxes to pay for his army, but a famine happened. When cruel collectors forced the poor farmers to pay, they ran away to the forests.

Exam Tip: Clearly link the cause (need for military funds) to the disastrous result (famine, flight of farmers to the forests).

Question 6. Why was the capital transferred from Delhi to Daulatabad? Explain the consequences of this project.
Answer: He moved his capital to Daulatabad for two key reasons:
1. Central spot: The new city sat in the middle of his empire, making it easy to reach.
2. Mongol attacks: Delhi was too close to Mongol threats, while this new city was safe and far away.
Consequences: With the king gone, Delhi was easily raided by Mongols. Seeing his mistake, the king made everyone march back to Delhi after two years. This back-and-forth trip caused great pain and anger. The project was a total disaster that emptied the treasury, ruined Delhi, and left Daulatabad empty.
In simple words: The king moved the capital to keep it safe and central, but the move was a complete failure. It hurt his people and wasted all his wealth.

Exam Tip: Be sure to divide your answer into 'Reasons for Transfer' and 'Consequences' to make it easy to grade.

Question 7. What arrangements did Muhammad bin Tughlaq make to achieve his ambition of a world empire? Why did his scheme fail?
Answer: To build a global empire, he planned to conquer Persia, Iraq, and Khurasan. He gathered a massive army, bought them weapons, and paid them a whole year's salary beforehand. However, he soon realized that marching a giant army through the freezing, snowy mountain passes of the Himalayas was impossible. The plan failed and wasted a huge amount of royal wealth.
In simple words: He raised a giant army and paid them in advance to conquer other countries, but he could not march them over the cold mountains, which wasted all his money.

Exam Tip: The difficulty of marching across the snowy Himalayan passes is the main reason why his plan failed.

Question 8. What was the condition of the Delhi Sultanate at the end of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s reign?
Answer: At the end of his twenty-five years of rule, the kingdom was falling apart and collapsing.
In simple words: After his 25 years as king, the empire was weak and breaking into pieces.

Exam Tip: Use terms like 'decay' or 'disintegration' to describe the weak state of the empire.

Question 9. To what would you attribute the failure of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s schemes - personal character or prevailing conditions? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: Both his own personality and the state of the world at that time caused his failures. Personally, he lacked practical wisdom and could not foresee the results of his choices. Externally, the people were not ready for such modern, radical changes and did not support his plans.
In simple words: His plans failed both because he lacked practical common sense and because the people of his time were not ready for his big ideas.

Exam Tip: Present a balanced argument showing how both his personal traits and the conservative society played a role in his failures.

Question 10. What evidence do we have to prove that Alauddin was a patron of art and learning?
Answer: We know Alauddin supported art and learning because of the grand monuments built during his rule. He welcomed many smart people and poets, such as the famous Persian writer Amir Khusrau. He built beautiful structures like the Alai Darwaza, the Siri Fort, the Palace of Thousand Pillars, and several mosques.
In simple words: He built grand buildings like the Alai Darwaza and Siri Fort, and he kept famous poets like Amir Khusrau in his court.

Exam Tip: Name-dropping Amir Khusrau and listing monuments like the Alai Darwaza will guarantee full marks.

G Picture study:

This is a picture of the most beautiful specimen of Khilji architecture, which was added as an entrance to the Qutb complex in Delhi.

Question 1. Identify the monument.
Answer: This monument is known as the Alai Darwaja.
In simple words: It is called the Alai Darwaja.

Exam Tip: The Alai Darwaja is famous as a beautiful gateway in the Qutb complex.

Question 2. During whose reign was it built?
Answer: It was built during the reign of Alauddin Khilji.
In simple words: It was built when Alauddin Khilji was king.

Exam Tip: Match the 'Alai' prefix with the name of the ruler, Alauddin Khilji.

Question 3. With reference to the reign of this ruler, mention two important features of each of the following: (a) Reorganization of the army (b) Revenue reforms (c) Market control policy
Answer:
(a) Army Changes: He was the first Delhi king to build a permanent, professional army. He made this army very large and started marking horses with brands. He also kept detailed records of all soldiers and placed secret spies in every group.
(b) Tax Changes: He had the farm lands measured so he could fix the state's share of crops. He also hired special tax officers to collect these payments.
(c) Market Control: He set up three distinct markets in Delhi for food, clothes, and animals. Each market was managed by an officer called a Shahna.
1. He fixed the price of all items and kept basic food very cheap.
2. He used officers to watch the prices and make sure shopkeepers did not cheat.
3. He punished anyone who tried to hide goods or use fake weights.
4. He built government storehouses to keep food supplies safe.
In simple words: He made a strong permanent army, set up fair land taxes, and made strict market rules so food stayed cheap.

Exam Tip: For this detailed question, make sure to list at least two clear points under each sub-heading (a, b, and c) as requested.