Mughal Empire
Lowest rank in the Mansabdari system
10
How was the empire divided?
12 provinces/subahs -> sarkars -> parganas/mahals
To what age did Akbar raise for Marriage?
14 for girls and 16 for boys
How many steps does the Southern gate of the Jama Masjid have?
33
How many steps does the Eastern gate of the Jama Masjid have?
35
How many steps does the Northern gate of the Jama Masjid have?
39
Highest rank in the Mansabdari system
5000
What was a vakil or vasir and during whose reigns were they present?
A vakil or vasir was the Prime Minister and he was present during Babur's and Humayun's reigns. Bairam Khan was also the vakil during the early years of Akbar's reign.
Mention who wrote the Ain-i-Akbar and his role.
Abul Fazl, the minister and one of the 9 jewels at Akbar's court.
When did Shah Jahan decide to build the Red Fort?
After he decided to shift his capital to Delhi.
Where is Taj Mahal located?
Agra, on the banks of Yamuna
What is regarded as a precious source material for knowing the administration and culture during Akbar's reign.
Ain-i-Akbar
Who was the greatest of the Mughal Rulers and only 13 when he ascended the throne?
Akbar
Along with Jizyah what did Akbar abolish and why?
Akbar also abolished the pilgrim tax on bathing at holy places such as Prayag and Benaras, he also abolished the practice of forcibly converting prisoners of war to Islam. All these steps laid a foundation to a society of equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of religious beliefs.
After having established himself in Delhi and Agra what did Akbar do?
Akbar captured Malwa, Gondwana, Bengal, Gujurat, Kashmir and Kabul.
What did Akbar do to strengthen the liberal principles under steps toward Integration?
Akbar enrolled a number of Hindus into the Nobility, while most of these were Rajputs rajas, mansabs (positions or ranks) were given to others based on competence.
What did Akbar do in his Policy?
Akbar gave complete religious freedom to his wives who followed Hinduism and gave an honorary place for their parents and relations in the nobility.
What orders did Akbar issue to the kotwals regarding Sati?
Akbar issued orders to the kotwals to check the forcible practice of Sati. However, the women who committed Sati out of their own free will were allowed to do so.
Why was the battle if Haldighati fought?
Akbar subdued the Rajput princes, except Mewar.
What did Akbar succeed to?
Akbar succeeded to a difficult position and had to virtually reconquer his empire.
For which policy did Akbar enter into marriage alliances with the Rajputs?
Akbar's Rajput Policy
What did Akbar's Rajput Policy end?
Akbar's Rajput Policy ended the centuries -old animosity between the Muslim rulers and the Rajputs.
What did the rule extend to during Aurangzeb's reign?
Almost the entire subcontinent - from Kashmir in the North to river Kaveri in the South, and from Kabul in the West to Chittagong in the East.
What does the interior of the Taj Mahal have?
An octagonal chamber
Who later built the Moti Masjid in the Red Fort?
Aurangzeb
Who reversed Akbar's policy of religious tolerance and spent the last days of his reign attempting to suppress rebellions.
Aurangzeb
T/F - Aurangzeb ascended the throne easily.
Aurangzeb ascended the throne after a long and fierce struggle with his father and three brothers.
Who was the descendant of Timur, the Mongol Ruler?
Babur
Between whom was the Battle of Khanwa fiercely fought?
Babur and Rana Sanga's forces.
What happened in the Fist Battle of Panipat?
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi and occupied Delhi and Agra.
T/F - Babur died in 1530 after he stabilized the Mughal Empire.
Babur died in 1530 before he could stabilize the Mughal Empire.
What did Babur have to do after The Battle of Panipat before he could consolidate his hold on the area?
Babur had to wage two wars, one against Rana Sanga of Mewar, and the other against the Eastern Afghans.
Who and where did Babur meet for the Battle of Ghagra?
Babur met the combined forces of the Afghans and Nusrat Shah of Bengal.
Who was Akbar's tutor?
Bairam Khan
Which places did Akbar annex after he entered the Deccan region?
Berar, Khandesh and Ahmadnagar.
What rises to a height of 56.1 metres?
Central dome of Taj Mahal.
What does the fifth book of Ain-i-Akbar deal with?
Contains the wise sayings of Akbar, it also contains an account of the ancestry and biography of the author, Abul Fazl.
Who invited Babur to India and why?
Daulat Khan Lodhi, the Governor of Punjab invited Babur to oust Ibrahim Lodhi from the throne.
Where is the Red Fort located?
Delhi, on the banks of Yamuna.
According to the court chronicles of the Mughals where did the power of the Mughal kings come from?
Directly from God.
According to Abul Fazal, the office of a true ruler was very responsible and depended on..?
Divine Illumination
In which building of the Red Fort was the Peacock throne placed?
Diwan-i-Khas, a lavishly decorated hall.
The face of Jama Masjid's spacious prayer hall consists of?
Eleven arches of which the central arch rises far above the roof level.
How did making the Rajputs equal partners in the Mughal Government help the Mughal Empire?
It considerably affected the public policies of the Mughals and greatly helped in the growth of a composite culture.
What did the Centralized state rest on?
It rested on two pillars the absolute authority of the Emperor and the strength of the army
What was the Mansabdari system?
It was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix rank, salary and military responsibilities.
What was Din-i-Illahi?
It was based on the principle of oneness of God. The new religion stressed on virtues like courage, loyalty and justice. It also demanded loyalty to the emperor.
Who passed a law, where if a rich man were to die without an heir, his assets would be used by the State to help in the development and maintenance of educational institutes.
Jahangir
Whats the biggest mosque in India?
Jama Masjid
What was Jizyah and what did Akbar do with it and why ?
Jizyah was a poll tax that non-Muslims were required to pay, he abolished it to promote greater understanding between the Muslims and the Hindus.
Why did Maharana Pratp have to escape the battle of Haldighati?
Maharana Pratap fought with matchless courage but had to escape from the battlefield because of a severe wound.
Between who was the battle of Haldighati fought?
Maharana Pratap, ruler of Mewar and the Mughal army led by Raja Man Singh.
In memory of whom was the Taj Mahal built?
Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan's beloved wife.
Name three work that we taken up for translation in Akbar's translation department.
Quran, Bible, Mahabharata
Materials used to make the Red Fort?
Red sandstone and Marble
What does the second book of Ain-i-Akbar deal with?
Servants of the emperor, the military and civil services
By whom was the Taj Mahal built?
Shah Jahan
Who took some significant educational initiatives like providing scholarships to assist students.
Shah Jahan
Who was the Jama Masjid built by?
Shah Jahan
Which battle secured Babur's position in the Delhi-Agra region?
The Battle of Khanwa
Who made laws and issued administrative ordinances?
The Emperor
What happened in the Second battle of Panipat?
The Mughal forces led by Bairam Khan defeated Hemu.
T/F - The Red Fort has small walls and two gateways.
The Red Fort has massive walls and two gateways.
What was the Western Gateway of the Red Fort known as and for what was it used?
The Western Gateway was known as the Lahori Gate, this gate was used for emperor's ceremonial purposes.
What was the basic purpose of forming Din-i-Illahi?
The basic purpose of forming Din-i-Illahi was Sulh-kul or universal harmony which governed all public policies of Akbar.
What was the diwan responsible for?
The diwan was responsible for all the income and expenditure.
For what was the Diwan-i-Khas used?
The hall was used by the emperor to give audience to the princes of the royal family, nobles and other important dignitaries.
What was a qazi and what was it sometimes combined with?
The judicial department was headed by the qazi, it was sometimes combined with the chief sadar who was responsible for all charitable and religious matters.
What were the Mughal Rulers also known as?
Timuridin Rulers
T/F - Akbar legalized widow remarriage
True
T/F - The Mughal emperor ruled the empire with paternal love towards his subjects without distinction of sect or creed.
True
T/F - Under Aurangzeb the Mughal Empire reached its largest extent, but also witnessed a series of political disturbances.
True
Designer of the Taj Mahal?
Ustad Isha Khan
What Aurangzeb's long reign of 50 years devoted to.
Wars in different parts of the country.
What was Babur's full name?
Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur
Ranks were divided into?
Zats and Sawar
On what is the Jama Masjid built on?
a lofty basement
What does the fourth book of Ain-i-Akbar deal with?
contains information about Hindu philosophy, science, social customs and literature.
What method of decoration is called pietra dura.
decorations made on walls with floral designs made of semi precious stones.
How many towers does the Jama Masjid have?
four
Where do the majestic flights of stairs lead to at the Jama Masjid?
imposing gateways on three sides of the courtyard.
Mansabdar
individual who holds a mansab
What was the mir bakhshi the head of other than the military department?
intelligence and information agencies of the empire
What were the Subahdar's functions?
maintenance of law and order, enforcement of imperial decrees, administration of criminal justice and smooth collection of revenue
It is the _____________ of both Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan.
mausoleum
On each of the four corners of the Taj Mahal there is a?
minaret
What was the head of the Military Department called?
mir bakhshi
mansab
position or rank
How did Mansabdars receive their salaries?
revenue assignments called jagirs
mansabdars formed the ________ group in the Mughal Empire
ruling
What was the governor who headed the subahs called?
subahdar / sipah salar / nazim
Akbar was against anyone having more than one wife unless...
the first wife could not bear children
How many gateways does the Jama Masjid have?
three
What was one of Shuhra-i-am's Duties
to build schools and colleges
T/F - Taj Mahal brought all the architectural forms developed by Mughals like massive domes of marble, pietra dura inlay work and kiosks(chhatris)
true
How many minarets does the Jama Masjid have and what materials are they made of?
two 40m high minarets constructed of red sandstone and white marble.
The Mughal Emperor endowed with the divine light was regarded as the ______________ of God on Earth.
vice-regent
The head of the revenue department was...
wazir, known as diwan or diwan-i-ala
What was the empire head of?
Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and the Army
T/F - Akbar set up a big translation department for translating works in Persian, Arabic and Greek into Sanskrit.
False, Akbar set up a big translation department for translating works in Sanskrit, Arabic and Greek into Persian.
T/F - The Emperor was the supreme commander of the armed forces, but other commander were appointed and removed by someone else.
False, The Emperor was the supreme commander of the armed forces, other commander were appointed and removed by him.
What did Akbar lay more emphasis on in the educational syllabus?
He laid more emphasis on moral education, mathematics and on secular subjects such as agriculture, geometry, astronomy, logic and history.
By the time Akbar died which areas were under his rule?
His authority extended from Assam in the East to the areas beyond the north-western frontier that is Kabul and Khandahar in the west. In the Deccan his dominions included Ahmadnagar, Khandesh and Berar.
What was Ibadat Khana and what was it used for?
Ibadat Khana or the Hall of Prayer at Fatehpur Sikri was used to call selected theologians of all religions, intellectuals and discuss religious and spiritual matters with them.
What does the third book of Ain-i-Akbar deal with?
Imperial administration, it consists of the regulations for the judicial and executive departments, and the divisions of the empire.
What does the first book of Ain-i-Akbar deal with?
Imperial household
