1. The practices of Dagh and Chehra introduced by Alauddin Khalji had ensured strong military discipline by preventing soldiers from submitting inferior horses or false identities. When Muhammad bin Tughlaq came to power, he abolished these measures in an attempt to appear generous and trusting towardRead more

    The practices of Dagh and Chehra introduced by Alauddin Khalji had ensured strong military discipline by preventing soldiers from submitting inferior horses or false identities. When Muhammad bin Tughlaq came to power, he abolished these measures in an attempt to appear generous and trusting toward his troops. However, this decision backfired badly. Without proper documentation or horse verification, corruption spread rapidly within the army. Soldiers replaced branded horses with weak ones, fake troop numbers increased and military efficiency collapsed. Contemporary chroniclers like Barani clearly note that Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s withdrawal of these reforms caused significant administrative and military disorder.

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  2. Firoz Shah Tughlaq was the first Sultan of Delhi to explicitly impose the Jaziya (poll tax levied on non-Muslims) on Brahmins. Historically, Brahmins had been exempted from this tax across most Muslim regimes in India. However, Firoz Shah, known for his theological orthodoxy and adherence to the ShaRead more

    Firoz Shah Tughlaq was the first Sultan of Delhi to explicitly impose the Jaziya (poll tax levied on non-Muslims) on Brahmins. Historically, Brahmins had been exempted from this tax across most Muslim regimes in India. However, Firoz Shah, known for his theological orthodoxy and adherence to the Sharia, classified Brahmins as a taxable class, arguing that they should not be exempt merely because of their religious status. This marked a significant shift in the taxation policy of the Delhi Sultanate.

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  3. The correct statements are 1 and 3. Ibn Battuta was indeed a Moroccan traveler (1) who journeyed extensively across the globe in the 14th century. Furthermore, he was sent as an envoy to China (3) by the Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who had employed him as a Qazi (judge). Statement 2 is inRead more

    The correct statements are 1 and 3. Ibn Battuta was indeed a Moroccan traveler (1) who journeyed extensively across the globe in the 14th century. Furthermore, he was sent as an envoy to China (3) by the Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who had employed him as a Qazi (judge). Statement 2 is incorrect because the book recording his experiences, Rihla (The Journey), is often mistaken for Al-Biruni’s famous work, “Kitab-ul-Hind” (or Tahqiq-i-Hind).

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  4. The overthrow of Razia Begum was primarily orchestrated by the powerful Turkish nobility, known collectively as the 'Chahalgani' (Corps of Forty). These high-ranking Turkish slave-officers, established by her father Iltutmish, were unwilling to submit to a female ruler. Their opposition intensifiedRead more

    The overthrow of Razia Begum was primarily orchestrated by the powerful Turkish nobility, known collectively as the ‘Chahalgani’ (Corps of Forty). These high-ranking Turkish slave-officers, established by her father Iltutmish, were unwilling to submit to a female ruler. Their opposition intensified when Razia began asserting her authority and appointed non-Turkish individuals, such as the Abyssinian slave Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, to high posts. This combination of patriarchal prejudice and fear of losing control led the Turkish nobles to conspire and depose her in 1240 A.D.

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  5. The first Muslim ruler to issue gold coins stamped with the image of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi was Muhammad Ghori (Mu'izzuddin Muhammad ibn Sam). After his victory in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), Ghori issued coins, mainly from the Delhi mint, that retained the Goddess Lakshmi motif prevalentRead more

    The first Muslim ruler to issue gold coins stamped with the image of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi was Muhammad Ghori (Mu’izzuddin Muhammad ibn Sam). After his victory in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), Ghori issued coins, mainly from the Delhi mint, that retained the Goddess Lakshmi motif prevalent on earlier Indian coinage. This was a pragmatic move to ensure the new currency was immediately accepted by the local traders and populace, demonstrating a conscious effort toward continuity in monetary tradition.

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