Here we are providing Class 12 History Important Extra Questions and Answers Chapter 9 Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal Courts. Class 12 History Important Questions are the best resource for students which helps in class 12 board exams.

Class 12 History Chapter 9 Important Extra Questions Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal Courts

Kings and Chronicles Important Extra Questions Very Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Who was the first ruler of the Mughal Empire?
Answer:
Babur was the first Mughal King.

Question 2.
How did Babur relate to Ghenghiz Khan?
Answer:
Babur was related to Ghenghiz Khan from his mother’s side.

Question 3.
Name few of the successors of Babur.
Answer:
Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shahjehan, Aurangzeb etc.

Question 4.
Who gave a defeat to Humayun?
Answer:
Sher Shah Suri defeat Humayun.

Question 5.
Who is considered as the greatest Mughal Empire?
Answer:
Akbar is considered as the greatest Mughal Empire.

Question 6.
Who was the last powerful Mughal Emperor?
Answer:
Aurangzeb was the last powerful Mughal Emperor.

Question 7.
Name few of the Chronicles prepared during the Mughal Empire?
Answer:
Baburnama, Akbarnama, Shahjahannama, Alamgirnama etc.

Question 8.
In which language most of the Chronicles were written in the Mughal period?
Answer:
In Persian language.

Question 9.
What was the .centre of manuscript production during the Mughal empire?
Answer:
Kitabkhana was the centre of manuscript production during the Mughal Empire.

Question 10.
What was the Nastaliq?
Answer:
It was a style of calligraphy, a fluid style with long horizontal strokes.

Question 11.
What was Sheria?
Answer:
Sheria was an Islamic law.

Question 12.
In how many books, the Akbarnama is divided?
Answer:
Akbarnama is divided into three books and the third book is Akbarnama.

Question 13.
Who was Humayun? How was he forced to run away from India?
Answer:
Humayun was the son and successor of Babur. He expanded the frontiers of his empire. However, he was defeated by the Afghan leader Sher Shah Suri and was forced to run away from India.

Question 14.
What happened to Humayun when he ran away from India?
Answer:
Humayun had to take refuge in the court of the Safavid ruler of Iran when he was drove into exile. In 1555 C.E., he defeated the Surs but died an year later.

Question 15.
How did the Mughal dynasty came to an end in India?
Answer:
With the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 C.E., the power of the empire diminished. Many regional powers emerged in place of large Mughal empire. Yet symbolically, the prestige of Mughal rulers remained there. In 1857 C.E., the last scion of this dynasty, Bahadur Shah Zafar was overthrown by the British. In this way, the Mughal dynasty came to an end in India.

Question 16.
Who were the authors of the Mughal chronicles? On which four points did they concentrate?
Answer:
The authors of the Mughal chronicles were the court historiAnswer:All the chronicles emphasised the following points:

  1. Events associated with the ruler
  2. Family of the ruler
  3. The royal court
  4. Wars and administrative provisions

Question 17.
Who founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal and when? Tell any one work done by it.
Answer:
The Asiatic Society of Bengal was founded by Sir William Jones in 1784 C.E. This society published the edited versions of Akbarnama and Badshahnama in the nineteenth century.

Question 18.
Explain any two works done by Akbar to enhance the idea of Sulh-i-Kul.
Answer:

  1. Akbar gave positions and awards to Turanis, Afghans, Rajputs and Deccanis purely on the basis of their service and loyalty to the king.
  2. He abolished the tax on pilgrimage in 1563 C.E. and Jizya in 1564 C.E. as both were based on religious discrimination.

Question 19.
What was Jizya? Who abolished it? By whom was it again imposed?
Answer:
Jizya was a tax imposed on non-Muslim subjects. It was abolished by Akbar in 1564 C.E. and was again imposed by Aurangzeb.

Question 20.
Which was the favourite symbol to represent the idea of Justice of Mughal monarchy? What does it mean?
Answer:
The favourite symbol to represent the idea of justice of Mughal monarchy was the motif of the lion and the lamb (or cow) peacefully nestling next to each other. It was meant to signify that both the weak and the strong could exist in harmony.

Question 21.
How Mughal rulers kept control over court society?
Answer:
Social control in court was exercised by forms of address, courtesies and speech which were acceptable in court. Even a small mistake of etiquette was noticed and punished right on the spot.

Question 22.
Which were the highest forms of salutation to the ruler by the Mughal courtiers?
Answer:

  1. Sijda or complete prostration.
  2. Chahar Taslim.
  3. Zaminbos, i.e., kissing the ground.

Question 23.
Which Mughal emperor began the practice of Jharokha Darshan? What was his objective behind this?
Answer:
Jharokha Darshan was introduced by Akbar. According to this, emperor appeared on a small balcony, facing the east, giving a view to crowds of people standing below. Its objective was to broadening the acceptance of the imperial authority as part of popular faith.

Question 24.
What were Zat and Sawar ranks? What was the main difference between them?
Answer:
Zat and Sawar were the ranks or mansabs of Mughal officials based on numerical destinations. As Zat was an indicator of position in the imperial hierarchy and salary of the official but Sawar indicated towards the number of horsemen which he was required to maintain in his service.

Question 25.
Why Mughal emperor wanted to keep control over Kabul and Kandhar?
Answer:
All conquerers who wanted to conquer the Indian sub-continent had to cross Hindukush to have an access to north India. That is why there was a constant policy of Mughals and that was to ward off this potential danger by controlling strategic outposts, i.e., Kabul and Kandhar.

Question 26.
“Jesuits were greatly respected during Akbar’s time”. Give three reasons in favour of this statement.
Answer:

  1. At public assemblies, the Jesuits were given places in close proximity to Akbar’s throne.
  2. Jesuits accompanied Akbar on his campaigns and tutored his children. ‘
  3. Jesuits were often companions of the leisure hours of the Emperor.

Question 27.
What was the ‘philosophy of light’ created by Akbar and Abul Fazl? Why was this used?
Answer:
According to philosophy of light created by Akbar and Abul Fazl, a divinely inspired individual has top most sovereignty over his people and full control over his enemies. This philosophy was used to shape the image of the king and ideology of the state.

Kings and Chronicles Important Extra Questions Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Why did the Mughal rulers get their dynastic histories written?
Answer:
The Mughal rulers believed that they are appointed by the ‘God’ himself to rule over a large and heterogeneous populace. Although actual political circumstances circumscribed this grand vision but this vision remained important. One of the methods of transmitting this vision was writing of the dynastic histories. The Mughal rulers gave this work, of writing accounts of their achievements, to their court historiAnswer:These accounts recorded all the events of the emperor’s reign. Except this, these authors also collected a lot of information about other aspects of the sub-continent which helped the rulers to govern their domain.

Question 2.
What is Mughal chronicle? What is their importance for writing of Mughal history?
Or
Describe the characteristic features of the Mughal Chronicles. (C.B.S.E. 2011 (D))
Or
How do you think that the chronicles commissioned by the Mughal Emperors are an important source for studying Mughal history? (C.B.S.E. 2017 (O.D.))
Answer:
The genre of texts written by modern historians in English is called a chronicle. These chronicles present a continuous chronological record of events and are an indispensable source for any scholar who wanted to write about Mughal history. On one side, these chronicles give us information about institutions of Mughal empire and on the other side, they convey the meaning of those objectives which Mughal rulers wanted to impose on their domain. In this way these chronicles give us a glimpse that how imperial ideologies were created and disseminated.

Question 3.
How were images or pictures incorporated in the Mughal manuscripts? Discuss any two points of its importance.
Or
Assess the importance of the painted images in Mughal manuscripts. (C.B.S.E. 2008 (D))
Answer:
The painters played a significant role in the production of Mughal manuscripts. They included in the manuscripts many images that described an event in the visual form. The pictures accompanied what was described in words in the manuscript. They served as miniatures. Their importance can be understood from the following points:

  • These pictures enhanced the beauty of a book or manuscript.
  • They conveyed ideas which were difficult to be expressed in the written medium.
  • They had the magical power to make inanimate objects look as if they possessed life.

Question 4.
Write a brief comment on Badshahnama.
Or
Name the author of Badshahnama. Describe its content. (C.B.S.E. 2011 {O.D.))
Or
“lilughal transmitted their grand vision through the writing of dynastic histories.” Explain the statement with reference to Badshahnama. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (O.D.))
Answer:
Once Emperor Shah Jahan called Abdul Hamid Lahori and requested him to write a history of his reign as was done in Akbarnama. As a result, Badshahnama was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori, a pupil of Abul Fazl. It is the official history of the events which occurred during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was written in three volumes (daftars). Each volume covered a period of ten years. Later on Sadullah Khan, the Wazir of Shah Jahan, revised the first two. volumes of the Badshahnama. The Asiatic- Society was the first to publish edited versions of Badshahnama in the nineteenth century. A few excerpts of this book have so far been translated into English.

Question 5.
(i) Which changes came in social status of people associated with the composition of Mughal age manuscripts?Answer:
People involved in the actual production of the Mughal age manuscripts got recognition in the form of titles and awards given to them. Some of the calligraphers and painters got higher social status while other partners like paper makers or book binders remained as anonymous artisans.

(ii) What was the relation of calligraphy with manuscripts?
Answer:
Calligraphy, i.e., art of handwriting was considered as a skill with great importance. It was used and practised by using different styles. Nastaliq was the favourite style of Akbar. It is a fluid style with long horizontal stokes. A piece of trimmed reed with a tip 5-10 mm called qalam, dipped in carbon ink was used to write this style. Generally, a small split was kept in the nib of the qalam so that it could absorb the ink.

Question 6.
Which steps were taken during the colonial age to protect historical manuscripts?
Answer:
During the colonial period, the British administrators began to studv Indian history so as to get a better understanding ot people and their culture. In 1784, Sir William Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal which took responsibility of editing, printing and translation of many Indian manuscripts.
Edited versions of Akbarnama and Badshahnama were first printed by the Asiatic Society in 19th century. In the early 20th century, Henry Beveridge translated Akbarnama in English. Only few excerpts of Badshahnama have been translated in English till today. •

Question 7.
The Mughal Emperors exercised a divine right over administration. How was this view presented?
Answer:
According to many court chronicles, the power of the Mughal kings came directly from God. There is the narration of a legend. The Mongol Queen named Alanqua was impregnated by a ray of sun¬shine when she was resting in her tent. Her child bore the Divine Light which passed on from generation to generation.

The Mughal king also got light that emanated from God. So he was the source of spiritual guidance for his subjects. He wore the halo which is often seen in the European paintings of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The halo of the Mughal Emperors symbolised the light of God. It left a deep imprint on the minds of those who saw the emperor with halo surrounding their heads.

Question 8.
What did the form of salutation in front of ruler in the Mughal court indicate? While describing briefly about different forms of salutations also tell that what was expected from diplomatic envoys in this regard?
Answer:
Form of salutation in front of ruler in the Mughal court indicated towards person’s status in the hierarchy. Deeper prostration represented higher status of the person.

  • Highest form of submission was sijda or complete prostration.
  • Under the reign of Shah Jahan, these forms were replaced by chahar taslim and zaminbos (kissing the ground).

The protocols related to diplomatic envoys in the Mughal court were equally explicit. It was expected from an ambassador presented in front of Mughal ruler that he must adopt any one method out of sanctioned forms of salutation. These included either by bowing deeply, kissing the ground or to follow the Persian custom of clasping one’s hand in front of the chest. The English ambassador of James-I, Thomas Roy simply bowed before emperor Jahangir and further shocked everyone by demanding a chair to sit.

Question 9.
Who was Gulbadan Begum? Make a brief evaluation of Humayunama written by her. ,
Or
Describe how the Humayunama of Gulbadan Begum gives us the glimpses of the Mughal Imperial household. (C.B.S.E. 2013 (O.D.))
Answer:
Gulbadan was the daughter of Babur, sister of Humayun and aunt of Akbar. She was a fluent writer in Turkish and Persian. When Abul Fazl was writing his Akbarnama about the history of the reign of Akbar, she was requested by Akbar to write her memories of earlier times under Babur and Humayun. Akbar felt that her memories could be useful for Abul Fazl.

Gulbadan Begum wrote an interesting book entitled ‘Humayunama!. It gives us a glimpse into the domestic world of the Mughals. It is not merely an enlogy of the Mughal emperors. On the contrary, it brings out the conflicts and tensions that existed among the princes and the kings. It also shows the important role played by elderly women who mediated to resolve some of the conflicts.

Question 10.
“Akbar tried to tie his empire in one thread.” How?
Or
“Akbar was a national ruler.” Prove it.
Answer:
Akbar was the first Muslim ruler who gave preference to national interests instead of developing any religion or sect. He conquered whole of north India and tied it in one thread. He implemented same legal and administrative system in all of his provinces. First time in medieval period, Hindu masses were given same religious freedom like Muslims.

He even removed the religious tax imposed on Hindus called Jizya. Akbar not only married a Rajput princesses but also permitted them to worship their deities according to Hindu traditions. Din-i-Ilahi was a symbol of religious tolerance of Akbar. He began this religion to establish unity among Hindus and Muslims. Just because of these measures, Akbar was succeeded in founding a national empire in the country.

Question 11.
What are the distinctive features of Mughal nobility? State any five features.
Or
“One important pillar of the Mughal I administration was the nobility.” Justify. (C.B.S.E. 2015 (D)))
Or
“The nobility was recruited consciously by the Mughal rulers from ethnic and religious groups.” Justify. (C.B.S.E. 2017 (D))
Or
Explain why the nobility was recruited from different races and religious groups by the Mughal rulers in India. (C.B.S.E. 2018)
Answer:
A corps of officers was one of the most important pillars of the Mughal state. The historians referred to all these officials collectively as the nobility. The main characteristics of these officers were as under:

  1. They were recruited from different castes and religious groups.
  2. A special care was taken to ensure that no group should grow so strong and wide as to be a threat to the State.
  3. The mansab or the status of each officer was determined.
  4. The officers participated in the military operations along with their soldiers. They used to perform administrative jobs.
  5. As the officers held a high position in the society, they were quite rich and powerful and enjoyed ample prestige in the society.

Question 12.
What is meant by Zat and Sawar ranks in Mansabdari system?
Answer:
Zat was numerical value which determined the rank and salary in Mughal Empire. Certain points were there in Zat ranking which are given below:

  1. Nobles with a Zat of 5,000 were ranked higher than those of 1,000.
  2. There were 29 mansabdars with a rank of 5,000 Zat in the reign of Akbar.
  3. The number of mansabdars had increased to 79 in Aurangzeb’s reign.
  4. More number of mansabdars meant more burden of expenditure on State exchequer.
    Sawar was a rank of officer which indicated the number of horsemen h: was required to maintain m service. •

Question 13.
Discuss the merits and demerits of Mansabdari system.
Answer:
Merits:
1. Jagirdari system came to an end with the advent of this custom. Now every mansabdar was dependent upon emperor for his salary. Except this, mansabdars were under complete control of the emperor. They could be called at any time with their cavalry and horsemen. It reduced the chances of revolts against the emperor.

2. The post of mansabdar was given according to the ability of the person. In case of inability of handling the post, mansabdar was generally relieved from his post. In this way, able and successful persons were appointed on higher posts.

3. Government’s expenses of giving jagirs was reduced to a great extent.

4. According to the Zabti system, whole of property of mansabdar was confiscated in case of his death. It increased the income of the government.

Demerits:
1. One of the major demerits of this system was that mansabdar always tried to cheat the government. They used to keep less number of horsemen than the prescribed number but used to take salary of all the horsemen. Government tried to remove this shortcoming but with little success.

(ii) Mansabdars were given very high salaries which was a sort of pressure on the Govt, treasury.

Question 14.
Give main features of religious policy of Akbar.
Answer:
Akbar had great interest in religion right from the beginning. Initially, he was an orthodox Muslim but gradually became liberal in his ideas. He abolished the tax on pilgrimage, i.e., Jizya. He built ibadatkhana at Fatehpur Sikri where people of different religions and sects discussed religious matters. From these discussions, he drew some conclusions and started a new religion called Din-i- Ilahi. Akbar compiled essence of all the religions in this religion. Any one was free to adopt this religion. Even Brahmin Birbal became one of its members.

Except this, Akbar established marital relations with many Rajput princesses. All of his Hindu wives were free to practice their customs according to Hinduism. Every one was free to adopt any religion. Employment was open to all the religious communities. People of all the religious groups were free to practice their customs. In this way, an atmosphere of religious tolerance came into being within the reign of this Muslim ruler.

Question 15.
Write the main effects of religious policy of Akbar.
Answer:
Following were the main effects of religious policy of Akbar:

1. Vast Mughal Empire: Akbar won the hearts of Rajputs only because of his Hindu policy. He was able to suppress his enemies with the cooperation of Rajputs. Many loyal Rajput chiefs won many battles for the kingdom. It led to the great expansion of Mughal empire.

2. Strong Mughal Empire: Before Akbar, Hindus were enemies of empire and were causing huge losses to the state. But liberal policy of Akbar brought Hindus to Mughal court. As a result, Mughal empire became very strong.

3. Encouragement to the sense of Nation Building: As a result of this policy of Akbar, lakhs of Hindus came in favour of Mughal empire and began working for the progress of the empire. That is why Akbar was able to succeed in his objective of nation building.

4. Progress in Art and Literature: As a result of this policy, art and literature made a huge progress. Mughal art was mixed into Hindu art and mixture of Sanskrit and Persian gave birth to a new type of literature and language.

Question 16.
‘Akbar was a Liberal ruler. Prove it.
Answer:
It would be clarified from the following points that Akbar was very liberal and tolerable in his ideas:

1. Establishing marital relations: Akbar established marital relations with the daughters of Rajput kings. In 1562 C.E., he was married to the daughter of Rajput king of Amer, Bharmal. Akbar appointed son and grandson of Bharmal into imperial service. In this way religious tolerance policy of Akbar began with his marriage.

2. Appointment of Hindus on higher posts: Akbar appointed many Hindus into imperial services. He never cared about the individual’s religion while appointing him on any post. Many Hindus like Raja Todar Mai, Man Singh, Birbal, etc., were appointed on higher posts.

3. Religious freedom: Akbar gave complete religious freedom to his subjects. He even introduced a royal farman that no one will be converted forcefully into other religion.

4. Din-i-Ilahi: Akbar collected all the good elements of all religions and sects and introduced a new religion in 1582 C.E. called Din-I-Ilahi.
From all these things it is clear that Akbar was actually a liberal ruler.

Question 17.
What do you know about Din-i-Ilahi? Discuss its major elements.
Answer:
Din-i-Ilahi was the result of progress of religious sentiments of Akbar. From the discussion of Ibadatkhana he concluded that all the religions are basically one and the same thing. He took motivation from this and founded a new religion, Din-i-Ilahi, in 1582 C.E. He included all the basic concepts and elements of all the religions and sects. Gods, Goddesses, Pirs, etc., had no place in this new religion.

According to this, God is one and Akbar is his top most devotee. Followers of this religion were not allowed to be non-vegetarian. Its followers greeted each other by saying ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’. They were always ready to sacrifice every thing for the emperor. Din-i-Ilahi did not become popular because Akbar hardly took any steps to popularise it among masses. As a result, this religion also came to an end with the death of Akbar.

Question 18.
Analyse how the Mughal emperor’s Court procedures reflected his status and power. (C.B.S.E. Sample Paper 2011)
Or
In what ways have the daily routine and special festivities associated with the Mughal court conveyed a sense of
power of the Mughal emperor? Explain. (C.B.S.E. 2013 (D))
Or
“The visible centre of Mughal power was the King’s court.” Justify the statements with suitable arguments. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (D))
Answer:

  1. The royal throne depicted the high status of the emperor.
  2. The canopy was the symbol of Mughal monarchy.
  3. Each courtier had a definite place to sit. It reflected his position in the Court. When the king was seated on his throne, no courtier could change his seat or go outside without the permission of the Emperor.
  4. There were special norms for reception, courtesy and speech to regulate the system and control of the Court.
  5. Good conduct and courtesy was expected from diplomatic envoys.
  6. The dazzling decoration on special occasions and the abundant expenses enhanced the power, authority and dignity of the king.

Question 19.
Give a brief description of central Administration of Mughals.
Answer:
Emperor himself was the head of central administration of Mughals. Some of the important ministers of central administration are given below:

1. Mir Bakhshi: Mir Bakhshi was the paymaster general. He used to stand in the open court on the right side of the emperor and present all candidates for appointment or promotion. His office used to prepare orders bearing his seal and signature and of the emperor as well.

2. Diwan-i-Ala and Sadr-us-Sadur: There were two other important ministers as well at the centre. Diwan-i-Ala was the finance minister and Sadr-us-Sadur was minister of grants or Maded-i- maash and incharge of appointing qazis or local judges. All these three ministers sometimes worked as an advisory body but generally were independent from each other.

Question 20.
Throw some light on Mughals’ relations with the Ottoman empire.
Or
Describe briefly the relationship between the Mughals and the Ottomans. (C.B.S.E. 2009 (O.D.))
Answer:
The main objective of Mughals’ relations with the Ottoman empire was to maintain a free movement for pilgrims and merchants in the territories under control of the Ottoman empire. This was true especially for the Hijaz i.e., that area of Ottoman Arabia where Mecca and Madina, important pilgrim centres were located. Mughal emperors generally combined commerce and religion.

They used to export valuable things to Aden and Mokha, both the ports of Red Sea. They even used to distribute the income from the sale of these goods in charity and keepers of shrines. But when Aurangzeb came to know about the misappropriation of funds sent to Arabia, he stressed on their distribution in India because he believed that, “it was as much a house of God as Mecca.”

Question 21.
How did the religious views of Akbar become mature? What change came in it?
Answer:
Akbar practised the idea of religious toleration. He exhibited the high respect to the members of the Jesuit Mission. In fact, Akbar had a deep quest for religious knowledge. He held inter-faith debates in the Ibadatkhana at Fatehpur Sikri. He met people belonging to all the religions such as the Hindus, the Muslims, the Jainas, the Parsis and the ChristiAnswer:He was quite mature in his religious views. He got knowledge about the doctrines of all religions and sects. He moved away from the orthodox Islamic ways of understanding. He believed in religious toleration. His views are a lesson to modern society which is torn with religious differences.

Akbar found a great change in his religious perception. He did not believe in orthodox Islamic philosophy. He focussed on divine worship and created a philosophy of light and sun. He used this philosophy to shape the image of the king and ideology of the Mughal state. He was sure that a divinely inspired ruler can have supreme sovereignty over his people and complete control over his enemies.

Question 22.
“Many consider Jalal-ud-din Akbar (1556-1605) as the greatest of all the Mughal emperors.” Support the statement with evidence. (C.B.S.E. 2010 (D))
Answer:
Many consider Jalal-ud-din Akbar as the greatest of all the Mughal emperors due to following reasons:

  1. Akbar not only expanded his empire but made it strong and prosperous as well.
  2. He spread frontiers of his empire till Hindukush mountains.
  3. He stopped the expansionist plans of Safavids of Iran and Uzbek’s of Turan (Central Asia).
  4. He then arranged Mughal administration in a proper way. Tolerance and liberalism were two main features of his administration.
  5. Judicial system adopted by him was an ideal
    one.

Question 23.
Describe briefly the expansion and consolidation of Mughal Empire under Jalaluddin Akbar (1356-1605). (C.B.S.E, 2011 (D))
Answer:
Jalal-ud-din Akbar was the son and successor of Humayun. He is considered as the greatest of all the Mughal emperors because he not only expanded but also consolidated his empire, making the largest, strongest and richest kingdom of his time. He extended frontier of his empire to Hindukush mountains. He also checked the expansionist plans of Uzbeks of Turan and the Safavids of Iran. Mughal administration under Akbar was quite strong. He showed great tolerance in the matters of religion and gave freedom to everyone to practice their respective religions.

Question 24.
Describe briefly how the emperor began his day in the balcony and at Diwan-i-aam. (C.B.S.E. 2011 (GD.))
Answer:
Jharokha darshan was introduced by Akbar. According to this, emperor used to begin his day at sunrise with few religious prayers. Then he used to appear on a small balcony i.e., the Jharokha facing the east direction. Below, a crowd of people waited for a view of the emperor. It was started with an objective to broadening the acceptance of the imperial authority or part of popular faith. After spending an hour at the Jharokha, the emperor walked to the public hall of audience (diwan-i-aam) to conduct the primary business of his government. State officials presented reports and made requests.

Question 25.
For members of the nobility under the Mughals, imperial service was a way of acquiring power, wealth and highest possible reputation.” Examine the statement. (C.B.S.E. 2012 (O.D.))
Answer:
For members of the nobility, imperial service was a way of acquiring power, wealth and the highest possible reputation. A person wishing to join the service petitioned through a noble, who presented a tajwiz or gift to the emperor. If the applicant was found suitable then a mansab was granted to him. Mir Bakhshi was the paymaster general. He used to stand in open court on the right side of the emperor and presented all candidates for appointment or promotion.

His office used to prepare orders bearing his seal and signature and of the emperor as well. There were two other important ministers as well at the centre. Diwan- i-Ala was the finance minister and Sadr-us-Sadux was minister of grants or Maded-i-maash and incharge of appointing qazia or local judges. All these three ministers sometimes worked as an advisory body but generally were independent from each other.

Kings and Chronicles Important Extra Questions Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Who were the Mughals? Give a brief description of political history of Mughals.
Answer:
The name Mughal was derived from Mongol. Though today this name is the symbol of grandeur of Mughal empire but Mughals themselves did not selected this name. They called themselves as Timurids because from paternal side they were the descendants of Turkish ruler Timur. First Mughal emperor Babur was related to Mongol ruler Ghenghiz Khan from his mother side. He used to speak Turkish and referred Mongols as barbaric hordes.

The word Mughal was used by the Europeans during 16th century for the Mughal dynasty.
Political History of the Mughals

1. Babur: The Mughal empire was made up of many regional kingdoms. It was the result of conquests
and friendly treaties. Babur was the founder of this empire who was driven away by the warring Uzbeks from his Central Asian homeland, Farghana. First of all, he established himself at Kabul and then moved towards the Indian sub-continent in search of territories and resources to meet the needs of the members of his clan.

2. Humayun: Humayun (1530-40, 1555-56) was the son and successor of Babur who expanded the frontiers of his empire. But he was defeated by Afghan leader Sher Shah Suri and was forced to run away from India. He took refuge in the court of Safavid ruler of Iran. With his help, Humayun defeated Suris in 1555 C.E. But a year later, he died by accidentally falling off the stairs of the liberary.

3. Jalal-ud-din Akbar: Jalal-ud-din Akbar (1556-1605) is considered as the greatest Mughal emperor. He not only expanded his empire but also consolidated it and made it as the strongest and richest empire of his time. He extended frontiers of his empire to the Hindukush mountains. He also checked the expansionist plans of Uzbeks of Turans (Central Asia) and the Safavids of Iran.

4. Successors of Akbar: After Akbar, Jahangir (1605-27), Shah Jahan (1628-58) and Aurangzeb (1658-1707) became rulers of the Mughal empire. All three were able successors who further expanded this empire although with a slow speed. They maintained and consolidated the different instruments of governance.

End of the Mughal Empire: Aurangzeb died in 1707 C.E. after which the central power of Mughal dynasty reduced. That is why instead of controlling such a large empire from capital cities like Delhi, Agra or Lahore, many regional forces emerged. But symbolically, the prestige of Mughal rulers remained intact. The last scion of this dynasty, Bahadur Shah Zafar-II was overthrown by the British in 1857 C.E.

Question 2.
Throw light on the role of painters and images in the Mughal manuscripts. Why and on what grounds, there was a tension?
Or
Describe briefly how the interpretations of the Sharia changed ‘.with time. (C.B.S.E. 2011 (D))
Answer:
The painters had a significant role in the production of the Mughal manuscripts. They described an event in the visual form. They gave a visual expression to many important events that happened during the reign of various Mughal rulers. In fact, their paintings accompanied what was described in words. They were miniatures on the pages of manuscripts. Significance of the Paintings: The paintings served the following purposes:

  • They enhanced the beauty of a book.
  • They communicated those ideas which were hard to be conveyed in the written medium.
  • They were like a magical art having the power to make inanimate things look life-like.

Tension Regarding Paintings: The paintings portrayed not only the emperors but also their courts and other people. So they were always a source of constant tension between the rulers and the representatives of the orthodox Muslims, i.e., the Ulema. These orthodox Muslims invoked the Islamic prohibition of the portrayal of human beings enshrined in the Quran and the Hadis which described an incident from the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

In Hadis, the Prophet Muhammad had forbidden the depiction of living beings as it would have interfered in the laws of nature and the divine power of creation. It was believed that the power of creation belonged exclusively to God. Akbar ignored and did not recognise the tension on the question of visual representations of living beings in the Mughal Court. According to Abul Fazl, Akbar had stated: “There are many that hate paintings, but such men I dislike. It appears to me that an artist has a unique way of recognising God.”

Changing Environment: With the passage of time, the interpretations of the Sharia also changed. Various social groups interpreted the Islamic tradition in the way it suited them politically. So all the Muslim rulers of Asia asked artists to paint their portraits and scenes of life in their kingdoms. For example, the Safavid kings of Iran patronised the finest artists. So many painters like Bizhad played a great role in spreading the cultural fame of the Safavid Court. Many artists came to India from Iran during the Mughal rule. Similarly the famous artists like Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad came to India along with Emperor Humayun. Many other artists came to India in search of opportunities to win patronage and prestige.

Question 3.
Write an essay on Akbarnama and its author Ahul Fazl.
Or
Discuss Akbarnama as an important .source of the Mughal history. Who wrote the Akbarnama? Describe its content in brief. (C.B.S.E. 2011 (O.D.))
Or
“Mughals transmitted their grand vision through the writing of dynastic histories.” Explain the statement with reference to the Akbarnama. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (O.D.))
Answer:
Akbarnama is an important illustrated Mughal official history written by Abul Fazl. It has a lot of paintings depicting battles, sieges, hunts, construction of buildings and scenes of courts. It has shaped and articulated the ideas associated with the reign of Akbar.

Abul Fazl began to write Akbarnama in 1589 C.E. He repeatedly revised his draft and made use of all the available sources such as:

  1. Actual records of events (waqai).
  2. Official documents.
  3. Oral testimonies of knowledgeable persons.

Akbarnama was divided into three volumes. The first two volumes were in the form of chronicles. The third volume is the Ain-i-Akbari. The first volume describes the first thirty years of Akbar’s life. The second volume describes the period from 31st year to 46th year of Akbar’s life. Thus, Akbarnama provides a detailed information about the reign of Akbar. It depicts various aspects of Akbar’s empire such as geographic, social, cultural and administrative. Ain- i-Akbari delineates the picture of Mughal society which comprised of the Hindus, the Jainas, the Buddhists and the Muslims. In other words, the Mughals had a composite culture.

Question 4.
Give main features of different capital cities of the Mughals.
Or
“The heart of the Mughal Empire was its capital city.” Explain with ‘.examples. (C.B.S.E. 2015 (D))
Answer:
Capital city was the heart of the Mughal empire. Mughal courts were assembled here. The Mughals changed their capitals frequently during 16th and 17th centuries. Although Babur captured Agra, capital city of Lodhis but still, within four years of his reign, royal court assembled at different places.

1. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri: Akbar constructed Agra fort in the decade of 1560’s. Red marble was used in its construction. In the decade of 1570’s, he decided to shift his capital to Fatehpur Sikri. Its reason was probably that Sikri was situated on the direct road to Ajmer where there was a tomb of Shaikh Muin-ud-din Chishti. This tomb had become an important pilgrimage centre. The Mughal rulers had very close relations with Sufis of Chishti silsila. Akbar constructed a white marble tomb for Shaikh Salim Chishti near Jumma mosque at Sikri. He also constructed Buland Darwaza. It’s objective was to remind visitors about the Mughal victory over Gujarat.

2. Lahore: In 1585, the capital was shifted to Lahore to increase control over north western frontiers. In this way, Akbar maintained a great check for 13 years on this frontiers.

Shah Jahan adopted sound fiscal policies and accumulated enough wealth for his passion of buildings. The work of construction of building in monarchical cultures was a tangible sign of dynastic power, wealth and prestige. It was also seen as an act of piety in the context of Muslim rulers.

3. Shahjahanabad: In 1648 C.E., Court, military and royal family were migrated to new capital Shahjahanabad from Agra. Shahjahanabad was a new addition to the old residential city of Delhi. The city of Delhi had Red Fort, Jama Masjid, a tree lined esplanade with bazaars, i.e., Chandni Chowk and large mansions of nobles. This new city of Shah Jahan was appropriate to a more formal vision of a grand monarchy.

Question 5.
“The keeping of exact and detailed records was one of the major ’ features of Mughal administration.” Explain the statement with example. (C.B.S.E. 2009, 2016 (O.D.))
Or
“The keeping of exact and detailed records was a major concern of the Mughal administration.” Suport the statement with facts. (C.B.S.E. 2012, 2015 (O.D.))
Answer:
Yes, it is true that the keeping of exact and detailed records was one of the major features of the Mughal administration.

1. Mir Bakshi used to check the group of Court writers (waqia nawis). These writers used to record all applications and documents presented in the court and all imperial orders.

2.Agents (wakil) of nobles and regional rulers used to record whole of the working of the court under the heading of ‘News from the Date Court’. These records also included the time and dates of meetings of court.

3. The akhbarat had all kinds of information like attendance at the court, distribution of offices and titles, diplomatic missions, received presents and enquiries made by the emperor about the health of any officer.

4. News reports and important documents travelled across the regions under Mughal empire by imp
erial post.

5. The emperor received reports from even distant provincial capitals within a few days. Whole of the empire was connected by surprisingly rapid information loop for public news.

Question 6.
What do you know about religious policy of Akbar and Din-i-Ilahi?
Or
Discuss main features of religious policy of Akbar.
Or
Discuss the changes which came in Akbar’s views about religion from accession to throne till the founding of Din-i-Ilahi.
Answer:
Akbar was one of the greatest emperors of his times. His religious policy was based on the concepts of liberalness and tolerance. Such a big change in his religious ideas came because of the following reasons:

1. Impact of Clan: Akbar’s father Humayun was not a fundamentalist. His mother Hamidabano Begum belonged to the Shia sect. Akbar was greatly influenced by her liberal and tolerable nature.

2. Impact of teacher and protector: For the first few years as a king, Akbar remained under the protection of Bairam Khan. Akbar was very much influenced by Bairam Khan and his teacher Abdul Latifs liberal ideas.

3. Contacts with Rajputs: Akbar established marital relations with Rajputs. His Hindu queens played a great role in changing his religious ideas.

4. Mutual conflicts among Maulavis: Akbar was fed up with mutual conflicts among Maulavis and Mullas. He went against them and began work in search of religious truth.

5. Impact of Sufi Saints: Sufi saints of that time propagated the liberal religious ideas. It also helped in changing his religious ideas.

6. Demand of Time: Akbar wanted to establish a large empire. That is why he wanted to have cooperation of both Hindus and Muslims.

7. Construction of Ibadatkhana: Akbar established one Ibadatkhana (place of worship) at Fatehpur Sikri where different religious leaders used to express their ideas. From their ideas, Akbar came to know that religious truth does not remain in one particular religion but is equally exists in all the religions.

Just because of all these reasons he began behaving in a liberal way. He removed Jizya and permitted every one to practice their religious customs.

Din-i-Ilahi: Din-i-Ilahi was the result of progress of religious sentiments of Akbar. He founded a new religion Din-i-Ilahi in 1582 A.D. He included all the basic concepts and elements of all the religions and sects. Gods-Goddesses, Pirs, etc., had no place in it. According to this, God is one and Akbar is his top most devotee. Followers of this religion were not allowed to be non-vegetariAnswer:Its followers used to greet each other by saying ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’. They were always ready to sacrifice every thing for the emperor. Din-i- Ilahi did not become popular because Akbar hardly took any step to popularise it among the masses.

Question 7.
Briefly describe the structure of central administration of Akbar or Mughals.
Or
Explain organisation of the administration and army during the rule of Akbar as given in ‘Ain.’ (C.B.S.E. 2012’ (O.D.))
Answer:
Akbar himself was an administrator of top quality. He tried to strengthen the central power. Administrative system started by him remained there during whole of Mughal period. In short, following are the main features of central administration of Akbar and Mughals:

1. Emperor: During the reign of Akbar, emperor himself was the central axis of administration. All the powers of administration were in his hands and there was no res-triction on his powers. Even then the emperor hardly acted as an autocratic ruler. Mullas and Maulavis had no impact on him. He considered himself as a representative of God.

2. Council of Ministers: There was an arrangement of council of ministers for giving help to emperor in administrative activities. Powers of the Ministers were not elaborated as in modem times. They worked according to the orders of the emperor. That is why they could have been called as secretaries of emperor. The post of Prime Minister was above all the other ministers. Emperor used to seek his advice on all the serious matters. Every minister was responsible to emperor himself. They could remain in their office until the emperor remained happy with them.

Important minister and their offices are given below:

  1. Waqil or Wazir: He acted as Prime Minister and used to give advice to emperor on all the important matters.
  2. Mir Bakhshi: His main work was to give salary to military and civilian officials.
  3. Sadr-us-Sudur: He Was the minister of grants and incharge of appointing local judges or qazis.
  4. Khan-i-Sama: He used to arrange necessary things for emperor and his royal family.
  5. Main Qazi: His main work was to give justice. He was the top most judge after the emperor.
  6.  Diwan: He used to keep accounts of the empire. His signatures were required to pay money to any one.
  7. Other Ministers: Except these ministers, there were different ministers for forests, postal department, department of artillery, etc.

Kings and Chronicles Important Extra Questions HOTS

Question 1.
From which word did the term ‘Mughal’ was derived? Was this word chosen by the Mughals themselves and why?
Answer:
The term ‘Mughal’ was derived from the word ‘Mongol’. Though this term was associated with the grandeur of the Mughal Empire yet it was not chosen for themselves by the Mughal rulers. From the paternal side, they referred to themselves as Timurids, that is, the descendants of the Turkish ruler Timur. However, from the mother’s side, Babur was related to Genghis Khan, a Mongol. However, Babur himself spoke Turkish and considered Mongols as barbaric hordes.

Question 2.
Why did the Mughals call themselves Timurids?
Answer:
The Mughals were related to Mongols from the maternal side. However, they did not like Mongols whom they considered barbaric hordes. On the other hand, they were related to the Turkish ruler Timur from the paternal side. So, they called themselves Timurids. Babur himself spoke Turkish.

Question 3.
Why did the Mughal artists start portraying emperors with halo from the seventeenth century onward?
Answer:
From the seventeenth century onwards, the Mughal artists began to portray emperors with a halo which they had seen in the European paintings of Christ and the Virgin Mary. This light was the symbol of the light of God. It showed that the Mughal kings derived their power directly from God.

Question 4.
How was the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul a unifying force in the Mughal Empire? How was this ideal enforced?
Or
How was the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul implemented through state policies? Explain. (C.B.S.E. 2011 (O.D.))
Or
“Abul Fazl has described the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul of Akbar as the corner¬. stone of his enlightened rule.” Justify. (C.B.S.E. 2015 (D))
Answer:
According to Mughal chronicles, the Mughal Empire comprised of different ethnic and religious communities like the Hindus, the Jainas, the Zoroastrians, and the Muslims. However, the emperor was above all religious and ethnic groups. He stood for peace, unity, and stability. He mediated among all the groups to ensure peace, unity, and justice.

Abul Fazl has stated that the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul stood for absolute peace between all the religious and ethnic groups. It was the cornerstone of enlightened rule. All religions enjoyed full freedom of expression. But no one was allowed to undermine the authority of the state. Besides, the people belonging to different religious and ethnic groups were not allowed to quarrel among themselves.

The nobles of the Mughal Empire implemented the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul. All the officers had the royal instructions to follow the ideal of Sulh-i-Kul in administration.

Question 5.
“Granting of titles to men of merit was an important aspect of Mughal polity.” Justify the statement with suitable evidence. (C.B.S.E. 2010 (O.D.))
Or
“The granting of titles to the men of merit was an important aspect of Mughal policy”. Explain. (C.B.S.E. 2017 (O.D.))
Or
“The granting of titles was an important aspect of Mughal policy”. Justify the Statement. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (O.D.))
Answer:
Giving titles to able persons was an important aspect of the Mughal polity. The promotion of any person in the court hierarchy was known only by the titles he held. One of the titles of Asaf Khan for one of the topmost minister was originated with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet king Sulaiman. Aurangzeb gave the title of Mirza Raja to his topmost nobles Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh. Titles could either be earned or were paid. Mir Khan offered? 1 Lakh to emperor Aurangzeb for the letter Alif means A, to be added to his name to change it to Amir Khan.

Question 6.
Identify the distinctive features of the imperial household of the Mughal Empire. (C.B.S.E. 2015 (O.D.))
Or
“The Mughal imperial household  held vivid dimensions of their domestic life.” Explain. (C.B.S.E. 2019 (O.D.))
Answer:

1. The term “harem” is frequently used to refer to the domestic world of the Mughals. The Mughal household consisted of the emperor’s wives and concubines, his near and distant relatives, and female servants and slaves.
2. Polygamy was practised widely in the Indian subcontinent, expecially among the ruling groups.
3. A distinction was maintained between wives who came from royal and aristocratic families (begams) and other wives (aghas) who were not so noble by birth.
4. The Begams were married after receiving huge amounts of cash and valuables as dower (mahr), naturally received a higher status and greater attention from their husbands than did aghas.
5. The concubines occupied the lowest position in the hierarchy of females intimately related to royalty. They all received monthly allowances in cash, supplemented with gifts according to their status.

Question 7.
Traditions of titles, gifts and peshkash were deeply associated with Mughal Court. Elucidate by giving examples.
Answer:
1. The Mughal emperors used to adopt grand titles at the time of coronation or after a victory over
any enemy when these titles were announced by ushers (naqib) then an atmosphere of awe was created in the evidence. Full title of the reigning emperor with royal protocol were carried on the Mughal coins.

2. Giving titles to able persons was an important aspect of the Mughal polity. Promotion of any person in court hierarchy was known only by titles he held. One of the title of Asaf Khan for one of the top most minister was originated with Asaf, the legendary minister of the prophet King Sulaiman. Aurangzeb gave title of Mirza Raja to his top most nobles Jai Singh and Jaswant Singh. Titles could either be earned or were paid. Mir Khan offered? 1 Lakh to emperor Aurangzeb for the letter Alif means A, to be added to his name to change it to Amir Khan.

3. Rewards included the robe of honour, i.e., Khilat. It was a garment once worn by the emperor. It was assumed that it was a symbol of his benediction. Sarapa was another gift (head to foot). This gift had three parts: a tunic, a turban and a sash. Emperor also used to gift jewelled ornaments.

4. Only in exceptional circumstances, the emperor used to give the lotus blossom set with jewels (padma murassa).

5. No courtier ever approached the emperor empty handed. He offered either small amount of money as nazr or a large amount as peshkash.

6. Gifts were regarded as symbols of respect and honour in diplomatic relations. Ambassadors used to do an important work of negotiating treaties between competing political powers. Thomas Roy was very much disappointed with the return of a ring which he presented to Asaf Khan. It was returned because it was worth only? 400.

Kings and Chronicles Important Extra Questions Source-Based

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow: (C.B.S.E. 2016 (D))

Question 1.
The Accessible Emperor

In the account of his experiences, Monserrate, who was a member of the first Jesuit mission, says:

It is hard to exaggerate how accessible he (Akbar) makes himself to all who wish audience of him. For he creates an opportunity almost every day for any of the common people or of the nobles to see him and to converse with him; and he endeavours to show himself pleasant-spoken and affable rather than severe towards all who come to speak with him. It is very remarkable how great an effect this courtesy and affability has in attaching him to the minds of his subjects.
(i) Who were Jesuit? What was the role of Jesuit Mission in the 16th century India?
Answer:
The Jesuits were the religious preachers. They came from Europe to visit the Mughal court. In the 16th century India, the Jesuit Mission was a part of the process of trade and empire-building.

Question 2.
Nobles at Court

The Jesuit priest Father Antonio Monserrate, resident at the court of Akbar, noticed:
In order to prevent the great nobles becoming insolent through the unchallenged enjoyment of power, the King summons them to court and gives them imperious commands, as though they were his slaves. The obedience to these commands ill suits their exalted rank and dignity.
Questions
(i) Who was Father Antonio Monserrate?
Answer:
Father Antonio Monserrate was a Jesuit priest.
He ws a resident at the court of Akbar.

(ii) According to him, how did the king control his nobles? What was his aim?
Answer:
The nobles served as officers of the Mughal empire in the provinces. The king kept them under control by doing the following:
(a) He personally reviewed changes in rank, titles and official postings.
(b) He established spiritual relationship with selected nobles. He treated them as if they were his disciples (murid).
(c) He summoned them to his courts and gave them imperious commands. He treated them as if they were slaves. All the nobles obeyed the king though it did not suit their rank and status.

(iii) Give any three characteristics of the Mughal nobility.
Answer:
(a) The nobles participated in military campaigns with their armies.
(b) They served as officers of the empire in the provinces.
(c) They maintained horsemen.

Question 3.
Darbar-i-Akbari

Abu’l Fazl gives a vivid account of Akbar’s darbar:
Whenever His Majesty (Akbar) holds court (darbar) a large drum is beaten, the sounds of which are accompanied by Divine praise. In this manner, people of all classes receive notice. His Majesty’s sons and grand children, the grandees of the Court, and all other men who have admittance, attend to make the kornish, and remain standing in their proper places. Learned men of renown and skilful mechanics pay their respects; and the officers of justice present their reports. His Majesty, with his usual insights, gives orders, and settles everything in a satisfactory manner. During the whole time, skilful gladiators and wrestlers from all countries hold themselves in readiness and singers, male and female, are in waiting. Clever jugglers and funny tumblers also are anxious to exhibit their dexterity and agility.
(i) How were the people informed about the royal court?
Answer:
The people were informed about the sitting of the court (darbar) by beating a large drum and singing Divine praise.

(ii) Explain any four political activities of the Mughal court.
Answer:
(a) The sons and grandchildren of the king attended the court. Besides all those attended the court who were allowed admission.
(b) They bowed before the king and stood in their proper places.
(c) The officers of justice presented their reports.
(d) The king only gave orders and settled everything in a satisfactory manner.

(iii) What was the arrangement for the entertainment of the darbaris?
Answer:
The gladiators, the wrestlers, the singers, the jugglers and the tumblers entertained those who attended the court.

(iv) How was the status of a Darbari determined in the court?
Answer:
In the court, status of a darbari was determined by proximity of his seat to the king.

Question 4.
In Praise of Taswir

Abu’l Fazl held the art of painting in high esteem:
Drawing the likeness of anything is called a taser. His Majesty from his earliest youth has shown a great predilection for this art, and gives it every encouragement, as he looks upon it as a means both of study and amusement. A very large number of painters have been set to work. Each week, several supervisors and clerks of the imperial workshop submit before the emperor the work done by each artist, and His Majesty gives a reward and increases the monthly salaries of the artists according to the excellence displayed … Most excellence displayed… Most excellent painters are now to be found, and masterpieces, worthy of a Bihzad, may be placed at the side of the wonderful works of the European painters who have attained worldwide fame.

The minuteness in detail, the general finish, and the boldness of execution now observed in pictures are incomparable; even inanimate objects look as if they have life. More than a hundred painters have become famous masters of art. This is especially true of Hindu artists. Their pictures surpass our conception of things. Few, indeed, in the whole world are found equal to them.
(i) How has Abu’l Fazl described the art of painting? According to him, what is taser (picture)?
Answer:
According to Abu’l Fazl, painting is a magical art. It means drawing the likeness of anything.

(ii) How did Emperor Akbar encourage painting?
Answer:
Emperor Akbar encouraged painting as he looked upon it as a means of both study and amusement. He engaged many painters. He also personally checked their work. He gave a reward and an increase in monthly salary to the excellent painters.

(iii) Give any two features of pictures made by the Hindu painters?
Answer:
(a) The Hindu artists displayed minuteness, finish and boldness in their paintings.
(b) They made inanimate things look as if they had life in them.