Ch.5 The Turkish Invasions and Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate

Question 1

When did Mahmud Ghazni succeed his father?

Answer 1

Age 27, 998 CE

Question 2

How many times did Mahmud invade India?

Answer 2

17 times (1001-1025)

Question 3

What was Ghazni’s main motive?

Answer 3

to amass wealth and collect money for his ambitious aims

Question 4

How was the environment of past India conducive to Ghazni’s invasions?

Answer 4

• northern india comprised of small independent kingdoms
• lacked central authority
• occupied in petty rivalries, they didn’t see Ghazni coming

Question 5

Explain Ghazni’s war against Jaipal

Answer 5

• mahmud attacked territory of Punjab and annexed it
• Jaipal was forced to pay tribute
• Punjab to present day Afghanistan was Ghazni territory
• Jaipal killed himself due to humiliation

Question 6

Explain Ghazni’s encounters with Anandpal

Answer 6

• Anandpal was Jaipal’s son
• he teamed up with rulers of some western and central states of India
• united effort to defeat Mahmud
• Anand pal and his allies were defeated

Question 7

Explain the infamous Ghazni Somnath Plunder

Answer 7

• mahmud attacked Shiva temple at Somnath, Kathiawar
• rich and sacred hindu temple
• located on Gujrat coast, easy target for Ghazni
• Indian resistance fought bravely but Ghazni got away with loot regardless

Question 8

Consequences of Ghazni’s invasions and looting

Answer 8

• expanded territory in Central Asia
• his capital was decorated with magnificent mosques, libraries, and museums decorated with loot from india

Question 9

The poet and historian/mathematician in Mahmud’s court

Answer 9

Firdausi
Al Beruni (respectively)

Question 10

When did Muhammad Ghori attack Ghazni

Answer 10

1173 CE

Question 11

Why did Ghori turn his eyes towards India?

Answer 11

• because of heavy taxes imposed on the masses, ghori needed other sources of revenue
• india was still stinking rich

Question 12

What were the 5 rajput dynasties

Answer 12

Rathores
Chauhans
Solankis
Paramaras
Chandellas

Question 13

Who was Prithviraj Chauhan

Answer 13

• last ruler of Chauhan dynasty
• king of ajmer
• skilled archer and military leader

Question 14

What happened in the First Battle of Tarain?

Answer 14

• prithviraj’s army easily defeated Ghori’s army
• Ghori vowed vengeance

Question 15

What happened after the First Battle of Tarain?

Answer 15

• rajputs revelled in their victory and neglected defence of frontiers
• Muhammad prepared his forces for a stronger attack
• Prithviraj allied with his rajput brothers again

Question 16

Which king refused to join forces with Prithviraj Chauhan?

Answer 16

Jaichandra of Kannauj

Question 17

What all territories were added to Muhammad’s empire in 1194 CE?

Answer 17

• captured Kannauj
• captured Bundelkhand and anhilwara
• captured Mathura, Gwalior, Malwa, Bihar and Bengal

Question 18

What happened in the Second Battle of Tarain?

Answer 18

(1192) Rajputs were defeated and everyone was killed
- end of rajput power
- delhi kept being passed into the hands of Muslim Invaders until 1858 CE

Question 19

What two slaves turned generals were left as viceroys after Ghori’s death?

Answer 19

Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji
Qutubuddin Aibak (who was the first kind of Mamluk dynasty)

Question 20

What dynasties are collectively known as the Delhi Sultans?

Answer 20

Mamluk
Khilji
Tughlaq
Sayyid
Lodi

Question 21

Which ruler was also known and Lakhbaksh and why?

Answer 21

Qutubuddin Aibak
Because he was generous and benevolent and looked after the welfare of his people

Question 22

Why did Aibak’s son not take the throne?

Answer 22

• Aram Shah was supposed to ascend the throne but was an incapable leader
• hence, Iltutmish was invited to Delhi
• Iltutmish met Aram Shah in battle and won!

Question 23

What are the eight significant things that Shamsuddin Iltutmish is known for?

Answer 23

• destroyed external rivals from Ghazni and Multan
• launched campaign against Rajputs and capturd Ranthambore
• Denied Shah of Persia refuge and saved India from the threat of Mongol Invasion
• got conferred with a mandate of authority
• issued silver coin called tanka
• initiated iqta system for revenue collection
• completed construction of Qutub Minar
• consolidated indian territories into one empire

Question 24

Why was Rukhuddin Feroz Shah an incapable leader? (3)

Answer 24

• he only ruled for 7 months
• spent most of his time is pleasure and enjoyment
• the people of delhi replaced him with Raziya

Question 25

What 5 things is Raziya Sultan known for?

Answer 25

• was a courageous and capable ruler
• did not like the term Sultana because it meant wife of a sultan
• appointed a slave (Malik Yakut) as master of horses
• married governor of Bhatinda, Malik Altunia
• both were killed in 1240 CE

Question 26

After the death of Raziya Sultan, to whom did the rulership move to?

Answer 26

• first to her brother Behram Shah
• second to Masud Shah
• then to Nasiruddin Mahmud (who proved incapable of leading)
• finally, to Ghiyasuddin Balban (last ruler of Mamluk dynasty)

Question 27

What 5 significant things is Ghiyasuddin Balban known for?

Answer 27

• He stopped the revolts of the Turkish nobles and sent them to the north-west frontier
• he defeated the rajput chiefs and suppressed the revolting Tughril Khan
• He sent reinforcements to the north-western front and suppressed the attempts of a mongol invasion
• kept a constant check on his nobility and set up an elaborate spy system
• he formulated the Theory of Kingship

Question 28

After Balban, to whom did the throne pass?

Answer 28

His grandson, Muhammad Qaiqabad

Question 29

When did the Mamluk Dynasty finally end?

Answer 29

1290, after the murder of Muhammad Qaiaqbad