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UPSC CDS Medieval Indian History — practice questions

Explore 659 free Medieval Indian History questions in UPSC CDS History. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Medieval Indian History questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 659.

Al-Biruni was born in 973 in Khwarizm, which lies in present-day:Read the answer and worked solution →Which Sultan took Al-Biruni to Ghazni as a hostage in 1017?Read the answer and worked solution →Al-Biruni's Kitab-ul-Hind, written in Arabic, is divided into how many chapters?Read the answer and worked solution →Ibn Battuta, author of the Rihla, was born in which Moroccan city?Read the answer and worked solution →Ibn Battuta reached Sind in which year?Read the answer and worked solution →Which Sultan of Delhi appointed Ibn Battuta as qazi of the city?Read the answer and worked solution →In 1342 Ibn Battuta was sent as the Sultan's envoy to the ruler of which country?Read the answer and worked solution →Ibn Battuta stayed for eighteen months as qazi in which island nation?Read the answer and worked solution →According to Ibn Battuta, how many days did it take to travel from Sind to Delhi?Read the answer and worked solution →Who was deputed to write down what Ibn Battuta dictated on his return?Read the answer and worked solution →Which Portuguese writer left a detailed account of trade and society in south India?Read the answer and worked solution →Which French jeweller travelled to India at least six times?Read the answer and worked solution →Francois Bernier was in India from 1656 to 1668 as physician to which Mughal prince?Read the answer and worked solution →To which king did Bernier dedicate his major writing?Read the answer and worked solution →Al-Biruni named three barriers to understanding India. Which was the first?Read the answer and worked solution →Al-Biruni compared the varnas to the four social categories of which ancient land?Read the answer and worked solution →Ibn Battuta said Delhi's rampart had how many gates, the Budaun darwaza being the greatest?Read the answer and worked solution →Ibn Battuta described a market of singers in Daulatabad called:Read the answer and worked solution →In Ibn Battuta's account, the horse-post was called uluq and the foot-post was called:Read the answer and worked solution →Bernier held that the fundamental difference between Mughal India and Europe was the lack of what?Read the answer and worked solution →Which French philosopher used Bernier's account to develop the idea of oriental despotism?Read the answer and worked solution →Catch the travellersRead the answer and worked solution →Pop Ibn Battuta's stopsRead the answer and worked solution →Run the traveller yearsRead the answer and worked solution →Slice the booksRead the answer and worked solution →Which travellerRead the answer and worked solution →Traveller to centuryRead the answer and worked solution →Type the numberRead the answer and worked solution →Travellers bingoRead the answer and worked solution →In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries roughly what share of India's population lived in villages?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Al-Biruni was born in 973 in Khwarizm, which lies in present-day:

  1. Azerbaijan
  2. Uzbekistan
  3. Kazakhstan
  4. Tajikistan
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Correct answer: B. Uzbekistan

1. Khwarizm was a centre of learning. 2. It is in present-day Uzbekistan. 3. He knew Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and Sanskrit. _Source: syllabus Themes in Indian History Part II, Theme 5, Through the Eyes of Travellers: Perceptions of Society._

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Which Sultan took Al-Biruni to Ghazni as a hostage in 1017?

  1. Mahmud of Ghazni
  2. Muhammad Tughlaq
  3. Iltutmish of Delhi
  4. Alauddin Khalji
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Correct answer: A. Mahmud of Ghazni

1. Sultan Mahmud invaded Khwarizm in 1017. 2. He carried scholars and poets to Ghazni. 3. Al-Biruni lived there till he died at 70. _Source: syllabus Themes in Indian History Part II, Theme 5, Through the Eyes of Travellers: Perceptions of Society._

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Al-Biruni's Kitab-ul-Hind, written in Arabic, is divided into how many chapters?

  1. 68
  2. 80
  3. 18
  4. 48
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Correct answer: B. 80

1. It covers religion, festivals, astronomy, customs and laws. 2. It has 80 chapters. 3. Each usually opens with a question. _Source: syllabus Themes in Indian History Part II, Theme 5, Through the Eyes of Travellers: Perceptions of Society._

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