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IMAGINE
You are a peasant in Alauddin Khalji’s or Muhammad Tughluq’s reign and you cannot pay the taxes demanded by the Sultan. What will you do?
Answer.
Peasants in:
Alauddin Khalji’s Reign
• We will have to forego our land
Muhammad-bin-Tughluq’s Reign
• Heavy penalties will be imposed.
1. Which ruler first established his or her capital at Delhi?
Answer: Ananga Pala (Tomaras) of the Rajput Dynasty first established his capital at Delhi.
2. What was the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans?
Answer: The language of administration under the Delhi Sultans was Persian.
3. In whose reign did the Sultanate reach its farthest extent?
Answer: During the reign of Muhammad Tughluq, the Sultanate reached its farthest extent and had marched across a large part of the subcontinent. They defeated the rival armies and seized several cities. The Sultanate also collected taxes from the peasantry and dispensed justice in its realm.
4. From which country did Ibn Battuta travel to India?
Answer: Ibn Battuta was a fourteenth-century traveler who came to India from Morocco, Africa.
5. According to the “circle of justice”, why was it important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?
Answer: According to the “circle of justice”, it was important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind, because the salaries of the military commanders came from the revenue collected from peasants. However, the peasants were able to pay their revenue only when they were prosperous and happy. Thus, the military commanders promoted justice and honest governance.
6. What is meant by the “internal” and “external” frontiers of the Sultanate?
Answer: The “internal” frontiers of the Sultanate means the consolidation of the hinterlands of the garrison towns. During these campaigns, forests were cleared in the Ganga-Yamuna doab and hunter-gatherers and pastoralists were expelled from their habitat and these lands were handed over to the peasants. They also promoted regional trade through the establishment of New fortresses and garrison towns.
The “external” frontiers of the Sultanate meant the military expeditions into southern parts of India, which started during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and ended with the reign of Muhammad Tughluq.
7. What were the steps taken to ensure that muqtis performed their duties? Why do you think they may have wanted to defy the orders of the Sultans?
Answer: The muqtis or iqtadar was a military commander appointed by the Khalji and Tughlug monarchs as governors of territories of varying sizes. These lands were called ‘Iqta’. The duties of the muqtis were as follows:
a. To lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas.
b. The muqtis had to collect the revenues of their assignments as salary in exchange for their military services and had to pay their soldiers from these revenues.
c. Control over muqtis was most effective if their office was not inheritable and if they were assigned iqtas for a short period of time before being shifted.
d. Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected by the muqtis. Care was taken that the muqti collected only the taxes prescribed by the state and that they kept the required number of soldiers.
8. What was the impact of the Mongol invasions on the Delhi Sultanate?
Answer: Mongol attacks on the Delhi Sultanate increased during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and in the early years of Muhammad Tughluq’s rule. Both Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq constructed a new garrison town for their soldiers and collected tax from lands between the Ganga and Yamuna to keep the soldiers fed. Alauddin chose to pay his soldiers in cash rather than iqtas, whereas Muhammad Tughluq used a token currency made out of cheap metals.
Question 9.
Do you think the authors of tawarikh would provide information about the lives of ordinary men and women?
Answer.
Yes, the author of the Tarikh would provide information about the lives of ordinary men and women.
Question 10.
Raziyya Sultan was unique in the history of the Delhi Sultanate. Do you think women leaders are accepted more readily today?
Answer.
Yes, I think like that. The situation has changed today. Due to the spread of education, people now realize the potential of women. So, they have started accepting them as leaders. Even in rural areas now we see women Sarpanches and Councillors.
Question 11.
Why were the Delhi Sultans interested in cutting down forests? Does deforestation occur for the same reasons today?
Answer.
The Delhi Sultans cleared the forests in the Ganga-Yamuna doab and gave these lands to peasants in order to encourage agriculture. They also established new fortresses and towns in these lands to protect trade routes and to promote regional trade.
No, deforestation does not occur for the same reasons today. Nowadays, vegetation cover is being reduced due to over-population, urbanization, and commercialization.
LET’S DO
Question 12.
Find out whether there are any buildings built by the Delhi Sultans in your area. Are there any other buildings in your area that were built between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries? Describe some of these buildings, and draw sketches of them.
Answer.
Yes, there are several. Some of them are Buildings built between 12th and 15th century
Sketches: Do this yourself.
Other Buildings
• Lai Quila, Jama Masjid.
Question 1.
What are the four stages in the preparation of a manuscript? (NCERT Page 32)
Answer.
Four stages in the preparation of a manuscript are as under:
Question 2.
Do you think the circle of justice is an appropriate term to describe the relationship between the king and his subjects? (NCERT Page 32)
Answer.
The Circle of Justice
Fakhr-i-Mudabbir wrote in the thirteenth century
A king cannot survive without soldiers. And soldiers cannot live without salaries. Salaries come from the revenue collected from peasants. But peasants can pay revenue only when they are prosperous and happy. This happens when the king promotes justice and honest governance.
Question 3.
Express Minhaj’s ideas in your own words. Do you think Raziyya shared these ideas? Why do you think it was so difficult for a woman to be a ruler? (NCERT Page 33)
Answer.
Question 4.
Compare Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. What similarities and differences do you notice amongst the mosques? The mosques in Figures 3, 4, and 5 show an evolution in an architectural tradition that culminates in Shah Jahan’s mosque in Delhi. (NCERT Page 37)
Answer.
Similarities and differences in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 (See NCERT pages 36-37).
Question 5.
Can you think of any reason why a slave would be better than a son? (NCERT Page 38)
Answer.
Question 6.
Why do you think Barani criticized the Sultan? (NCERT Page 38)
Answer.
Ziyauddin Barani Criticised Sultan for his loss of political judgment and incapacity to rule. He was not in favour of certain administrative appointments made by Md. Tughluq like Aziz Khummar, a wine distiller, Firuz Hajjam, a barber, Manka Tabbakh, a cook, Ladha and Pira, gardener.
Question 7.
Describe the ways in which the chieftains arranged for their defence. (NCERT Page 40)
Answer.