The Delhi Sultans - Class 7 History - Extra Questions

According to the 'circle justice' why was it important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?

Peasantry was the backbone of the entire kingdom. The king could not do anything without it because it was the source of revenue. The soldiers got the salaries which came from this revenue. Hence, it was necessary to keep the peasants prosperous and happy because only then they could be able to pay revenue. Now, it becomes clear why the military commanders kept the interests of the peasantry at top.


Do you think the authors of tawarikh would have provide information about the lives of ordinary men and women?

The authors of tawarikh would not provide such information. It is because the authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly Delhi. They were not in touch with the village people. They often wrote their histories for Sultans in the hope of rich rewards. They had nothing to do with common mass. Hence, it was obvious that the information provided by them would lack the history of ordinary men and women.


What was the impact of the Mongol invasions on the Delhi Sultanate? 

The Delhi Sultanate mobilised a large standing army in Delhi as it posed a big administrative challenge.
Alauddin Khalji constructed a new garrison town at Siri for his soldiers. He imposed taxes on land to feed the army at the rate of $$50$$ percent of peasant's yield. He began to pay the soldiers in cash.
Muhammad Tugluq shifted people of Delhi to Daulatabad in south and thus converted Delhi into a garrison town. He also disbanded the army. He also paid the soldiers in cash.


Find out whether there are many 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.

Students are suggested to visit their city and prepare the list themselves. They can take help of their parents.


Very short answer type question:
Who defeated the Tomara Rajputs and when?

The Chauhans or Chahamanas of Ajmer defeated the Tomara Rajputs in the mid of the 12th century


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?

The steps taken are given below:
  • Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected.
  • Care was taken that the muqti collected only the taxes prescribed by the state and not more than that.
  • It was also taken care that he kept only the required number of soldiers.
  • The muqtis may have wanted to defy the orders to the Sultans because their appointment was not hereditary. Also, their job was transferable. What is more, the conditions of service were severely imposed on them which they did not like.


Who was Genghis Khan?

He was the ruler of the Mongol tribes, China and Central Asia.


Who were the authors of tawarikh? Write in brief about them.

The authors of tawarikh were learned men. They were secretaries, administrators, poets and courtiers who recounted events as well as advised rulers on governance, emphasising the importance of just rule. The authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly in Delhi and therefore they were cut off from the village. They used to write histories in praise of the Sultans and in return got rich rewards. These authors advised rulers that they should follow an ideal social order based on birthright and gender distinctions. Common mass had nothing to do with their ideas.


Why did the authors of tawarikh write their histories for Sultans?

The authors of tawarikh wrote their histories for Sultans because the authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly Delhi. They were not in touch of village people. They often wrote their histories for Sultans in the hope of rich rewards.


Why did large parts of the subcontinent remain outside the control of the Delhi Sultans? What were the repercussions?

Large parts of the subcontinent remained outside the control of the Delhi Sultans because they were very far from Delhi. For example, it was difficult to control Bengal from Delhi. This helplessness of the Delhi Sultans paved there were forested areas that Sultanate forces could not penetrate. It was a golden opportunity for the local chieftains to establish their rule in these regions.


Why did the early Delhi Sultans favour their slaves?

The slaves were totally dependent on their master. Therefore the Sultan could trust and rely upon them.


Describe in brief Tughluq's policy of 'token' currency.

Tughluq did not control prices of the goods. Instead, he used a token currency, made out of cheap metals, and not of gold and silver. People in the $$14th$$ century did not believe in these coins. They saved their gold and silver coins and paid all their taxes to the state with this token currency. This cheap currency could be counterfeited easily.


Why did the authors of Persian tawarikh criticise the Delhi Sultans?

They did not like the Sultanate's policy of appointing the 'low and base-born' to high offices.


What was the duty of the muqtis?

The duty of the muqtis was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas.


Class 7 History Extra Questions