The Mughal Empire | History VII | Questions and Answers

Our Past II | JANDKNCERT

The Mughal Empire | History VII | Questions and Answers

 

Chapter 4: The Mughal Empire

Let’s Recall

Question 1. Match the following:

Answer:

1.  Mansab – Rank

2.  Mongol – Uzbeg

3.  Tamerlane – Turco-Mongol

4.  Garrison town – Fortified settlement

5.  Suba – Province

Question 2. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The capital of Mirza Hakim, Akbar’s half-brother, was __________.

(b) The live Deccan Sultanates were Berar, Khandesh. Ahmadnagar, _________and ________.

(c) If zat determined a mansabdar’s rank and salary, satvar indicated his ___________.

(d) Abul Fazl, Akbar’s friend and counsellor, helped him frame the idea of ________ so that he could govern a society composed of many religions, cultures and castes.

Answer:

(a) The capital of Mirza Hakim, Akbar’s half-brother, was Kabul.

(b) The five Deccan Sultanates were Berar, Khandesh, Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, and Golconda.

(c) If zat determined a mansabdar’s rank and salary, sawar indicated his number of cavalrymen.

(d) Abul Fazl, Akbar’s friend and counsellor, helped him frame the idea of Sulh-i-kul so that he could govern a society composed of many religions, cultures and castes.

Question 3. What were the central provinces under the control of the Mughals?
Answer: Delhi, Agra, Lahore, and parts of Bihar and Bengal.

Question 4. What was the relationship between the mansabdar and the jagir?
Answer: Mansabdars were given jagirs (land assignments) as salary; they collected revenue from these lands.

 

Let’s Understand

Question 5. What was the role of the zamindar in Mughal administration?
Answer: Zamindars collected taxes from peasants and gave a share to the state, acting as intermediaries between the government and the people.

Question 6. How were the debates with religious scholars important in the formation of Akbar’s ideas on governance?
Answer: Debates exposed Akbar to different religious views, helping him develop the idea of tolerance and the policy of Sulh-i-kul (universal peace).

Question 7. Why did the Mughals emphasise their Timurid and not their Mongol descent?
Answer: They associated Mongols with Genghis Khan's invasions, while Timurid ancestry linked them to a prestigious and cultured lineage.

 

Let’s Discuss

Question 8. How important was the income from land revenue to the stability of the Mughal Empire?
Answer: Land revenue was the main source of income for the empire and essential for funding administration and the military.

Question 9. Why was it important for the Mughals to recruit mansabdars from diverse backgrounds and not just Turanis and Iranis?
Answer: Including Rajputs and other Indian groups ensured loyalty, reduced rebellion, and helped integrate the empire socially and politically.

Question 10. Like the Mughal Empire, India today is also made up of many social and cultural units. Does this pose a challenge to national integration?
Answer: Yes, diversity can be a challenge, but it can also strengthen national unity if managed with respect, equality, and inclusive policies.

Question 11. Peasants were vital for the economy of the Mughal Empire. Do you think that they are as important today? Has the gap in the income between the rich and the poor in India changed a great deal from the period of the Mughals?
Answer: Peasants are still important for agriculture, but industrialization has shifted focus; the income gap has widened significantly since Mughal times.

Question 12. Discuss the foundation and expansion of Mughal rule in Kashmir.
Answer: Akbar annexed Kashmir in 1586; later emperors like Jahangir and Shah Jahan strengthened Mughal rule by promoting culture, administration, and infrastructure there.