Regional States: Punjab and Mysore Archives

1. With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is

With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.
2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire.
3. Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2

2 only

2 and 3

3 only

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2021

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Statement 1 is correct. The Nizamat of Arcot (Carnatic) was initially a dependency of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Nawab of Arcot was originally appointed by the Mughal Emperor but came under the authority of the Nizam as the Mughal Empire declined. The Nawabs gradually asserted their independence from Hyderabad while still nominally acknowledging Mughal authority, and later became entangled with the British and French East India Companies.
Statement 2 is correct. The Mysore Kingdom, under the Wodeyar dynasty, emerged as a significant power in South India after the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Wodeyars were initially feudatories of Vijayanagara and declared independence after the empire’s disintegration following the Battle of Talikota in 1565.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed in the early 18th century by Rohilla Pashtuns who migrated from Afghanistan and carved out a territory in the fertile Gangetic plain from the declining Mughal Empire. While Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali) did invade India and fight in the region in the mid-18th century, the formation of Rohilkhand predates his major invasions and was not a result of occupying territories previously held by him. The Rohillas were independent rulers fighting against both the Mughals and other regional powers, sometimes aligning with or opposing Durrani depending on the circumstances.

– The Nizamat of Arcot emerged from the Hyderabad State’s authority.
– The Mysore Kingdom emerged from the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire.
– The Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed by Afghan Rohillas in the early 18th century out of Mughal territories, not territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.

The 18th century in India was characterized by the fragmentation of the Mughal Empire and the rise of various regional states like Hyderabad, Mysore, Bengal, Awadh, Maratha confederacy, Sikh states, and Rohilkhand. These states constantly vied for power, leading to a period of political instability which was exploited by European trading companies, particularly the British and French.

2. Consider the following statements about the Treaty of Amritsar (1809):

Consider the following statements about the Treaty of Amritsar (1809):

1. The Treaty fixed the Sutlej as the boundary between the Punjab and British India
2. It was after this treaty that Maharaja Ranjit Singh was able to annex Jammu, Multan and Kashmir to his domains

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2020

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Statement 1 is correct because the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) fixed the River Sutlej as the boundary between Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Sikh kingdom and British India. Statement 2 is correct because by securing his southern border with the British through this treaty, Ranjit Singh was free to expand his kingdom northwards and westwards, leading to the annexation of territories like Multan (1818), Kashmir (1819), and parts of Jammu (though full control was consolidated over time).

The Treaty of Amritsar (1809) was a significant agreement between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the British East India Company that defined their respective spheres of influence along the Sutlej River. It allowed Ranjit Singh to consolidate and expand his power north of the river.

The treaty was necessitated by Ranjit Singh’s attempts to bring the Sikh chiefs south of the Sutlej under his control, which was viewed with apprehension by the British. Charles T. Metcalfe was sent to negotiate the treaty. The treaty prevented Ranjit Singh’s further expansion south of the Sutlej but gave him a free hand north of it, which he effectively utilized to build a vast Sikh empire.

3. Which one among the following wars was ended by the Treaty of Madras ?

Which one among the following wars was ended by the Treaty of Madras ?

First Carnatic war

Second Carnatic war

First Mysore war

Second Mysore war

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2011

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The First Anglo-Mysore War (1767–1769) was concluded by the Treaty of Madras, signed in April 1769. The treaty stipulated mutual restoration of conquests, except for a few minor exceptions, and a defensive alliance between the British and Mysore against common enemies.

The Treaty of Madras was the first treaty signed between the English East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore, ruled by Hyder Ali.

The other wars mentioned were ended by different treaties: The First Carnatic War ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). The Second Carnatic War ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry (1754). The Second Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Mangalore (1784).

4. Who was the first Nawab Wazir of Awadh in the 18th century?

Who was the first Nawab Wazir of Awadh in the 18th century?

Nawab Safdarjung

Nawab Saadat Ali Khan

Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula

Nawab Saadat Khan

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2018

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The correct answer is D) Nawab Saadat Khan.

Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk was appointed the Nizam (Governor) of Awadh by the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah in 1722. He gradually asserted his independence from the weakening central Mughal authority, laying the foundation for the autonomous state of Awadh in the 18th century. He is considered the founder and first Nawab Wazir of Awadh.

Saadat Khan was succeeded by his nephew Safdarjung, who became the second Nawab Wazir. Safdarjung was followed by Shuja-ud-Daula, the third Nawab Wazir. Saadat Ali Khan was a later ruler of Awadh, serving from 1798 to 1814.

5. Chronologically arrange the following treaties/conventions signed betw

Chronologically arrange the following treaties/conventions signed between the Marathas and the British (starting with the earliest) :
1. Treaty of Salbai
2. Treaty of Purandar
3. Convention of Wadgaon
4. Treaty of Surat

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

4-2-3-1

4-3-2-1

1-3-2-4

1-2-3-4

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2021

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The correct chronological order of the treaties/conventions is Treaty of Surat (1775), Treaty of Purandar (1776), Convention of Wadgaon (1779), and Treaty of Salbai (1782). Thus, the sequence is 4-2-3-1.

– Treaty of Surat (1775): Signed between the British Bombay Government and Raghunathrao (claimant to the Peshwaship), initiating the First Anglo-Maratha War.
– Treaty of Purandar (1776): Signed between Colonel Upton on behalf of the British Calcutta Council (who repudiated the Treaty of Surat) and the Maratha regency council.
– Convention of Wadgaon (1779): Signed after the British forces were defeated by the Marathas near Wadgaon. It was highly unfavourable to the British.
– Treaty of Salbai (1782): Concluded the First Anglo-Maratha War, mediated by Mahadaji Scindia. It restored peace and confirmed Maratha supremacy in the region while giving the British control over Salsette.

These treaties represent key stages in the conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy during the First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782). The British sought to interfere in internal Maratha succession disputes and expand their influence.

6. What were the 12 states of the Sikh confederacy called ?

What were the 12 states of the Sikh confederacy called ?

Misl

Gurmata

Sardari

Rakhi

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2016

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The correct option is A) Misl.

The Sikh confederacy in the 18th century, consisting of twelve sovereign territories, was known as the Misls.

After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Sikhs organized themselves into twelve independent groups or armies, called Misls, under their own chiefs. These Misls controlled different regions of the Punjab until Maharaja Ranjit Singh unified them into a single Sikh Empire in the early 19th century.