Tughluq Dynasty Archives

1. Which one among the following was/were the motive/motives behind Muham

Which one among the following was/were the motive/motives behind Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad ?

1. The shift to Daulatabad would give him a chance to establish control over Deccan and Gujarat
2. It would provide access to the Western and Southern ports
3. It would protect him from direct Mongol invasion from the North-Western frontier

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2014

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All three statements represent plausible and commonly cited reasons behind Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s decision to transfer his capital from Delhi to Devagiri (renamed Daulatabad) in 1327. Daulatabad’s central location provided a strategic advantage for controlling the vast and expanding Tughlaq empire, especially the Deccan and southern regions, aligning with statement 1. Proximity to the Western and Southern ports (like Cambay) would facilitate trade and access to resources, supporting statement 2. Moving the capital away from Delhi also offered increased security from the frequent Mongol invasions that threatened the northwestern frontiers of the Sultanate, supporting statement 3. While the move ultimately proved difficult and unpopular, leading to the capital’s return to Delhi, these three motives are widely accepted by historians as factors influencing the decision.

Daulatabad was centrally located for controlling the expanded Tughlaq Empire.
Its location provided better access to southern regions and coastal trade.
Moving the capital away from Delhi offered protection from Mongol invasions.

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s reign is known for several ambitious but often poorly executed administrative experiments, including the transfer of capital and the introduction of token currency. While the strategic logic behind the move to Daulatabad was sound in theory, practical difficulties, the vast distance, and the forced migration of the population led to immense suffering and the eventual abandonment of the project.

2. Which one of the following travelogues has given an insight on the rei

Which one of the following travelogues has given an insight on the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq ?

Ibn Battuta's Rihla

Francois Bernier's Travels in the Mogul Empire

Niccolao Manucci's Storia do Mogor

Tavernier's Travels in India

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-2 – 2017

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The correct answer is Ibn Battuta’s Rihla.

Ibn Battuta, a famous Moroccan traveler and scholar, visited India during the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq (1325-1351 AD) and served him for several years. His detailed travelogue, ‘Rihla’ (meaning ‘journey’), provides invaluable insights into the political, social, and economic conditions of the Delhi Sultanate under Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.

Francois Bernier, Niccolao Manucci, and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier were European travelers who visited India much later, during the Mughal period (primarily the 17th century), and their accounts describe the Mughal emperors like Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan, etc., not the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq of the Delhi Sultanate.

3. The two medieval period canals originating from the Sutlej and Yamuna

The two medieval period canals originating from the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers and joining at Karnal were made at the orders of :

Alauddin Khalji

Mohammad Tughlaq

Firuz Tughlaq

Ibrahim Lodi

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2024

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Firuz Shah Tughlaq (ruled 1351–1388) of the Delhi Sultanate was renowned for his extensive public works, including irrigation canals. He is credited with repairing and extending old canals and constructing new ones to promote agriculture and supply water to his newly founded cities like Hissar and Firuzabad. The canals originating from the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers, particularly the Western Yamuna Canal and its branches in the Haryana region, are associated with his reign.

Firuz Tughlaq was particularly interested in the economic prosperity of his kingdom and saw irrigation as crucial for agricultural output and revenue. While canal systems existed before him, he significantly expanded and improved the network. The junction near Karnal is a known feature of this historical canal system.

4. Who among the following foreign travellers was appointed Qazi of Delhi

Who among the following foreign travellers was appointed Qazi of Delhi by Muhammad Tughlaq?

Al-Masudi

Abu Zaid

Ibn Battuta

Ibn Haukal

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2021

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Ibn Battuta, the famous Berber-Moroccan traveller, visited India during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq of the Delhi Sultanate. Impressed by his learning, Muhammad Tughlaq appointed him as the Qazi (chief judge) of Delhi.

Ibn Battuta served as Qazi of Delhi for several years before being sent on a diplomatic mission to China. His travelogue, ‘Rihla’ (The Journey), provides invaluable information about political, social, and economic conditions in 14th-century India under Muhammad Tughlaq.

Al-Masudi, Abu Zaid, and Ibn Haukal were earlier Arab travellers and geographers who visited or wrote about India, primarily in the 9th and 10th centuries, long before the reign of Muhammad Tughlaq.

5. Ibn Batuta went to China as the envoy of which one of the following De

Ibn Batuta went to China as the envoy of which one of the following Delhi Sultans?

Alauddin Khilji

Muhammad bin Tughluq

Iltutmish

Firoz Shah Tughluq

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2020

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Ibn Batuta went to China as the envoy of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq.

The famous Moroccan traveller Ibn Batuta visited India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325-1351). He spent several years in the Sultanate, serving as a qazi (judge) in Delhi. In 1341, Muhammad bin Tughluq appointed him as his ambassador to the Mongol court in China.

Ibn Batuta’s journey to China as the Sultan’s envoy was fraught with difficulties, including shipwrecks and other dangers. Although he faced numerous setbacks on the way, he eventually reached China. His detailed travelogue, the Rihla, provides invaluable information about the political, social, and economic conditions of the Delhi Sultanate and other regions he visited, including parts of Southeast Asia and China.