With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements :
- 1. The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Khalji.
- 2. During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, one Mongol assault marched up to Delhi and besieged the city.
- 3. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq temporarily lost portions of north-west of his kingdom to Mongols.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 and 2
2 only
1 and 3
3 only
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2022
Statement 2 is correct. During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, the Delhi Sultanate faced multiple Mongol invasions. A notable invasion led by Targhi in 1303 reached the gates of Delhi and besieged the city, forcing Ala-ud-din to take refuge in the Siri fort.
Statement 3 is incorrect. While Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq did face Mongol invasions (e.g., by Tarmashirin), historical accounts suggest he often adopted policies like paying tribute or using diplomacy to repel them, rather than permanently losing significant portions of his core kingdom in the north-west *to* the Mongols as a result of these invasions. Control over frontier regions was often contested, but a sustained loss of territory to the Mongols during his reign is not a commonly accepted historical fact in the way implied by the statement.