Q50. In which of the following places was Bahadur Shah Zafar sent to prison after the Revolt of 1857?
[DSSSB Assistant Superintendent, 2026 – Memory-Based]
A. Shanghai
B. Dhaka
C. Rangoon
D. Andaman
Answer: C. Rangoon
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was captured after the British recaptured Delhi in 1857. Following his trial, he was exiled to Rangoon, Burma, in 1858. He died there in 1862, symbolising the final extinction of the Mughal dynasty.
Q49. Which provision of the Treaty of Allahabad most strengthened British political authority in eastern India?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. Restoration of Bengal’s sovereign authority under the Mughal emperor
B. Granting of Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the Company
C. Permanent transfer of Awadh territories to the Company
D. Withdrawal of the Company’s revenue claims
Answer: B. Granting of Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the Company
Explanation: The Treaty of Allahabad in 1765 enabled the East India Company to collect revenue from Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Mughal emperor Shah Alam II granted these rights following the Battle of Buxar, establishing the Company’s financial and political dominance.
Q48. Which statement best explains the structural causes of Mughal decline in the eighteenth century?
[UP PGT History, 2026]
A. Cultural stagnation alone caused imperial decline
B. Jagirdari crisis, administrative overextension and regional assertion weakened central authority
C. Agriculture completely disappeared from the empire
D. Foreign invasions caused decline despite stable internal institutions
Answer: B. Jagirdari crisis, administrative overextension and regional assertion weakened central authority
Explanation: Mughal decline resulted from interconnected political and economic weaknesses. Shortages of productive jagirs, increasing military expenditure, conflicts among nobles and the growing independence of provincial governors weakened imperial institutions. Foreign invasions subsequently intensified an already serious structural crisis.
Q47. What was the Dual Government system introduced in Bengal in 1765?
[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 2026]
A. The French and British shared governance
B. The British directly controlled every administrative function
C. The Nawab collected revenue while the Company maintained the army
D. The Company collected revenue while the Nawab handled administration
Answer: D. The Company collected revenue while the Nawab handled administration
Explanation: Robert Clive introduced Dual Government in Bengal in 1765. The East India Company controlled revenue collection through Diwani rights, while the Nawab’s administration formally retained other responsibilities. This arrangement gave the Company substantial power without corresponding direct administrative accountability.
Q46. To whom did the rebel soldiers of the Meerut Regiment seek to transfer the leadership of the country in 1857?
[SSC GD Constable, 2026]
A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
B. Peshwa Baji Rao II
C. Nana Sahib
D. Rani Lakshmibai
Answer: A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Explanation: After rebelling at Meerut on 10 May 1857, Indian sepoys marched to Delhi and approached Bahadur Shah Zafar. They proclaimed him their symbolic emperor, hoping the historical legitimacy of the Mughal dynasty would unite resistance against British rule.
Q45. What title was given to Bahadur Shah II by the rebels during the Revolt of 1857?
[OSSSC Forester, Forest Guard and Excise Constable, 2026]
A. Nawab-e-Hind
B. Nawab-e-Dilli
C. Shahenshah-e-Hind
D. Shahenshah-e-Dilli
Answer: C. Shahenshah-e-Hind
Explanation: Rebel soldiers proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar Shahenshah-e-Hind, meaning Emperor of India. Although he possessed little independent military power, his imperial title provided symbolic legitimacy to the uprising and connected different groups of rebels with the former Mughal political order.
Q44. Which leader did the soldiers choose to lead them after rebelling against the British in 1857?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Nana Sahib
B. Rani Lakshmibai
C. Mangal Pandey
D. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Answer: D. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Explanation: Soldiers arriving from Meerut declared Bahadur Shah Zafar their emperor at Delhi. His authority was primarily ceremonial, but his position as the last Mughal sovereign gave the rebellion a recognisable political centre and encouraged wider participation in northern India.
Q43. Who was exiled to Rangoon after the First War of Independence in India?
[RRB NTPC Graduate, 2026]
A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
B. Rani Lakshmibai
C. Nana Sahib
D. Ahmadullah Shah
Answer: A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Explanation: Following the suppression of the 1857 uprising, Bahadur Shah Zafar faced trial and was deported to Rangoon in 1858. His removal ended the remaining symbolic authority of the Mughal monarchy and marked the conclusion of more than three centuries of Mughal dynastic history.
Q42. Which monument provided refuge to Bahadur Shah Zafar and members of the Mughal royal family during the British recapture of Delhi in 1857?
[DSSSB PRT, 2026]
A. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq’s Tomb
B. Humayun’s Tomb
C. Sikandar Lodi’s Tomb
D. Safdarjung Tomb
Answer: B. Humayun’s Tomb
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar sought shelter in Humayun’s Tomb when British forces recovered Delhi in September 1857. He was captured there by British troops under William Hodson. The episode demonstrated the complete military helplessness of the surviving Mughal court.
Q41. What happened to Bahadur Shah Zafar after the Revolt of 1857 was suppressed?
[SSC MTS 2025 Cycle, Held in 2026]
A. He was forced to leave the kingdom
B. He was made a puppet ruler again
C. He was restored as emperor
D. He voluntarily abdicated the throne
Answer: A. He was forced to leave the kingdom
Explanation: The British removed Bahadur Shah Zafar from power after crushing the rebellion. He was tried, deposed and exiled to Burma. This elimination of the last surviving Mughal emperor accompanied the transfer of governing authority from the East India Company to the British Crown.
Q40. Consider the following statements regarding the Revolt of 1857:
1. Many Sikh and Rajput ruling elites supported the British.
2. The Nizam of Hyderabad provided decisive military assistance to the rebels.
3. Bahadur Shah Zafar exercised little effective control over rebel soldiers.
Which statements are correct?
[MP Police SI, 2026]
A. 1, 2 and 3
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 2 and 3 only
Answer: C. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Important sections of the Sikh and Rajput aristocracies supported the British during the uprising. Bahadur Shah Zafar possessed nominal authority but could not effectively command the various rebel forces. Hyderabad’s Nizam did not provide the decisive rebel military assistance described in statement two.
Q39. On which date did Mughal emperor Shah Alam II grant the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha to the East India Company?
[Bihar Police SI, 2026 – Memory-Based]
A. 10 September 1765
B. 15 March 1765
C. 12 August 1765
D. 20 October 1765
Answer: C. 12 August 1765
Explanation: Shah Alam II granted the East India Company Diwani rights on 12 August 1765 under the Treaty of Allahabad arrangements. These rights authorised revenue collection in the eastern provinces and represented a major transfer of economic authority from the Mughal emperor to the Company.
Q38. The Treaty of Allahabad was concluded following which battle?
[MP Police SI, 2026]
A. Battle of Plassey
B. Battle of Wandiwash
C. Third Battle of Panipat
D. Battle of Buxar
Answer: D. Battle of Buxar
Explanation: The British victory at Buxar in 1764 defeated the combined forces of Shah Alam II, Shuja-ud-Daula and Mir Qasim. The subsequent Treaty of Allahabad established important British political and revenue rights, further reducing the Mughal emperor’s effective sovereignty.
Q37. Who was the last powerful Mughal emperor before the empire entered its period of rapid decline?
[Delhi Police Constable, 2026]
A. Shah Jahan
B. Jahangir
C. Aurangzeb
D. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Answer: C. Aurangzeb
Explanation: Aurangzeb ruled from 1658 to 1707 and presided over the Mughal Empire’s greatest territorial expansion. Nevertheless, prolonged Deccan campaigns, financial pressures and regional resistance weakened imperial institutions. After his death, succession struggles and provincial autonomy accelerated the decline.
Q36. Which of the following battles was fought in 1761?
[SSC CHSL, 2025]
A. Third Battle of Panipat
B. First Battle of Panipat
C. Second Battle of Tarain
D. First Battle of Tarain
Answer: A. Third Battle of Panipat
Explanation: The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761 between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali’s Afghan coalition. The Marathas suffered a devastating defeat, temporarily weakening their northern expansion amid the continuing political fragmentation of the Mughal Empire.
Q35. Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas in which famous battle of 1761?
[OSSSC CRE Preliminary Examination, 2025]
A. Battle of Karnal
B. Second Battle of Panipat
C. Third Battle of Panipat
D. First Battle of Panipat
Answer: C. Third Battle of Panipat
Explanation: Ahmad Shah Abdali, also called Ahmad Shah Durrani, commanded the Afghan coalition against the Marathas at Panipat. His victory severely damaged Maratha military strength and demonstrated how the declining Mughal imperial structure had become vulnerable to rival regional and foreign powers.
Q34. After the decline of Mughal authority, which community came to dominate the Peshwa administration of the Maratha state?
[SSC CGL, 2025 – Adapted]
A. Mughal nobles
B. Deshmukhs
C. Kunbis
D. Chitpavan Brahmanas
Answer: D. Chitpavan Brahmanas
Explanation: The Chitpavan Brahmanas rose to political prominence through the Peshwa office, especially under Balaji Vishwanath and his successors. As Mughal central authority declined, Peshwa-led Maratha forces expanded across large parts of India and challenged the remaining imperial political structure.
Q33. Which of the following battles took place in 1761?
[SSC MTS, 2024]
A. Battle of Buxar
B. Battle of Wandiwash
C. Third Battle of Panipat
D. Second Battle of Panipat
Answer: C. Third Battle of Panipat
Explanation: The Third Battle of Panipat took place in 1761 and ended in victory for Ahmad Shah Abdali over the Marathas. It temporarily interrupted Maratha expansion in northern India, where the Mughal emperor had already lost most of his independent military authority.
Q32. In which year did Nadir Shah invade India?
[WBCS Mains History, 2024]
A. 1708
B. 1688
C. 1739
D. 1750
Answer: C. 1739
Explanation: Nadir Shah’s invasion culminated in 1739 with the defeat of Muhammad Shah’s forces at Karnal and the occupation of Delhi. The enormous plunder, including the Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor, severely damaged Mughal financial strength and international prestige.
Q31. In which year did the Revolt of 1857 begin, marking the final crisis of the surviving Mughal dynasty?
[SSC CHSL, 2024 – Adapted]
A. 1839
B. 1857
C. 1887
D. 1819
Answer: B. 1857
Explanation: The uprising began at Meerut on 10 May 1857 and spread to several regions. Bahadur Shah Zafar became its symbolic imperial leader. Its suppression led to his deposition, the abolition of Mughal rule and the establishment of direct Crown administration in India.
Q30. Arrange the following Mughal emperors chronologically:
[UPPSC RO/ARO, 2024]
I. Farrukhsiyar,
II. Jahandar Shah,
III. Bahadur Shah II,
IV. Muhammad Shah.
A. III, II, I, IV
B. I, IV, II, III
C. II, I, IV, III
D. I, III, IV, II
Answer: C. II, I, IV, III
Explanation: Jahandar Shah ruled in 1712–1713, followed by Farrukhsiyar from 1713–1719. Muhammad Shah subsequently ruled from 1719–1748, while Bahadur Shah II became emperor in 1837. Their chronology illustrates the long period of weakening central power after Aurangzeb.
Q29. The Third Battle of Panipat took place in which year?
[Chhattisgarh PSC Preliminary Examination, 2024]
A. 1765
B. 1789
C. 1761
D. None of the above
Answer: C. 1761
Explanation: Panipat’s third major battle occurred on 14 January 1761 between Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau. The battle severely weakened the Marathas temporarily and highlighted the power vacuum created by the Mughal Empire’s decline.
Q28. In which year did Nadir Shah invade India?
[MPPSC State Services Prelims, 2023]
A. 1736 AD
B. 1737 AD
C. 1738 AD
D. 1739 AD
Answer: D. 1739 AD
Explanation: Nadir Shah advanced into Mughal territories during 1738–1739 and defeated the imperial army at Karnal in February 1739. His subsequent sack of Delhi devastated the treasury and demonstrated the inability of Muhammad Shah’s government to defend imperial territories.
Q27. The Battle of Karnal is associated with the invasion of which foreign ruler?
[SSC CHSL, 2023]
A. Nadir Shah
B. Nasir Khan
C. Ahmad Shah Abdali
D. Shah Shuja
Answer: A. Nadir Shah
Explanation: The Battle of Karnal was fought in February 1739 between Nadir Shah’s Persian army and Mughal forces under Muhammad Shah. Nadir Shah achieved a decisive victory, subsequently entering Delhi and carrying away vast wealth. The invasion exposed deep military and administrative weaknesses.
Q26. The Battle of Buxar was fought in which year?
[SSC CGL, 2023 – Memory-Based]
A. 1905
B. 1860
C. 1757
D. 1764
Answer: D. 1764
Explanation: The Battle of Buxar occurred on 22 October 1764. The East India Company’s army under Hector Munro defeated the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula and Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, establishing the conditions for the Diwani grant of 1765.
Q25. Which battle is generally regarded as laying the foundation of British political rule in India?
[UPSC NDA, 2022]
A. Third Battle of Panipat
B. Battle of Plassey
C. Battle of Buxar
D. Revolt of 1857
Answer: B. Battle of Plassey
Explanation: The Battle of Plassey in 1757 enabled the East India Company to establish political influence over Bengal after defeating Siraj-ud-Daulah. This victory occurred during the disintegration of Mughal central authority and laid the foundation for subsequent British territorial expansion.
Q24. Which nineteenth-century Khayal singer received the title ‘Tanras’ from Bahadur Shah Zafar?
[SSC CHSL 2021 Cycle, Held in 2022]
A. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
B. Meer Qutub Baksh
C. Ustad Amir Khan
D. Sadarang
Answer: B. Meer Qutub Baksh
Explanation: Meer Qutub Baksh, popularly known as Tanras Khan, was an accomplished Hindustani classical musician associated with Bahadur Shah Zafar’s court. His career illustrates that cultural patronage continued in Delhi even when the later Mughal rulers had lost effective political authority.
Q23. In which year did Nadir Shah invade India and sack Delhi?
[SSC Selection Post HSC Level, 2022]
A. 1634
B. 1799
C. 1739
D. 1598
Answer: C. 1739
Explanation: In 1739, Nadir Shah defeated the Mughals at Karnal and occupied Delhi. The invasion resulted in extensive plunder and loss of imperial prestige. It also encouraged provincial elites and regional rulers to act increasingly independently of the Mughal court.
Q22. Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah, the founder of Hyderabad, was a powerful noble at the court of which ruler?
[SSC GD Constable, 2021 – Adapted]
A. Farrukhsiyar
B. Chandragupta Maurya
C. Alauddin Khalji
D. Krishnadevaraya
Answer: A. Farrukhsiyar
Explanation: Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah served in the Mughal administration and became influential during Farrukhsiyar’s reign. He subsequently consolidated power in the Deccan and established the autonomous Hyderabad state in 1724, illustrating the fragmentation of Mughal provincial authority.
Q21. Arrange the following later Mughal rulers chronologically: A. Jahandar Shah, B. Bahadur Shah I, C. Farrukhsiyar, D. Muhammad Shah Rangeela.
[RPSC Assistant Professor History, 2021]
A. B, A, C, D
B. A, B, C, D
C. C, D, A, B
D. B, C, A, D
Answer: A. B, A, C, D
Explanation: Bahadur Shah I ruled from 1707–1712, Jahandar Shah from 1712–1713, Farrukhsiyar from 1713–1719 and Muhammad Shah from 1719–1748. Their successive reigns were marked by factional politics, weakened imperial authority and the growing influence of powerful nobles.
Q20. In which year did Mughal emperor Shah Alam II appoint the East India Company as Diwan of Bengal?
[SSC CGL 2020 Cycle, Held in 2021]
A. 1917
B. 1765
C. 1835
D. 1623
Answer: B. 1765
Explanation: Shah Alam II appointed the East India Company as Diwan in 1765 following the Treaty of Allahabad. The Company gained important revenue-collection powers in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, creating a financial basis for its expanding territorial government.
Q19. In which year was the Diwani of Bengal transferred to the English East India Company?
[SSC CHSL 2020 Cycle, Held in 2021]
A. 1880
B. 1765
C. 1554
D. 1678
Answer: B. 1765
Explanation: The East India Company received Diwani rights in 1765 from Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. This enabled the Company to collect provincial revenues while nominally acting under imperial authority. The arrangement represented a decisive expansion of British power in eastern India.
Q18. When did Nadir Shah invade India and sack Delhi?
[RRB NTPC CBT-I, 2021]
A. 1739
B. 1765
C. 1750
D. 1754
Answer: A. 1739
Explanation: Nadir Shah of Persia invaded northern India during Muhammad Shah’s reign. His victory at Karnal in 1739 was followed by the sack of Delhi. The enormous loss of wealth and military prestige accelerated the collapse of central Mughal authority.
Q17. Which Mughal emperor was overthrown by the British during the events of 1857?
[RRB NTPC CBT-I, 2021 – Adapted]
A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
B. Humayun
C. Akbar
D. Babur
Answer: A. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor and the symbolic head of the 1857 revolt. After suppressing the rebellion, the British removed him from power and sent him into exile, bringing the remaining Mughal imperial institution to an end.
Q16. Which battle was fought in 1764 and strengthened British authority over the declining Mughal political system?
[SSC JE Mechanical, 2020 – Adapted]
A. Second Battle of Panipat
B. Battle of Buxar
C. First Battle of Panipat
D. Battle of Plassey
Answer: B. Battle of Buxar
Explanation: The Battle of Buxar was fought in October 1764 between the East India Company and an alliance including Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. The Company’s victory led to political settlements in 1765 and greatly expanded British revenue and administrative influence.
Q15. Which Governor-General declared in 1856 that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last recognised Mughal emperor?
[DSSSB Junior Engineer, 2019]
A. Lord Canning
B. Lord Dalhousie
C. Lord Dufferin
D. Lord Mayo
Answer: A. Lord Canning
Explanation: Lord Canning announced in 1856 that no successor to Bahadur Shah Zafar would receive recognition as emperor. This policy reflected British determination to eliminate the remaining Mughal royal title, even before the Revolt of 1857 hastened its extinction.
Q14. Match the following centres with leaders associated with the Revolt of 1857: Delhi, Central India, Lucknow and Kanpur.
[TNPSC Group IV, 2019 – Adapted]
A. Delhi – Nana Sahib; Central India – Bahadur Shah II
B. Delhi – Bahadur Shah II; Central India – Rani Lakshmibai
C. Delhi – Tantia Tope; Lucknow – Bahadur Shah II
D. Delhi – Begum Hazrat Mahal; Kanpur – Bahadur Shah II
Answer: B. Delhi – Bahadur Shah II; Central India – Rani Lakshmibai
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar represented the rebellion at Delhi, while Rani Lakshmibai led resistance in Jhansi and central India. Begum Hazrat Mahal was associated with Lucknow, and Nana Sahib with Kanpur. Their separate centres reflected the decentralised character of the uprising.
Q13. The Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 was fought between which two powers?
[SSC MTS, 2019]
A. Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori
B. Akbar and Hemu
C. Sikhs and Mughals
D. Maratha Empire and Durrani Empire
Answer: D. Maratha Empire and Durrani Empire
Explanation: The Third Battle of Panipat involved the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali’s Durrani forces. The Mughal emperor played no decisive military role. This situation demonstrated how regional powers had largely replaced the Mughal dynasty as the principal competitors for northern India.
Q12. Which Mughal emperor issued the famous Farman of 1717 granting commercial privileges to the English East India Company?
[RPF Constable, 2019]
A. Bahadur Shah I
B. Aurangzeb
C. Akbar II
D. Farrukhsiyar
Answer: D. Farrukhsiyar
Explanation: Farrukhsiyar granted the East India Company important trade concessions through his Farman of 1717. The privileges facilitated trade in Bengal under specified conditions. Later disputes over their interpretation contributed to conflicts between the Company and Bengal’s increasingly autonomous Nawabs.
Q11. About Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, it was popularly said that his kingdom extended from where to where?
[BPSC 64th Preliminary Examination, 2018]
A. Chandni Chowk to Palam
B. Delhi to Bihar
C. Peshawar to Bihar
D. Peshawar to Varanasi
Answer: A. Chandni Chowk to Palam
Explanation: The expression illustrated the drastically reduced territorial authority of the last Mughal emperor. Bahadur Shah Zafar possessed little power beyond Delhi and its surroundings, while the British exercised extensive political control across the subcontinent.
Q10. During the eighteenth century, under whose leadership did Bengal gradually become autonomous from Mughal control?
[CTET Social Studies, 2018]
A. Murshid Quli Khan
B. Nadir Shah
C. Alivardi Khan
D. Burhan-ul-Mulk
Answer: A. Murshid Quli Khan
Explanation: Murshid Quli Khan consolidated Bengal’s provincial administration and revenue system while maintaining nominal allegiance to the Mughal emperor. His successors strengthened hereditary regional rule, turning Bengal into a virtually autonomous state amid the weakening authority of Delhi.
Q9. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was exiled to which country following the Revolt of 1857?
[RRB Group D, 2018]
A. Mysore
B. Carnatic
C. Awadh
D. Burma
Answer: D. Burma
Explanation: The British deported Bahadur Shah Zafar to Burma after his trial for participation in the 1857 rebellion. He remained confined in Rangoon until his death in 1862. His exile prevented the Mughal dynasty from serving as a future focus of rebellion.
Q8. Assertion: The Mughal Empire disintegrated more rapidly after the invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali. Reason: The East India Company treated the later Mughal emperors with contempt. Choose the correct relationship.
[Telangana Police Constable Preliminary Examination, 2018]
A. Both statements are true, but the Reason does not explain the Assertion
B. Assertion is true, but Reason is false
C. Assertion is false, but Reason is true
D. Both statements are true, and the Reason explains the Assertion
Answer: A. Both statements are true, but the Reason does not explain the Assertion
Explanation: Foreign invasions directly damaged Mughal military capability, finances and prestige. The Company’s dismissive treatment reflected diminishing imperial authority, but did not directly explain the impact of the invasions. Consequently, both observations may be accepted without establishing the proposed causal relationship.
Q7. Arrange the following later Mughal emperors in chronological order: A. Muhammad Shah, B. Jahandar Shah, C. Alamgir II, D. Ahmad Shah Bahadur.
[UPPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2018]
A. A, C, D, B
B. B, A, D, C
C. C, A, B, D
D. D, B, C, A
Answer: B. B, A, D, C
Explanation: Jahandar Shah ruled during 1712–1713, Muhammad Shah during 1719–1748, Ahmad Shah Bahadur during 1748–1754 and Alamgir II during 1754–1759. The sequence reflects frequent dynastic changes, political instability and declining imperial authority during the eighteenth century.
Q6. Who defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761?
[SSC MTS, 2017]
A. Mughal emperor Shah Alam II
B. Ahmad Shah Abdali
C. Nizam-ul-Mulk
D. Robert Clive
Answer: B. Ahmad Shah Abdali
Explanation: Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas at Panipat on 14 January 1761. His army benefited from alliances with Indian forces including Rohilla chiefs and the Nawab of Awadh. The battle temporarily weakened Maratha power in northern India.
Q5. Who founded the kingdom of Awadh during the eighteenth century?
[UPSC NDA, 2017]
A. Murshid Quli Khan
B. Saadat Khan
C. Alivardi Khan
D. Sarfaraz Khan
Answer: B. Saadat Khan
Explanation: Burhan-ul-Mulk Saadat Khan became the governor of Awadh in 1722 and established the foundations of its autonomous regional administration. Although Awadh continued to acknowledge the Mughal emperor nominally, its rulers increasingly exercised independent political, financial and military authority.
Q4. During whose tenure as Peshwa was the Third Battle of Panipat fought?
[MPPSC Assistant Professor History, 2017]
A. Baji Rao I
B. Baji Rao II
C. Balaji Baji Rao
D. Balaji Vishwanath
Answer: C. Balaji Baji Rao
Explanation: Balaji Baji Rao, also known as Nana Saheb, served as Peshwa from 1740 to 1761. The Third Battle of Panipat occurred during his tenure. The Maratha defeat temporarily interrupted their expansion into areas formerly controlled by the Mughal Empire.
Q3. Which of the following statements about the Sayyid Brothers is NOT correct?
[UPSC CDS II, 2017 – Standardised]
A. They helped Jahandar Shah ascend the Mughal throne in 1713
B. They supported Farrukhsiyar’s accession
C. They pursued a comparatively tolerant religious policy
D. They concluded agreements with Maratha ruler Shahu
Answer: A. They helped Jahandar Shah ascend the Mughal throne in 1713
Explanation: Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali Khan, known as the Sayyid Brothers, supported Farrukhsiyar against Jahandar Shah in 1713. They subsequently controlled imperial appointments and politics, gaining recognition as kingmakers. Their dominance reflected the growing weakness of the Mughal monarchy.
Q2. What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2010]
A. He wanted to avenge the Marathas’ expulsion of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore
B. He wanted to conquer the Deccan permanently
C. He was invited by the English East India Company
D. He wanted to restore Aurangzeb’s territorial empire
Answer: A. He wanted to avenge the Marathas’ expulsion of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore
Explanation: Maratha advances into Punjab expelled Timur Shah Durrani, the son and representative of Ahmad Shah Abdali, from Lahore. This challenged Afghan authority and helped provoke Abdali’s subsequent intervention, culminating in the Third Battle of Panipat against the Marathas in 1761.
Q1. How did Mughal emperor Jahandar Shah’s reign come to an early end?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2003]
A. He was deposed by his wazir
B. He died after slipping while descending steps
C. He was defeated by his nephew in battle
D. He died from illness caused by excessive wine consumption
Answer: C. He was defeated by his nephew in battle
Explanation: Jahandar Shah ruled briefly from 1712 to 1713. His nephew Farrukhsiyar, supported by the influential Sayyid Brothers, defeated him and secured the Mughal throne. This succession struggle demonstrated the increasing influence of powerful nobles and the instability of the later Mughal monarchy.