MCQ on Delhi Sultanate

🟢 Easy (1–20)

1. Who was the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
   a) Balban
   b) Iltutmish
   c) Qutbuddin Aibak ✅
   d) Alauddin Khilji
   Explanation: Qutbuddin Aibak was the founder of the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty and the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
2. Which dynasty was the first in the Delhi Sultanate?
   a) Tughlaq
   b) Khilji
   c) Lodi
   d) Mamluk (Slave) ✅
   Explanation: The Mamluk dynasty founded by Qutbuddin Aibak was the first dynasty.
3. Which ruler is known as “Lakh Baksh”?
   a) Alauddin Khilji
   b) Iltutmish
   c) Qutbuddin Aibak ✅
   d) Balban
   Explanation: Qutbuddin Aibak earned the title for his generosity – “giver of lakhs.”
4. Who completed the construction of Qutb Minar?
   a) Qutbuddin Aibak
   b) Iltutmish ✅
   c) Alauddin Khilji
   d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
   Explanation: Aibak started Qutb Minar; Iltutmish completed it.
5. Which ruler introduced the Iqta system?
   a) Balban
   b) Iltutmish ✅
   c) Qutbuddin Aibak
   d) Alauddin Khilji
   Explanation: Iltutmish introduced the Iqta system, a land revenue system.
6. Who was the only woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
   a) Razia Sultana ✅
   b) Rani Durgavati
   c) Chand Bibi
   d) Nur Jahan
   Explanation: Razia Sultana ruled from 1236–1240 AD.
7. Which dynasty did Alauddin Khilji belong to?
   a) Mamluk
   b) Khilji ✅
   c) Tughlaq
   d) Lodi
   Explanation: He belonged to the Khilji dynasty.
8. Who introduced market control policies in Delhi Sultanate?
   a) Balban
   b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
   c) Alauddin Khilji ✅
   d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
   Explanation: Alauddin Khilji regulated market prices to control inflation and supply.
9. Who introduced a new taxation system based on land measurement?
   a) Akbar
   b) Sher Shah
   c) Alauddin Khilji ✅
   d) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
   Explanation: Alauddin introduced land measurement for tax purposes.
10. Which ruler transferred his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
    a) Alauddin Khilji
    b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    d) Sikandar Lodi
    Explanation: Muhammad bin Tughlaq shifted the capital to Daulatabad.
11. Who founded the Tughlaq dynasty?
    a) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ✅
    b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    c) Firoz Shah
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: Ghiyasuddin was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty.
12. Which Sultan is considered a “visionary failure”?
    a) Firoz Shah
    b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    c) Alauddin Khilji
    d) Balban
    Explanation: His policies were idealistic but poorly implemented.
13. Who was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
    a) Ibrahim Lodi ✅
    b) Sikandar Lodi
    c) Nasiruddin Mahmud
    d) Daulat Khan
    Explanation: Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat (1526).
14. The Delhi Sultanate lasted from:
    a) 1100–1450
    b) 1206–1526 ✅
    c) 1000–1500
    d) 1300–1600
    Explanation: It started with Aibak in 1206 and ended with Ibrahim Lodi in 1526.
15. Who founded the Lodi dynasty?
    a) Sikandar Lodi
    b) Ibrahim Lodi
    c) Bahlul Lodi ✅
    d) Nasiruddin
    Explanation: Bahlul Lodi founded the last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate.
16. Who introduced token currency in India?
    a) Alauddin Khilji
    b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    c) Balban
    d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
    Explanation: Muhammad bin Tughlaq introduced bronze token coins.
17. Who was the greatest ruler of the Khilji dynasty?
    a) Jalaluddin Khilji
    b) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    c) Mubarak Shah
    d) Nasiruddin Khilji
    Explanation: Alauddin expanded the empire and introduced many reforms.
18. Who was Balban’s famous court poet?
    a) Amir Khusrau
    b) Ziauddin Barani
    c) Badauni
    d) Amir Hasan ✅
    Explanation: Amir Hasan was among the court poets of Balban.
19. Who built the Hauz Khas in Delhi?
    a) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    c) Iltutmish
    d) Firoz Shah
    Explanation: Alauddin built Hauz Khas for water supply in Delhi.
20. Which ruler established Diwan-i-Riyasat and Diwan-i-Mustakhraj?
    a) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    b) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    c) Iltutmish
    d) Razia
    Explanation: These were revenue and market departments under Khilji.

🟡 Moderate (21–40)

21. Which Sultan declared himself as ‘Naib-e-Khudai’ (deputy of God)?
    a) Iltutmish
    b) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    d) Balban
    Explanation: Alauddin believed in absolute monarchy.
22. What was the language of administration during Delhi Sultanate?
    a) Arabic
    b) Sanskrit
    c) Persian ✅
    d) Urdu
    Explanation: Persian was the official language.
23. Who introduced the practice of Sijda and Paibos?
    a) Balban ✅
    b) Alauddin
    c) Firoz Shah
    d) Iltutmish
    Explanation: Balban introduced these practices to exalt royal authority.
24. Who founded the Department of Agriculture (Diwan-i-Kohi)?
    a) Firoz Shah
    b) Alauddin
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    d) Balban
    Explanation: To promote agriculture, he created a separate department.
25. Amir Khusrau was associated with which Sultan’s court?
    a) Qutbuddin
    b) Balban
    c) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: He was a famous poet and musician in Khilji’s court.
26. Who built Firoz Shah Kotla in Delhi?
    a) Alauddin Khilji
    b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    c) Iltutmish
    d) Balban
    Explanation: Firoz Shah built many structures including Firoz Shah Kotla.
27. Which ruler abolished the department of espionage (Barid)?
    a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    b) Alauddin
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    d) Balban
    Explanation: He relaxed strict measures, including intelligence departments.
28. Who founded the city of Jaunpur?
    a) Iltutmish
    b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    c) Alauddin Khilji
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: Firoz Shah founded Jaunpur in memory of his son.
29. Which Sultan ruled longest during the Delhi Sultanate?
    a) Balban
    b) Iltutmish
    c) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: Firoz Shah ruled for about 37 years.
30. Which Lodi ruler shifted the capital from Delhi to Agra?
    a) Bahlul Lodi
    b) Ibrahim Lodi
    c) Sikandar Lodi ✅
    d) Nasiruddin
    Explanation: Sikandar Lodi shifted the capital to Agra.
31. Who were “Bandagan” in the Sultanate administration?
    a) Farmers
    b) Traders
    c) Slave officers ✅
    d) Poets
    Explanation: Bandagan were slaves who held administrative positions.
32. Which dynasty was of Afghan origin?
    a) Khilji
    b) Lodi ✅
    c) Tughlaq
    d) Mamluk
    Explanation: The Lodi dynasty was Afghan in origin.
33. Which Sultan was called “Alexander of the Second”?
    a) Alauddin Khilji ✅
    b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    c) Balban
    d) Iltutmish
    Explanation: Alauddin titled himself Sikander-i-Sani.
34. Ziauddin Barani was a historian during the reign of:
    a) Qutbuddin Aibak
    b) Alauddin Khilji
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: He wrote during Tughlaq’s reign.
35. Which dynasty built the Siri Fort?
    a) Tughlaq
    b) Khilji ✅
    c) Lodi
    d) Slave
    Explanation: Built by Alauddin Khilji after his Deccan campaigns.
36. Who first introduced Arabic coins in India?
    a) Balban
    b) Iltutmish ✅
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    d) Sikandar Lodi
    Explanation: Iltutmish introduced Arabic coins (Tanka and Jital).
37. What was the key reason for failure of token currency?
    a) Gold shortage
    b) Copper shortage
    c) Forgery ✅
    d) Public support
    Explanation: Massive forgery led to the collapse of the token currency.
38. Who introduced the system of hereditary nobles?
    a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    b) Alauddin
    c) Iltutmish
    d) Bahlul Lodi
    Explanation: Firoz Shah allowed nobles to pass titles to heirs.
39. Which Sultan restored old irrigation works?
    a) Alauddin
    b) Iltutmish
    c) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    d) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    Explanation: Firoz focused on canals and tanks.
40. Which Lodi ruler was defeated at the First Battle of Panipat?
    a) Bahlul
    b) Ibrahim ✅
    c) Sikandar
    d) Daulat Khan
    Explanation: Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in 1526.

🔴 Hard (41–50)

41. What was Barid-i-Mumalik?
    a) Army chief
    b) Spy master ✅
    c) Land official
    d) Tax officer
    Explanation: Head of intelligence and correspondence department.
42. Who compiled the “Fatwa-i-Jahandari”?
    a) Al-Biruni
    b) Barani ✅
    c) Khusrau
    d) Ibn Battuta
    Explanation: Barani authored Fatwa-i-Jahandari.
43. Which Sultan launched the march to conquer China but failed?
    a) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    b) Alauddin Khilji
    c) Balban
    d) Sikandar Lodi
    Explanation: He planned a failed expedition to China.
44. Which Sultan was influenced by Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya?
    a) Balban
    b) Iltutmish
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    d) Nasiruddin Mahmud ✅
    Explanation: Nasiruddin had spiritual connections with Nizamuddin.
45. Who built the Ashokan pillars in Delhi?
    a) Qutbuddin Aibak
    b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq ✅
    c) Balban
    d) Iltutmish
    Explanation: Firoz Shah transported Ashokan pillars to Delhi.
46. Name the ruler known for his harsh policy of ‘blood and iron’.
    a) Firoz Shah
    b) Balban ✅
    c) Alauddin
    d) Tughlaq
    Explanation: Balban suppressed rebellions with strict measures.
47. Which Sultan had the title “Zil-i-Ilahi”?
    a) Alauddin
    b) Balban ✅
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    d) Iltutmish
    Explanation: It means ‘shadow of God’; used by Balban.
48. Which Sultanate ruler had diplomatic relations with the Mongols?
    a) Balban
    b) Iltutmish ✅
    c) Khilji
    d) Lodi
    Explanation: Iltutmish diplomatically handled Mongol threats.
49. Which Sultan faced the rebellion of Khokhars?
    a) Qutbuddin Aibak
    b) Iltutmish ✅
    c) Balban
    d) Khilji
    Explanation: Iltutmish crushed the Khokhar revolt in Punjab.
50. Which Sultan was known for frequent shifting of capitals?
    a) Firoz Shah
    b) Balban
    c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq ✅
    d) Sikandar Lodi
    Explanation: His multiple capital shifts caused administrative chaos.