🟢 Easy (1–20)
- Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India?
a) Akbar
b) Babur ✅
c) Humayun
d) Sher Shah
Explanation: Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat (1526) to establish the Mughal Empire. - Akbar was the son of which Mughal ruler?
a) Aurangzeb
b) Shah Jahan
c) Humayun ✅
d) Jahangir
Explanation: Akbar was the son of Humayun and succeeded him in 1556. - The battle that laid the foundation of the Mughal Empire was fought in:
a) 1498
b) 1526 ✅
c) 1600
d) 1707
Explanation: The First Battle of Panipat (1526) marked the start of the Mughal rule. - Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal?
a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan ✅
d) Jahangir
Explanation: Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. - The last powerful Mughal emperor was:
a) Akbar
b) Jahangir
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Bahadur Shah Zafar
Explanation: Aurangzeb was the last significant ruler; after him, the empire weakened. - Which religion was promoted by Akbar through Din-i-Ilahi?
a) Islam
b) Hinduism
c) Syncretic religion ✅
d) Christianity
Explanation: Akbar introduced Din-i-Ilahi to promote religious tolerance. - Jizya tax was re-imposed by:
a) Akbar
b) Shah Jahan
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Babur
Explanation: Aurangzeb revived Jizya, a tax on non-Muslims, which Akbar had abolished. - Who was known as ‘Zinda Pir’ (Living Saint)?
a) Shah Jahan
b) Akbar
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Humayun
Explanation: Aurangzeb was called Zinda Pir due to his devout Islamic lifestyle. - Red Fort in Delhi was built by:
a) Humayun
b) Shah Jahan ✅
c) Akbar
d) Babur
Explanation: Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in Delhi. - Which language was used in Mughal court?
a) Arabic
b) Hindi
c) Persian ✅
d) Urdu
Explanation: Persian was the official language of the Mughal court. - Who succeeded Babur as emperor?
a) Akbar
b) Humayun ✅
c) Jahangir
d) Aurangzeb
Explanation: Humayun was Babur’s son and second Mughal ruler. - Akbar’s capital city Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned because of:
a) Rebellion
b) Drought ✅
c) Mughal expansion
d) Earthquake
Explanation: Scarcity of water forced Akbar to abandon Fatehpur Sikri. - Battle of Haldighati was fought between Akbar and:
a) Rana Kumbha
b) Rana Pratap ✅
c) Rana Sanga
d) Shivaji
Explanation: Akbar’s army fought Maharana Pratap in 1576. - Who was the last Mughal emperor?
a) Bahadur Shah I
b) Shah Alam II
c) Bahadur Shah Zafar ✅
d) Alamgir II
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal emperor, exiled after 1857. - Mughal gardens were inspired by:
a) Chinese style
b) Persian style ✅
c) Greek style
d) Roman style
Explanation: Mughal gardens followed Persian architectural concepts. - Which Mughal ruler imprisoned his father?
a) Aurangzeb ✅
b) Shah Jahan
c) Akbar
d) Jahangir
Explanation: Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jahan in Agra Fort. - Who wrote ‘Ain-i-Akbari’?
a) Badauni
b) Abul Fazl ✅
c) Faizi
d) Abdul Rahim
Explanation: It was written by Abul Fazl, a court historian of Akbar. - Jahangir was famous for:
a) Administration
b) Military campaigns
c) Justice ✅
d) Architecture
Explanation: Jahangir’s emblem was “Inscription of Justice.” - Which Mughal queen had political influence in Jahangir’s court?
a) Mumtaz Mahal
b) Nur Jahan ✅
c) Jodha Bai
d) Hamida Banu
Explanation: Nur Jahan was politically active and influential. - Shah Jahan’s reign is known as the Golden Age of:
a) Trade
b) Literature
c) Architecture ✅
d) Painting
Explanation: Mughal architecture reached its peak during his reign.
🟡 Moderate (21–40)
- Which Mughal prince revolted against Shah Jahan?
a) Dara Shikoh
b) Aurangzeb ✅
c) Murad
d) Shuja
Explanation: Aurangzeb fought his brothers and seized power. - Which battle decided the fate of Dara Shikoh?
a) Battle of Haldighati
b) Battle of Khanwa
c) Battle of Samugarh ✅
d) Battle of Buxar
Explanation: Aurangzeb defeated Dara Shikoh in 1658. - Which Mughal ruler is associated with the Peacock Throne?
a) Babur
b) Akbar
c) Shah Jahan ✅
d) Jahangir
Explanation: The throne was built under Shah Jahan’s reign. - During whose reign did Nadir Shah invade India?
a) Bahadur Shah I
b) Muhammad Shah ✅
c) Shah Alam II
d) Alamgir II
Explanation: Nadir Shah invaded Delhi in 1739 under Muhammad Shah. - Which Mughal ruler faced Maratha and Sikh uprisings?
a) Akbar
b) Jahangir
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Babur
Explanation: Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns led to Maratha resistance. - Which European power became prominent during the decline of Mughals?
a) Dutch
b) Portuguese
c) British ✅
d) French
Explanation: The British East India Company capitalized on Mughal decline. - Which Mughal ruler’s reign saw the Battle of Buxar?
a) Shah Alam II ✅
b) Muhammad Shah
c) Bahadur Shah I
d) Akbar Shah II
Explanation: The battle (1764) confirmed British dominance in Bengal. - Which Mughal emperor granted Diwani rights to the British in Bengal?
a) Shah Jahan
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Alam II ✅
d) Bahadur Shah II
Explanation: After Buxar, Diwani rights were granted in 1765. - Which ruler of the post-Mughal period was a puppet under the British?
a) Shah Alam II ✅
b) Aurangzeb
c) Farrukhsiyar
d) Bahadur Shah I
Explanation: Shah Alam II became dependent on the British after defeat. - Which ruler moved the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad briefly?
a) Alauddin Khilji
b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
c) Aurangzeb
d) None of the above ✅
Explanation: Not a Mughal ruler; Tughlaq did so. Trick question. - Who was the Mughal emperor when the 1857 revolt took place?
a) Akbar Shah II
b) Bahadur Shah Zafar ✅
c) Shah Alam II
d) Farrukhsiyar
Explanation: The last emperor, Zafar, was the symbolic head of the revolt. - Who among the following was a famous Mughal painter?
a) Basawan ✅
b) Tansen
c) Abul Fazl
d) Birbal
Explanation: Basawan was an accomplished Mughal painter. - Who translated the Mahabharata into Persian?
a) Akbar ✅
b) Babur
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Explanation: Under Akbar’s patronage, Mahabharata was translated as “Razmnama.” - Which region was known for resistance against Aurangzeb?
a) Punjab
b) Gujarat
c) Deccan ✅
d) Bengal
Explanation: Aurangzeb’s long Deccan campaigns strained the empire. - Mughal painting reached its height under:
a) Akbar
b) Jahangir ✅
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Explanation: Jahangir was a connoisseur of fine arts and portraiture. - Which post-Mughal kingdom rose in Awadh?
a) Nizam of Hyderabad
b) Nawabs of Bengal
c) Nawabs of Awadh ✅
d) Rohillas
Explanation: The Nawabs of Awadh emerged after Mughal decline. - Rohilla kingdom emerged in:
a) Punjab
b) Gujarat
c) Rohilkhand ✅
d) Bengal
Explanation: Rohilkhand was in modern-day Uttar Pradesh. - Which Mughal ruler faced the English in the Carnatic Wars?
a) Bahadur Shah I
b) Shah Alam II
c) None ✅
d) Muhammad Shah
Explanation: Carnatic Wars were fought by regional powers, not the Mughals directly. - Who issued the farman to the British allowing trade in Bengal?
a) Jahangir
b) Aurangzeb ✅
c) Shah Jahan
d) Shah Alam II
Explanation: Aurangzeb gave trading privileges to the British. - Who built the Moti Masjid in Delhi Red Fort?
a) Akbar
b) Jahangir
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Shah Jahan
Explanation: Aurangzeb built the Pearl Mosque (Moti Masjid).
🔴 Hard (41–50)
- Which Mughal noble was instrumental in placing Farrukhsiyar on the throne?
a) Zulfikar Khan
b) Nizam-ul-Mulk
c) Sayyid Brothers ✅
d) Saadat Khan
Explanation: Sayyid Brothers played kingmakers after Aurangzeb. - Which Mughal ruler was blinded and imprisoned by his nobles?
a) Ahmad Shah
b) Rafi-ud-Darajat
c) Shah Alam II
d) Shah Jahan II ✅
Explanation: Shah Jahan II suffered at the hands of court factions. - Aurangzeb’s revenue system was based on:
a) Todar Mal’s system ✅
b) Zamindari
c) Ryotwari
d) Mahalwari
Explanation: Aurangzeb continued Akbar’s revenue policies. - Who was the ruler during the formation of the Sikh Khalsa?
a) Akbar
b) Jahangir
c) Aurangzeb ✅
d) Shah Jahan
Explanation: Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699 during Aurangzeb’s reign. - Who wrote the autobiography ‘Baburnama’?
a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Babur ✅
d) Bairam Khan
Explanation: Babur wrote it in Chagatai Turkic. - Which Mughal emperor introduced the Mansabdari system?
a) Babur
b) Akbar ✅
c) Humayun
d) Jahangir
Explanation: The mansabdari system was a military-cum-administrative structure. - Which Mughal ruler was known as Alamgir?
a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb ✅
c) Jahangir
d) Shah Jahan
Explanation: Alamgir was Aurangzeb’s title meaning ‘world-seizer.’ - The Treaty of Allahabad was signed between:
a) Shah Alam II and British ✅
b) Aurangzeb and Shivaji
c) Bahadur Shah I and Marathas
d) Jahangir and British
Explanation: It followed the Battle of Buxar in 1764. - The Mughal Empire formally ended in:
a) 1757
b) 1764
c) 1857 ✅
d) 1860
Explanation: After the 1857 revolt, British exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar. - Which Mughal general defeated Rana Sanga?
a) Bairam Khan
b) Babur ✅
c) Akbar
d) Humayun
Explanation: Babur defeated Rana Sanga at the Battle of Khanwa (1527).