Tughlaq Dynasty MCQs with Explanations

Historians have used various epithets while estimating Muhammad Tughlaq. Barani and Ibn-Batuta, his contemporaries found him a ‘complex person’, a ‘mixture of opposites.’ He had virtues and vices of extreme intensity. While he was generous, humble and kind, He was very narrow- minded, stubborn and most cruel. He gave gifts to all those whom he liked, he put to death who opposed him.

Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351, was known for his intellectual brilliance and scholarly pursuits . He had a deep interest in philosophy, logic, mathematics, astronomy, and physical sciences , which made him stand apart from other rulers of his time. Though he was well-educated and had knowledge of art, literature, and religion, his greatest proficiency was in philosophy . He often engaged in discussions with scholars and thinkers. Therefore, the correct answer is Philosophy

Tughlaq found it difficult to maintain the supply of gold (dinars) and silver (adlis) coins on a large scale. So, he introduced a token currency system and minted vast quantities of new copper and brass coins (tankas) that could be exchanged for fixed amounts of gold and silver.

Firoz Shah Tughlaq established an employment bureau, a charity bureau and a charitable hospital.

Tughlaqs in the chronological sequence: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firuz Tughlaq, Abu Bakr, Nasiruddin Mahmud. Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq, Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, or Ghazi Malik, was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty in India, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1320 to 1325. Muhammad bin Tughlaq was the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the Turko-Indian founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq was a Turkic Muslim ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388. Abu Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddiq Abdallah bin Abi Quḥafah (c. 573 CE - 23 August 634 CE), popularly known as Abu Bakr, was a companion and through his daughter Aisha a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Nasir ud din Mahmud, Nasir ud din Firuz Shah (reigned: 1246 - 1266) was the eighth sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate (Slave dynasty).

Malik Maqbul or Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul was the Wazir or Prime Minister of the Delhi Sultanate, in the government of Feroz Shah Tughlaq. Yugandhar was converted to Islam and given the name Malik Maqbul.

Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued token currency; that is coins of brass and copper were minted whose value was equal to that of gold and silver coins. Historian Ziauddin Barani felt that this step was taken by Tughluq as he wanted to annex all the inhabited areas of the world for which a treasury was required to pay the army. Barani had also written that the sultan's treasury had been exhausted by his action of giving rewards and gifts in gold. This experiment failed, because, as said by Barani, "the house of every Hindu became a mint". During his time, most of the Hindu citizens were goldsmiths and hence they knew how to make coins. In the rural areas, officials like the muqaddams paid the revenue in brass and copper coins and also used the same coins to purchase arms and horses. As a result, the value of coins decreased and, as said by Satish Chandra, the coins became "as worthless as stones".

Tughlaq’s silver coin was named Adi. However, it was difficult to maintain the supply of gold and silver coins on a large scale. So, Tughlaq replaced those coins and started the circulation of copper and brass coins as the token currency which had the same value of gold or silver coins in 1330-32 CE.

Muhammad bin Tughlaq was the second ruler of Tughlaq dynasty who ruled from 1324–1351.He shifted the capital from Delhi to Devagiri, because it was difficult for him to control South India from there. When the capital was shifted, he now found it difficult to control the North India and went back to Delhi. This step led to nothing but declared him wise fool king in the history.

Ibn Batuta was a Muslim Moroccan traveller. All that is known about Ibn Battuta's life comes from the autobiographical information included in the account of his travels, which records that he was of Berber descent, born into a family of Islamic legal scholars in Tangier, Morocco, on 24 February 1304, during the reign of the Marinid dynasty.

In 1327, Tughluq passed an order to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (in present-day Aurangabad, Maharashtra) in the Deccan region of India.

Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq transferred his capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad) near Aurangabad Maharastra.

lbn Batuta was a famous Moroccan traveller he visited India during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.

In the late 14th century, mentions the memoir of Tughlaq dynasty's Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq, his predecessor taxed all Hindus but had exempted all Hindu Brahmins from jizya. Jizya or jizyah is a per capita yearly tax historically levied on non-Muslim subjects, called the dhimma, permanently residing in Muslim lands governed by Islamic law.

The tendency towards royal intervention in the iqta system was as its peak under Muhammad Tughlaq. In several cases he handed over the collection of the revenues of the iqtas to either revenue farmers or his own financial officers, the commanders or amirs posted in the iqtas, presumably drawing their pay in cash from the local treasury and having nothing to do directly with revenue collection.

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq is known as a “Man of Ideas” and can be said one of the most striking sultan of medieval India. He was a trained intellectual, akeen student of Persian poetry and a philosopher, lover of science and mathematics. He is known for the idea of a Central Capital and experiments with a nominal token Currency. These ideas were all good, but he was in hurry and impatient of the slow adoption of his measures. All those who could not keep pace with his imagination, became victim of his wrath and were punished severely. The result was that Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, as a sultan proved himself a complete failure before the history of forces toppled him.