Mughal & Travellers — Set 5
Books & Authors · मुगल और यात्री · Questions 41–50 of 50
Who was the Venetian traveler who visited South India in the late 13th century and wrote about the Pandyan Kingdom?
Correct Answer: A. Marco Polo
Marco Polo visited the Coromandel Coast and provided details about the pearl trade and the local customs. He described the Pandyan kingdom as the richest in the world at that time. His accounts opened up European interest in the trade of the East.
The work 'Tabaqat-i-Nasiri', a general history of the Islamic world and India up to 1260, was written by?
Correct Answer: B. Minhaj-us-Siraj
Minhaj-us-Siraj served in the court of the early Mamluk Sultans of Delhi. He dedicated this work to Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud. It is a primary source for the history of the Ghorid conquests and the early Delhi Sultanate.
Which Persian traveler visited the court of the Zamorin of Calicut and the Vijayanagara Empire in the 1440s?
Correct Answer: B. Abdur Razzaq
Abdur Razzaq was an ambassador of the Timurid ruler Shah Rukh. He provided a very high praise for the city of Vijayanagara and its extensive trade. His descriptions of the port of Calicut are also historically significant.
Who wrote 'Khazain-ul-Futuh', which describes the military conquests of Alauddin Khalji?
Correct Answer: B. Amir Khusrau
Amir Khusrau was a legendary poet and scholar known as the 'Parrot of India'. He served in the courts of multiple Delhi Sultans. This work is a poetic record of Alauddin's victories in both North and South India.
The book 'Travels in the Mughal Empire' was written by which French physician?
Correct Answer: A. Francois Bernier
Francois Bernier stayed in India for 12 years and served as a doctor at the court of Aurangzeb. He was a keen observer of the socio-economic conditions and the military organization of the Mughals. His work was highly influential in shaping Western views of Oriental despotism.
Who authored the 'Tughlaqnama', a historical poem about the rise of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq?
Correct Answer: B. Amir Khusrau
Amir Khusrau wrote this work to celebrate the victory of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq over Khusrau Khan. It is one of his most important historical mathnavis (poems). Khusrau is also credited with inventing several musical instruments and the Qawwali style.
Which Italian traveler visited India in the 15th century and provided a detailed account of the social customs of the South?
Correct Answer: B. Nicolo Conti
Nicolo Conti was a merchant who traveled through the Vijayanagara Empire and other parts of India. He provided details about the currency, the practice of Sati, and the festivals of the period. His account was later recorded by a papal secretary.
The book 'Futuh-us-Salatin', often called the 'Shahnameh of India', was written by?
Correct Answer: B. Isami
Isami wrote this work in the 14th century under the patronage of the first Bahmani Sultan. It provides a history of the Muslim rulers of India from the Ghaznavids to the Tughlaqs. It is written in a poetic style modeled after Firdausi's Shahnameh.
Which English traveler visited the court of Akbar and was the first to describe the city of Fatehpur Sikri?
Correct Answer: A. Ralph Fitch
Ralph Fitch was a merchant who traveled to India and Southeast Asia in the late 16th century. He was amazed by the size of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, calling them greater than London. His reports encouraged the English to start trade with India.
Who wrote 'Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi', a detailed biography of the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri?
Correct Answer: A. Abbas Khan Sarwani
Abbas Khan Sarwani wrote this work at the command of Emperor Akbar. It is the most reliable source for the administrative reforms and military successes of Sher Shah Suri. It highlights Sher Shah's contributions like the Grand Trunk Road.