Indian History

After his death at Lahore in early November in 1210, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the founder of the Slave (Mamluk) dynasty, was succeeded by Aram Bakhsh who ascended the throne of Delhi Sultanate under the title of Sultan Aram Shah. The exact nature of relationship of Aram Bakhsh with Qutb-ud-din is not known. According to one school of thought, he was his son. However, contemporary historian Minhaj –us-Siraj makes no mention of Qutb-ud-din’s son and says that he had only three daughters. According to Abul Fazal, court historian of Mughal Emperor Akbar, Aram Shah was  Qutb-ud-din ’s brother.  Sultan Aram Shah proved to be an inexperienced and incapable ruler. The nobles and amirs invited Qutb-ud-din Aibak’s son-in-law Iltutmish, then governor of Badaun, who defeated Aram Shah in the plains of Jud near Delhi. Thus ended the eight month rule of Aram Shah who was not heard of afterwards.   

Cholas were one of the three major ruling dynasties of the Tamil Country during the Sangam period. They ruled over an area known as Tondaimandalam or Cholamandalam. The most celebrated ruler of this line was Karikalan who made a grand anicut at Kaveri and laid the foundation of the capital of Kaveripattinam, also known as Puhar. Kaveripattinam, now a non-descript fishing village silted up by the river mud, had an artificial harbour which was built by prisoners of war who were obtained by him following his successful raid on Sri Lanka. Uraiyur was the earlier capital of the Chola kingdom.   Karikalan was the son of Ilanjetcenni who was a valiant and brave ruler. Karikalan, which means man with a charred leg, was so named because his leg was caught in flames when the prison, in which he was incarcerated after being kidnapped by his enemies, was set on fire. He, however, managed to escape alive.  A contemporary of Chera king Perunjeral Adan whom he defeated  in the Batt...

                                       Maurya Empire, c.250 BCE /  Wikimedia Commons Chandragupta Maurya’s claim to fame rests on the fact that he was the founder of the first and one of the greatest empires that appeared in India. He not only succeeded in overthrowing the unpopular last ruler of the Nandas with their capital at Pataliputra (modern day Patna), also to his credit goes the driving out of the Greeks garrisons from the North-West frontier set up as a result of Alexander’s invasion and unification of a large part of India including the Deccan. In fact, he was the first Indian ruler who sent military expeditions beyond the Vindhyas and brought the area under his influence. The early life of Chandragupta Maurya The early life of Chandragupta Maurya and his ascent to the throne is hidden in obscurity. He is described as Sandrocottus  in the Greek...

After the death of Sher Shah Suri, the founder of Sur dynasty that almost supplanted the nascent Mughal Empire resulting in the exile of the second Mughal emperor Humayun from India, he was succeeded on the throne by his second son Jalal Khan on 25th May 1545 AD. Sher Shah died on 22nd May from an accidental explosion of gunpowder during his siege of the Hindu fort of Kalinjar in central India. Since it was felt by the nobles of the empire that someone was needed to be raised to the throne as early as possible they forsake his eldest son Adil Khan in favour of Jalal Khan who was in the town of Rewah which was nearer to Kalinjar than Ranthambore where the eldest son was present at the time of Sher Shah’s demise.    Jalal Khan ascended the throne with the title of Islam Shah though he is more popularly known as Salim Shah. The fort he built in Delhi is also known as Salimgarh Fort, lying adjacent to the Red Fort built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the builder of Taj Mahal...

Though the origin of the Vijayanagar Empire is in the realm of debate, it can be said with certainty that its foundation in 1336 was a culmination of the political and cultural movement against the Muslim ideas and forces of Delhi Sultanate in the south India. This powerful kingdom continued to unfurl the banner of Hinduism for almost three centuries. The nucleus of the kingdom was the city of Vijayanagar, identified with present day Hampi (located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River) in Karnataka.  Sangama Dynasty There is unanimity among the historians that the kingdom was founded by Harihara and Bukka, sons of Sangama. The first dynasty which lasted from 1336 to 1485 was named after Sangama, father of the duo. After  Harihara, Bukka ruled from 1356 to 1377. In 1374 he sent an embassy to China. He was succeeded in 1377 by his son Harihara II who ruled till 1404. During his rule of 27 years he strengthened the power of the Vijayanagar empire and was responsible f...

Q. 1 Which of the following Sangam rulers is known as ‘Red Chera’? (a) Senguttuvan (b) Karikala (c) Nedunjeral (d) Elara Answer (a) Q. 2 Which of the following kings of the Sangam Age is credited with the foundation of Puhar or Kaveripattinam? (a) Karikala (b) Elara (c) Vijayalaya (d) Ilandiraiyan Answer (a) Q. 3 Karikala, the famous king of this period, belonged to which of the following dynasties did? (a) Chola (b) Chera (c) Pandya (d) Pallava Answer (a) Q. 4 Which of the following was not one of the royal dynasties of the Tamil country during the Sangam Age? (a) Pandya (b) Chera (c) Pallava (d) Chola Answer (c) Q. 5 The spies during the Sangam period were known as? (a) Dutas (b) Spasas (c) Orrars (d) Sanjayans Answer (c)

Q. 1 Which of the following Sangam rulers is known as ‘Red Chera’? (a) Senguttuvan (b) Karikala (c) Nedunjeral (d) Elara Answer (a) Q. 2 Which of the following kings of the Sangam Age is credited with the foundation of Puhar or Kaveripattinam? (a) Karikala (b) Elara (c) Vijayalaya (d) Ilandiraiyan Answer (c)