The Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms class 7 icse

 

The Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms

A. Choose the correct option

1. From whose accounts do we learn that trade and commerce flourished in the Bahmani Kingdom?
✅ c. Nikitin — the Russian traveller's accounts describe the flourishing trade and commerce of the Bahmani Kingdom.

2. Which foreign travellers visited the court of Krishnadeva Raya?
✅ b. Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razzaq and Domingo Paes — they left behind accounts of the socio-economic and political conditions of the time.

3. What title was given to the provincial governors in the Bahmani Kingdom?
✅ c. Tarafdar or Amir — provinces were called tarafs, headed by governors known as amir or tarafdar.

4. What is the giant monolithic statue at Vijayanagara a form of?
✅ c. Narasimha — an avatar of Vishnu.

5. Who was the last ruler of the Sangama Dynasty?
✅ a. Virupaksha II — the last ruler of the dynasty founded by Harihara and Bukka.

B. Write True or False

1. The Tuluva dynasty was started by Saluva Narsimha in 1505 CE.
❌ False — the Tuluva dynasty was started by Vir Narsimha in 1505 CE. Saluva Narsimha started the Saluva dynasty in 1485 CE.

2. Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah and is located in Karnataka.
✅ True — it is located at Bijapur in Karnataka.

3. Mahmud Gawan successfully united the Deccani and Pardesi groups.
❌ False — he failed to unite the two groups and became a victim of conspiracy in 1481 CE.

4. The Bahmani Kingdom was established by Ala-ud-din Hasan.
✅ True — Ala-ud-din Hasan (Hasan Gangu) established it in 1347 CE.

5. The term ashtadiggaja refers to eight famous musicians in Krishnadeva Raya's court.
❌ False — the ashtadiggaja were eight Telugu scholars/poets, not musicians.

C. One-word answers

1. Vijayanagara was defeated in this battle.
→ Battle of Talikota (1565 CE)

2. Head of finance in the Bahmani Kingdom.
→ Amir-i-jumla

3. He became the wazir (Prime Minister) of Muhammad Shah III, who was crowned Sultan at the young age of nine.
→ Mahmud Gawan

4. Capital of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.
→ Hampi

5. A shelter for the royal elephants in the Vijayanagara Kingdom.
→ Elephant Stables

D. Answer the following questions briefly

1. Who were ashtadiggaja? Name all ashtadiggaja and describe their role.

The ashtadiggaja were the eight Telugu scholars patronised by Krishnadeva Raya in his court. They were Peddana, Dhurjati, Tenali Raman, Nandi Thimmana, Mallana, Ayyalaraju, Surana and Ramarajabhushanudu. They taught logic, philosophy, grammar, music and dance, and greatly enriched Telugu literature.

2. Name the foreign travellers that visited India during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya.

Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razzaq and Domingo Paes visited his court and left behind accounts of the socio-economic and political conditions of the time.

3. Write a note on the decline of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.

After Krishnadeva Raya's death, the kingdom became weak and disintegrated. The neighbouring kingdoms joined hands and defeated the Vijayanagara ruler in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 CE.

4. The Bahmani Kingdom witnessed a continuous conflict between the two groups of nobles at the court, Deccani and Pardesi. Explain.

The Deccanis were local Muslims, while the Pardesis were Muslims who came from Iran, Turkey, Arabia and Central Asia and were looked down upon as outsiders. Their continuous rivalry weakened the Bahmani court. Mahmud Gawan, though a Pardesi, tried to unite the two groups but failed, and became a victim of a conspiracy in 1481 CE.

5. Write a short note on art and architecture of the Bahmani Kingdom.

The Bahmani rulers were great patrons of art and architecture. They built numerous madrasas, mosques and tombs. Famous monuments include the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, the Jama Masjid at Gulbarga, Golconda Fort, and the Tomb of Ahmed Shah at Bidar. Mahmud Gawan also built a magnificent madrasa at Bidar which attracted famous scholars from Iran and Iraq.

6. What was the aftermath of the decline of the Bahmani Kingdom?

After Mahmud Gawan's death the kingdom declined steadily and broke into five independent states by 1527 CE: Bijapur (Adil Shahis), Golconda (Qutb Shahis), Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahs), Bidar (Barid Shahis) and Berar (Imad Shahis). Once the powerful Vijayanagara Kingdom broke apart, the sultans lost their fear and wasted their riches fighting one another. Weakened by these internal conflicts, they became easy targets for the mighty Mughal emperors from the north.

E. Answer the following questions in detail

1. The decline of the Delhi Sultanate was not due to a single cause. Explain.

The decline was caused by a combination of factors:

• Political instability: After strong rulers like Ala-ud-din Khalji and Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, weak successors led to power struggles, factionalism and rebellion.
• Corrupt nobles: They caused administrative inefficiency.
• Economic decline: Continuous warfare and heavy taxation caused unrest among the common people. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq's transfer of capital created widespread discontent, and his token currency caused a financial crisis the later rulers could never recover from.
• External invasions: Mongol invasions placed immense pressure on the Sultanate's economic resources and military manpower. Timur's invasion of 1398 CE gave the final blow, giving regional chiefs the opportunity to rise against the weakened central authority.
• Rise of regional kingdoms: As the Sultanate's hold weakened, provinces strove for independence, hastening its decline.

Despite its fall, the Sultanate fostered cultural synthesis and shaped India's diverse cultural and religious landscape.

2. Discuss the social and economic conditions of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.

Social conditions: Society was divided into three main classes — the king and nobles who led a luxurious life; the middle class of traders and craftsmen; and the common people and peasants who were poor due to heavy taxes. The Brahmans were held in high esteem. Though predominantly Hindu, the kingdom followed religious tolerance, and Christianity, Judaism and Islam also flourished. Women were treated with respect, but sati, child marriage and polygamy were prevalent.

Economic conditions: Vijayanagara was one of the richest kingdoms of the 15th and 16th centuries. Prosperity came from agriculture (the main source of revenue — land revenue was fixed according to soil fertility, and Krishnadeva Raya built tanks, dams and canals) and from trade with Portugal, Britain, Persia, Arabia, Africa, China, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Markets sold Arabian horses, Sri Lankan elephants and gems, Persian rugs and Chinese silk. Exports included cotton clothes, sandalwood, spices, rice, iron, sugar and salt. Other taxes — property tax, taxes on sale produce, customs, import and export duties — were also levied. The rulers issued gold, silver and copper coins, and urban life flourished.

3. Describe the reign of Mahmud Gawan.

Mahmud Gawan was a Persian merchant who came to India and took service with the Bahmani rulers, rising to become wazir (Prime Minister) under Muhammad Shah II, who was crowned Sultan at the young age of nine. With a young ruler at the centre, it was Gawan who expanded and reorganised the kingdom, taking it to its zenith between 1466 CE and 1481 CE. He defeated the rulers of Konkan, Odisha, Warangal and Goa, and established trade relations with Iran and Iraq. He reorganised the revenue system, efficiently collected taxes to pay for the large army, added four new provinces, reduced the power of governors, and fixed some land in each province as the Sultan's land. A patron of art and learning with a huge library, he built the magnificent Mahmud Gawan Madrasa at Bidar, drawing scholars from Iran and Iraq; he was himself well-versed in mathematics and literature. Being a Pardesi, he fell victim to a conspiracy by his opponents and was killed in 1481 CE.

4. Give an account of the Gol Gumbaz.

The Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah, located at Bijapur in Karnataka, and is a fine piece of Islamic architectural heritage. Its central dome is the second largest dome in the world and stands without the support of pillars — it has an outer diameter of 44 metres and is held up by a network of crossing arches. The main structure is shaped like a cube with a huge half-sphere dome on top, balanced by tall, narrowing towers at each corner; each tower has seven levels crowned with a small dome. A balcony located 33 metres above the ground surrounds the base of the tomb. The name means "circular dome" — a plain yet remarkable building.

5. Describe the art and architecture of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.

Literature, fine arts and architecture all progressed under the Vijayanagara rulers, who built numerous beautiful palaces, temples, gardens and other buildings. The best specimens of temple architecture are the Vittalaswami Temple, Virupaksha Temple and Hazara Rama Temple, whose walls are adorned with elaborate and beautiful sculptures. Other great specimens include the giant monolithic statue of Narasimha (an avatar of Vishnu), the Lotus Mahal (probably used as a pleasure pavilion by the queens), the Mahanavami Dibba, and the Elephant Stables (a shelter for royal elephants). These monuments blend religious devotion with royal grandeur, and the ruins of Hampi stand today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.