31. How many sultans ruled during the Slave Dynasty?
Correct Answer: C. Ten (though only three were truly powerful rulers)
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty had approximately ten sultans total, but the three who mattered historically were Qutbuddin Aybak, Iltutmish, and Balban. The others between Iltutmish and Balban were largely puppets of the Chahalgani nobles.
32. The official language and culture of the Slave Dynasty court was _____.
Correct Answer: B. Persian (Persianate culture)
Explanation: Despite being ethnically Turkish, the Slave Dynasty rulers adopted Persian as the language of culture, court, and administration. Persian literature, poetry, and customs dominated the court, establishing a tradition continued by all subsequent Delhi Sultanate dynasties and the Mughals.
33. The “razinama” (deed of manumission/freedom) of Iltutmish, freeing him from slave status, was granted by _____.
Correct Answer: C. Qutbuddin Aybak (who freed him after he became his son-in-law)
Explanation: Iltutmish was originally purchased as a slave by Qutbuddin Aybak. After proving his capabilities, he was married to Aybak’s daughter and subsequently freed from slave status – thus becoming legally qualified to rule.
34. The Slave Dynasty’s biggest military achievement was _____.
Correct Answer: C. Successfully defending India against multiple Mongol invasions
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty’s greatest military achievement – especially under Balban – was defending India against Mongol invasions that had devastated much of Central Asia, Persia, and the Middle East. Balban’s son Muhammad died fighting the Mongols on the Punjab frontier.
35. The historical period 1206–1290 represents the rule of which dynasty?
Correct Answer: A. Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty
Explanation: The period 1206–1290 AD represents the Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty, the first of the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate, beginning with Qutbuddin Aybak (1206) and ending with the Khalji takeover under Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji (1290).
36. Iltutmish received caliphal recognition in _____.
Correct Answer: C. 1229
Explanation: In 1229 AD, the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustansir sent Iltutmish a formal patent (mansur) recognizing him as the legitimate Sultan of India. This was a major political achievement that elevated the Delhi Sultanate’s international standing.
37. The Adhai Din ka Jhonpra – “a building of two and a half days” – refers to a mosque in _____.
Correct Answer: C. Ajmer
Explanation: The Adhai Din ka Jhonpra is a mosque at Ajmer, Rajasthan, built by Qutbuddin Aybak in 1193 AD (some say within 2½ days, hence the name) on the ruins of a Sanskrit college. It is one of the earliest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture.
38. Iltutmish created a group of elite slave-nobles called _____.
Correct Answer: B. Bandagan-i-Khas (royal slaves)
Explanation: Iltutmish created an elite corps of royal slaves called “Bandagan-i-Khas” (chosen slaves) who served as his most trusted administrators and military commanders, forming the nucleus of the Chahalgani oligarchy.
39. Balban dealt harshly with the Bengali governor Tughril Khan’s rebellion by _____.
Correct Answer: C. Pursuing him personally and executing him along with all his supporters
Explanation: When the Bengali governor Tughril Khan rebelled and declared independence (1278–1279 AD), the 80-year-old Balban personally marched to Bengal, suppressed the rebellion, executed Tughril publicly, and displayed his head in the market as a warning to other potential rebels.
40. The Slave Dynasty rulers were ethnically _____.
Correct Answer: B. Turkic (Turks from Central Asia)
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty rulers were ethnically Turkic – Qutbuddin Aybak was likely of Turkish origin, Iltutmish was from the Ilbari tribe of Turks, and Balban was from the Ilbari Turks as well – though all were heavily Persianized in culture.
41. The first sultan of the Slave Dynasty who was NOT a slave was _____.
Correct Answer: C. Nasiruddin Mahmud (born free, son of Iltutmish)
Explanation: By the time of Nasiruddin Mahmud’s birth, his father Iltutmish was already a free man and sultan. Mahmud was therefore born free – the natural-born son of a sultan – making him the first Slave Dynasty ruler who was never a slave.
42. The tomb of Razia Sultana is located in _____.
Correct Answer: C. Bulbul-i-khana area, Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Explanation: Razia Sultana’s tomb is located in the Bulbul-i-khana area near Turkman Gate in Old Delhi. It is a simple, modest grave. (Note: Another claim places her burial near Kaithal, Haryana, where she was killed.)
43. The Slave Dynasty’s administrative capital was _____.
Correct Answer: C. Delhi (Mehrauli/Qutb area)
Explanation: After Qutbuddin Aybak established the sultanate at Lahore, Iltutmish shifted the capital to Delhi permanently. The first administrative center was in the Mehrauli/Qutb area, where the Qutb Minar complex still stands.
44. Under the Slave Dynasty, what was the role of the “Wazir”?
Correct Answer: B. Prime minister / head of revenue and finance
Explanation: The Wazir (Vizier) was the most important civil official – essentially the prime minister who headed the financial administration (Diwan-i-Wizarat). Balban himself served as wazir before becoming sultan.
45. When was the Slave Dynasty formally established?
Correct Answer: C. 1206 (Qutbuddin Aybak’s accession after Ghori’s death)
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty (and Delhi Sultanate) is formally dated from 1206 AD when Qutbuddin Aybak declared his independence following Muhammad Ghori’s assassination and established himself as the ruler of northern India.
46. Balban is notable for not allowing _____ to be shown in court, maintaining an atmosphere of awe.
Correct Answer: B. Laughter and informal behavior
Explanation: Contemporary accounts describe Balban’s court as a place of extreme formality – no one laughed, joked, or behaved informally. He sat on the throne with an expression that struck awe, and his presence alone was said to silence any room.
47. Qutbuddin Aybak’s other famous title (besides Lakh Baksh) was _____.
Correct Answer: B. Ghazi (holy warrior)
Explanation: Qutbuddin Aybak is also referred to as a “Ghazi” – a fighter for the Islamic faith – in recognition of his military campaigns against Hindu rulers in Northern India.
48. Balban took extreme steps to ensure succession went to his son Bughra Khan but instead it went to his ____.
Correct Answer: C. Grandson Muizuddin Qaiqabad (Bughra Khan’s son)
Explanation: After Balban’s death, Bughra Khan (Balban’s surviving son) chose to remain in Bengal. The throne went to Bughra Khan’s young son Muizuddin Qaiqabad, who proved incompetent – and within a few years the Slave Dynasty was overthrown by the Khaljis.
49. The Slave Dynasty is considered the “Foundation Period” of the Delhi Sultanate because _____.
Correct Answer: C. It created the administrative, military, and cultural institutions that subsequent dynasties built upon
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty established the key institutions of the Delhi Sultanate – the iqta system (revenue assignments), Persian court culture, military organization, coinage (tanka), Islamic legal administration, and the political framework – all of which the Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodhi dynasties inherited and built upon.
50. Iltutmish was succeeded by his son Rukn-ud-din Firuz who ruled for only _____.
Correct Answer: C. About 7 months (1236)
Explanation: Rukn-ud-din Firuz Shah, Iltutmish’s son, ruled for only about 7 months before being deposed and killed. He was an incompetent ruler who spent his time in pleasure, allowing his mother Shah Turkan to run the government badly, which led to revolt and Razia’s accession.
51. The role of Turkish nobles (Turkan-i-Chahalgani) in the Slave Dynasty was primarily to _____.
Correct Answer: B. Dominate the court, control succession, and sometimes make and unmake sultans
Explanation: The Chahalgani (Forty) Turkish nobles were the real power brokers of the Slave Dynasty between Iltutmish’s death and Balban’s rise. They controlled who sat on the throne and could overthrow sultans they disliked, as seen with Razia Sultana’s overthrow.
52. Razia Sultana’s husband (who first supported then opposed her) was the governor of _____.
Correct Answer: C. Bhatinda (Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda)
Explanation: Malik Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda, rebelled against Razia in 1240 AD and captured her. He then married her (in a bid to strengthen his claim), but they were both killed shortly after by rebels near Kaithal.
53. Under Balban, the system of provincial government was reformed by _____.
Correct Answer: B. Placing his own trusted relatives and soldiers as governors and stationing large armies in provinces
Explanation: Balban restructured provincial government by appointing his trusted relatives (sons, nephew) as governors, stationed well-trained armies in each province, and maintained a direct intelligence line to the sultan through the barid system.
54. The Slave Dynasty ended and the Khalji Dynasty began in _____ AD.
Correct Answer: C. 1290
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty ended in 1290 AD when Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji overthrew the last Slave sultan (the infant Kayumarth) and founded the Khalji Dynasty, marking the end of 84 years of Slave Dynasty rule.
55. Who was the father of Iltutmish?
Correct Answer: B. Iltam, an Ilbari Turkic chief
Explanation: Iltutmish (also Shamsuddin Iltutmish) was born into the Ilbari (Ilbari/Albari) clan of Turks. He was sold into slavery as a child due to jealousy from his brothers, but rose to become the greatest sultan of the Slave Dynasty.
56. The “Chahalgani” (Forty) nobles were broken by which sultan?
Correct Answer: D. Ghiyasuddin Balban
Explanation: Balban systematically destroyed the power of the Chahalgani – executing many, transferring others to distant posts, watching all through spies, and refusing to tolerate any noble’s power coming close to matching his own. After Balban, the Chahalgani ceased to exist as a political force.
57. The iron pillar in the Qutb complex originally dates from which period?
Correct Answer: C. Gupta period (4th–5th century AD)
Explanation: The iron pillar at the Qutb complex dates from approximately the 4th–5th century AD during the Gupta period, originally erected as a Garuda (Vishnu) standard. It was moved to the Qutb complex when Qutbuddin Aybak built the mosque using materials from demolished temples.
58. The Slave Dynasty’s military forces were primarily composed of _____.
Correct Answer: C. Turkish slave-soldiers (Mamluks) and Central Asian cavalry
Explanation: The army of the Slave Dynasty was built around Turkish slave-soldiers (mamluks) and Central Asian cavalry (horse archers) who were the most skilled military force of the medieval Islamic world, supplemented by Indian troops.
59. Balban’s elaborate court rituals and Persian customs served the purpose of _____.
Correct Answer: C. Creating an unbridgeable distance between the sultan and nobles to reinforce absolute royal authority
Explanation: Balban’s elaborate court ceremonies (sijda, paibos, Nauroz celebrations, Turkish dress codes, etc.) were deliberately designed to elevate the sultan above ordinary nobles and humans, creating an aura of semi-divine authority that discouraged rebellion.
60. The Slave Dynasty’s lasting contribution to Indian culture was _____.
Correct Answer: C. Establishment of Indo-Islamic art, architecture, and Persian-influenced court culture as major elements of Indian civilization
Explanation: The Slave Dynasty’s most enduring legacy is the establishment of Indo-Islamic architectural traditions (Qutb Minar, first Islamic tombs), Persian language and literary culture, Sufi influence, and the synthesis of Islamic and Indian traditions that became defining features of Indian civilization for the next 600 years.