CAPF AC 2021 Q109: Medieval History – Regional Kingdoms & Frontier States
Consider the following Jat peasant leaders of 17th and early 18th centuries:
1. Badan Singh
2. Raja Ram Jat
3. Gokula Jat
4. Churaman Jat
Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the above leaders?
- (a) 3-2-4-1
- (b) 1-2-3-4
- (c) 3-4-1-2
- (d) 2-3-1-4
Answer: (a) 3-2-4-1
Explanation
Jat leaders in order of time
How to think: the Jat revolts began under Aurangzeb around Mathura.
Place each leader by the date of his rising or rule.
| Order | Leader | When | What he did |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Gokula (3) | 1669 | Led the first Jat revolt near Mathura; defeated and executed |
| Second | Raja Ram (2) | 1685-88 | Second revolt; plundered Akbar's tomb at Sikandra |
| Third | Churaman (4) | 1695-1721 | Built the fort of Thun; set up the Jat power |
| Fourth | Badan Singh (1) | 1722-56 | Founder of the Bharatpur state; got the title of Raja |
After them: Suraj Mal (1756-63), the adopted son of Badan Singh, took the Jat state to its height.
He is called the Plato of the Jat tribe.
Answer: (a) 3-2-4-1.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Gokula → Raja Ram → Churaman → Badan Singh is 3-2-4-1.
- (b) Incorrect. It puts Badan Singh first, but he came last, in 1722.
- (c) Incorrect. It puts Raja Ram last, though he rose in the 1680s.
- (d) Incorrect. It starts with Raja Ram, but Gokula's revolt of 1669 was the first.
Key point
Jats: Gokula (1669) → Raja Ram (1685) → Churaman (1695-1721) → Badan Singh (1722, founder of Bharatpur state) → Suraj Mal (1756-63).
Remember
Gokula → Raja Ram → Churaman → Badan Singh → Suraj Mal.
Common mistakes
- Placing Churaman after Badan Singh; Badan Singh was his nephew and successor.
- Mixing up Raja Ram Jat with Rajaram, the Maratha king of the same period.
- Forgetting that Gokula's revolt of 1669 came first, under Aurangzeb.
Exam tip
Educated guess: the first Jat revolt (Gokula, 1669) is the best-known fact, so the order starts with 3. That leaves (a) and (c). Badan Singh founded the settled state of Bharatpur, so he must come last.
Sources
- Satish Chandra, History of Medieval India — Climax and Disintegration of the Mughal Empire (popular revolts: the Jats)
- NCERT Class VII History — Our Pasts II, Chapter 10: Eighteenth-Century Political Formations (the Jats)