CAPF AC 2025 Q50: Medieval History – Regional Kingdoms & Frontier States
Consider the following pairs:
| King | Dynasty |
|---|---|
| 1. Lakshmikarna | Pala |
| 2. Bhima I | Chalukyas of Gujarat |
| 3. Jayapala | Shahiya dynasty |
| 4. Lalitaditya Muktapida | Utpala dynasty of Kashmir |
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
- (a) 1
- (b) 2
- (c) 3
- (d) 4
Answer: (b) 2
Explanation
Kings and their dynasties
How to think: match each king to the dynasty that really ruled; two pairs are traps.
| Pair | Actual dynasty | Match? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lakshmikarna – Pala | Kalachuri (Chedi) king of Tripuri, 11th century | No |
| 2. Bhima I – Chalukyas of Gujarat | Solanki (Chaulukya) king; Mahmud of Ghazni raided Somnath in his reign (1025) | Yes |
| 3. Jayapala – Shahiya dynasty | Hindu Shahi king who fought Sabuktigin and Mahmud of Ghazni | Yes |
| 4. Lalitaditya Muktapida – Utpala | Karkota dynasty of Kashmir (8th century); the Utpalas came later | No |
Two pairs (2 and 3) are correct.
Answer: (b) 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Two pairs are correct (2 and 3), not one.
- (b) CORRECT. Exactly two pairs, Bhima I and Jayapala, are correct.
- (c) Incorrect. Pairs 1 and 4 are wrong, so three cannot be right.
- (d) Incorrect. Pairs 1 and 4 name the wrong dynasty.
Key point
Lakshmikarna: Kalachuri of Tripuri. Bhima I: Chaulukya (Solanki) of Gujarat. Jayapala: Hindu Shahi of Kabul and Punjab. Lalitaditya Muktapida: Karkota dynasty of Kashmir (c. 724-760).
Remember
Kalachuri, Solanki, Hindu Shahi, Karkota: match the king to his own dynasty.
Common mistakes
- Linking Lakshmikarna with the Palas because both ruled in the east.
- Giving Lalitaditya to the Utpala dynasty, which followed the Karkotas.
- Not counting the correct pairs before choosing an option.
Exam tip
Educated guess: Jayapala and Mahmud of Ghazni are among the best-known names, so pair 3 is safe. That removes (a), and then pair 2 is likely right, since Somnath links Bhima I with Gujarat.
Sources
- R. C. Majumdar (ed.), The History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 5: The Struggle for Empire (Kalachuris, Chaulukyas)
- Kalhana, Rajatarangini (reign of Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota dynasty)