UPSC Prelims 2000 Q37: Medieval History – Medieval Culture & Historiography
Consider the following events:
I. Reign of Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara.
II. Construction of Qutab Minar.
III. Arrival of Portuguese in India.
IV. Death of Firoz Tughlaq.
Which one of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
- (a) II, IV, III, I
- (b) II, IV, I, III
- (c) IV, II, I, III
- (d) IV, II, III, I
Answer: (a) II, IV, III, I
Explanation
Putting four medieval events in order
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| II. Construction of Qutab Minar | Begun c. 1199 by Qutbuddin Aibak; completed by Iltutmish (c. 1220) |
| IV. Death of Firoz Tughlaq | 1388 |
| III. Arrival of the Portuguese | 1498 — Vasco da Gama at Calicut |
| I. Reign of Krishna Deva Raya | 1509-1529 |
The Qutab Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak around 1199 and completed by Iltutmish.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq died in 1388.
Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in May 1498.
Krishna Deva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty ruled Vijayanagara from 1509 to 1529.
So the order is II, IV, III, I.
Answer: (a) II, IV, III, I.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Qutab Minar (c. 1199), Firoz Tughlaq's death (1388), Portuguese (1498), Krishna Deva Raya (1509).
- (b) Incorrect. The Portuguese arrived in 1498, before Krishna Deva Raya's reign began in 1509.
- (c) Incorrect. Firoz Tughlaq died long after the Qutab Minar was built.
- (d) Incorrect. The Qutab Minar, begun around 1199, came before Firoz Tughlaq's death in 1388.
Key point
Vasco da Gama 1498 comes eleven years before Krishna Deva Raya's accession (1509).
Remember
Qutab Minar c. 1199-1220, Firoz died 1388, da Gama 1498, Krishna Deva Raya 1509-29.
Common mistakes
- Placing Krishna Deva Raya before the Portuguese, though he dealt with Albuquerque after 1510.
- Placing Firoz Tughlaq before the Qutab Minar because Firoz repaired it.
- Mixing up Qutbuddin Aibak with the Tughlaq period.
Exam tip
Sultanate (1199, 1388) → Europeans (1498) → Vijayanagara peak (1509).
Sources
- Satish Chandra — Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (Har-Anand)
- Archaeological Survey of India — Qutb Minar and its Monuments (asi.nic.in)