UPSC Prelims 2001 Q53: Medieval History – Mughal Empire
The shaded area in the above map shows the empire of
- (a) Ala - ud - din Khilji
- (b) Mohammad Tughlaq
- (c) Shah Jahan
- (d) Aurangzeb
Answer: (c) Shah Jahan
Explanation
Empire shown as the shaded area in the map
| Ruler | Extent of the empire |
|---|---|
| Shah Jahan (1628-1658) | North India, Gujarat, Bengal, Kabul and Kandahar (lost 1649); Deccan up to Ahmadnagar, with Bijapur and Golconda as tributaries |
| Aurangzeb (1658-1707) | Largest Mughal empire — annexed Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687), reaching almost the far south |
| Muhammad bin Tughlaq | Largest Sultanate extent, but no hold over Kabul or Kandahar |
| Alauddin Khalji | North India with raids into the Deccan and south |
The map in the paper is not reproduced here. The key (also given by third-party keys) is Shah Jahan: an empire covering North India and Afghanistan with the Deccan only up to the Mughal provinces, before Aurangzeb took Bijapur and Golconda.
Answer: (c) Shah Jahan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Alauddin Khalji's empire did not reach Kabul, and his southern control was by raids.
- (b) Incorrect. Tughlaq's empire did not include Afghanistan.
- (c) CORRECT. The shaded area matches Shah Jahan's empire.
- (d) Incorrect. Aurangzeb's empire stretched much further south, after 1687.
Key point
Mughal Deccan: Ahmadnagar annexed 1633 (Shah Jahan); Bijapur 1686 and Golconda 1687 (Aurangzeb).
Remember
Map with Deccan only up to Ahmadnagar = Shah Jahan.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Aurangzeb whenever a big Mughal map appears.
- Not checking how far south the shaded area goes.
- Mixing up Sultanate and Mughal frontiers in the north-west.
Exam tip
In empire maps, the southern edge tells you the ruler.
Sources
- Satish Chandra — Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals, Part II, chapter on Shah Jahan
- Irfan Habib — An Atlas of the Mughal Empire