UPSC Prelims 2003 Q101: Medieval History – Mughal Empire
Assertion (A): Emperor Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 with a huge army.
Reason (R): He was on his way to reclaim his ancestral country of Ferghana in Central Asia.
- (a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- (b) Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- (c) A is true but R is false
- (d) A is false but R is true
Answer: (c) A is true but R is false
Explanation
Akbar's march towards Afghanistan in 1581
| Part | Verdict |
|---|---|
| A. Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 with a huge army | True — against his half-brother Mirza Hakim of Kabul |
| R. He was going to reclaim his ancestral Ferghana | False: the aim was to deal with Mirza Hakim, who had invaded the Punjab |
A is true but R is false: Akbar marched to Kabul in 1581 to crush the rebellion of his half-brother Mirza Hakim, not to reclaim Ferghana.
Answer: (c) A is true but R is false.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. R is false, so it cannot explain A.
- (b) Incorrect. R is not a true statement.
- (c) CORRECT. A is true because Akbar did march in 1581, but R is false since his aim was Mirza Hakim.
- (d) Incorrect. A is true, as Akbar did march.
Key point
Akbar 1581: Mirza Hakim had invaded Punjab with Afghan nobles' backing; Akbar took Kabul.
Remember
Akbar's 1581 march was against Mirza Hakim, not for Ferghana.
Common mistakes
- Taking Ferghana as Akbar's goal, which was Babur's dream.
- Mixing Mirza Hakim with Mirza Kamran.
- Forgetting the 1581 Kabul expedition.
Exam tip
Ferghana was Babur's homeland; Akbar's concern in 1581 was his half-brother.
Sources
- Satish Chandra — Medieval India
- Abul Fazl — Akbarnama (translated by H. Beveridge)