UPSC Prelims 2023 Q49: Medieval History – Regional Kingdoms & Frontier States

UPSC Prelims 2023, General Studies Paper I · Medieval History

Who among the following rulers of medieval Gujarat surrendered Diu to Portuguese?

Answer: (c) Bahadur Shah

Explanation

Bahadur Shah of Gujarat and the Portuguese at Diu

Detail	Fact
Ruler	Bahadur Shah (1526–1537), Sultan of Gujarat
Pressure	Threatened by the Mughal emperor Humayun, who invaded Gujarat in 1535
Deal	Treaty of Bassein (1534) gave Bassein to the Portuguese; in 1535 he let them build a fort at Diu
End	Killed in 1537 during talks on a Portuguese ship off Diu
Result	Diu stayed Portuguese until 1961, when India took it back

Gujarat sultans in the options:

Ruler	Known for
Ahmad Shah I	Founded Ahmedabad (1411)
Mahmud Begarha	Fought the Portuguese at Chaul (1508) and Diu (1509) with the Egyptians
Bahadur Shah	Gave Diu to the Portuguese
Muhammad Shah	Earlier ruler, no Diu link

Answer: (c) Bahadur Shah.

(a) Incorrect. Ahmad Shah founded Ahmedabad a century before the Portuguese arrived.
(b) Incorrect. Mahmud Begarha fought the Portuguese at Diu in 1509 instead of surrendering it.
(c) CORRECT. Bahadur Shah let the Portuguese build a fort at Diu (1535) to win their help against Humayun.
(d) Incorrect. Muhammad Shah is not linked to handing over Diu.

Bahadur Shah of Gujarat ceded Bassein (1534) and allowed a Portuguese fort at Diu (1535) to resist Humayun.

Bahadur Shah of Gujarat surrendered Diu to the Portuguese.

Choosing Mahmud Begarha because he is linked to Diu; he fought the Portuguese there in 1509.
Confusing Bahadur Shah of Gujarat with the Mughal Bahadur Shah Zafar or Bahadur Shah I.
Forgetting that Diu, Daman and Goa were freed only in 1961.

Begarha fought, Bahadur gave. Remember the contrast between the two Gujarat sultans.