Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2008

Mughal Military Timeline

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Arrange the following battles of the Mughal period in chronological order- 1. Battle of Ghaghra 2. Battle of Khanwa 3. Battle of Chausa 4. Battle of Samugarh

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Historical battles define the rise, peak, and internal struggles of an empire. This sequence covers the founding years under Babur, the crisis under Humayun, and the internal war of succession under Shah Jahan's sons.

Explanation
Battle of Khanwa (1527): Babur vs. Rana Sanga.
Battle of Ghaghra (1529): Babur vs. the Afghans of Bengal.
Battle of Chausa (1539): Sher Shah Suri vs. Humayun.
Battle of Samugarh (1658): Aurangzeb and Murad vs. Dara Shikoh.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The timeline starts with Babur's consolidation of North India (1527-1529), moves to the temporary loss of the empire by Humayun (1539), and ends with the mid-17th-century power struggle (1658).
Logic 2: The sequence 2, 1, 3, 4 is the only historically accurate chronological arrangement.

Active Recall

Question

Which of these battles ended the first phase of Mughal rule?

Answer

The Battle of Chausa (1539), followed by Kanauj, forced Humayun into exile and allowed the Suri dynasty to take over Delhi.

Core Insight

This chronology highlights that Mughal rule was never static; it faced existential threats from regional Rajputs, Afghan rivals, and internal family wars.