Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Who visited India during Jahangir's reign?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Concept
The reign of Jahangir was a period of intense global interest in the 'Great Mughal.' Merchants and travelers from different European nations provided varying perspectives on the empire's wealth and social conditions.Explanation
Francisco Pelsaert, a Dutch merchant of the VOC, arrived in India in 1618 during the reign of Jahangir. He stayed for seven years, mainly in Agra, and wrote a detailed report titled *The Remonstrantie*, which provides a critical look at the Mughal economy and the lives of the common people.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Father Monserate visited Akbar (1578). Niccolo Manucci and Francois Bernier both visited during the much later reign of Aurangzeb.
Logic 2: Pelsaert is uniquely associated with Jahangir and is famous for his detailed descriptions of the Surat famine and the contrast between the luxury of the court and the poverty of the subjects.