UPPCS (Mains) 2009

Medieval Sources of History

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Match list-I with list-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: **List-I** A. Tarikh-e-hind B. Tarikh-i-Alai C. Rihla D. Tabqat-i-Nasiri **List-II** 1. Ibn Battuta 2. Minhaj 3. Al-Biruni 4. Khusrau

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Medieval historiography relied on both official court chronicles and independent travelogues to record the sociopolitical landscape of the Delhi Sultanate.

Explanation
Al-Biruni wrote *Tarikh-i-Hind* (Arabic), an objective study of Indian culture.
Amir Khusrau wrote *Tarikh-i-Alai*, detailing the reign of Alauddin Khilji.
Ibn Battuta authored *Rihla* (Arabic), documenting his global travels.
Minhaj-i-Siraj wrote *Tabaqat-i-Nasiri* (Persian), a history dedicated to Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud.

Logical Breakup
A-3: Al-Biruni's work is a proto-sociological account of 11th-century India.
B-4: Khusrau's work is an example of courtly panegyric combined with history.
C-1: Rihla offers an outsider's view of Tughlaq-era administration.
D-2: Tabaqat-i-Nasiri is a vital source for the early Slave Dynasty.

Active Recall

Question

Which of these authors was a Qazi in the court of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq?

Answer

Ibn Battuta, who served as the Chief Qazi of Delhi for several years.

Core Insight

The transition from Arabic (Al-Biruni) to Persian (Minhaj/Khusrau) reflects the shifting linguistic preference of the Islamic world in India.