Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements: 1. The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-uddin Khalji. 2. During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, one Mongol assault marched up to Delhi and besieged the city. 3. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq temporarily lost portions of north-west of his kingdom to Mongols. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Concept
The Delhi Sultanate faced persistent threats from the Mongol Khanates. Successive Sultans adopted different strategies, ranging from diplomacy (Iltutmish) to aggressive military fortification (Alauddin Khalji) and negotiation/ransom (MBT).Explanation
Standard historical accounts verify that the Mongols first reached the Indus in 1221 during Iltutmish’s reign. Alauddin Khalji famously defended Delhi against Targhi’s siege at Siri. MBT did not lose territory but paid a large ransom to Tarmashirin to avoid destruction.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is false. The first major encounter was under Iltutmish when he refused asylum to Jalal-uddin Mangabarni to avoid Genghis Khan's wrath.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is true. In 1303, a Mongol army under Targhi besieged Delhi, forcing Alauddin to take shelter in the Siri fort.
Logic 3: Statement 3 is false. While Tarmashirin reached Delhi in 1327, MBT bribed him to retreat; no northwest territory was permanently ceded.