Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Who was the court historian of Mahmud of Ghazni?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Concept
Mahmud of Ghazni patronized many scholars to chronicle his achievements. These histories serve as primary sources for the early 11th-century Turkish raids on India.Explanation
Abu Nasr Muhammad al-Utbi (commonly known as Al-Utbi) was the official court secretary and historian. He wrote the *Tarikh-i-Yamini
(or *Kitab-i-Yamini*), which records the exploits of Mahmud and his father.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option B is correct. Utbi focused on the religious and political motivations of Mahmud's campaigns.
Logic 2: Firdausi (C) was a poet who wrote the *Shahnameh* for Mahmud but was not the court 'historian'. Hassan Nizami and Chand Bardai belong to the later Ghori/Chauhan era.