Foreign Travelers in the Sultanate

Ibn Battuta's Visit to India | Reign of MBT

Ibn Battuta visited India in 1333 during the reign of Muhammad-Bin-Tughluq, who appointed him as the Qadi of Delhi.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII - Themes in Indian History Part II

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Ibn Battuta, the Moorish traveller, visited India during the reign of:

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. Prelims 2013]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Ibn Battuta, a Berber scholar from Tangiers, provides one of the most detailed outsider perspectives on the Delhi Sultanate during its period of maximum expansion and subsequent internal crisis.

Authentic Source Evidence


Ibn Battuta arrived in India in 1333 CE during the reign of Muhammad-Bin-Tughluq. He was appointed as a Qadi (judge) in Delhi and served the Sultan for seven years before being sent as an ambassador to China.

Analytical Breakdown


  • Logic 1: Option A is correct. His work, Rihla, documents the Sultan's eccentric character, the efficiency of the postal system, and the state of Indian society in the 14th century.

  • Logic 2: Other options are chronologically incorrect: Mahmud Ghazni raided in the 11th century, while Babur and Akbar belonged to the Mughal era (16th century).
  • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "What role did Ibn Battuta play in the court of MBT?"

    He served as the Qadi (judge) of Delhi and later as an imperial ambassador to the Mongol court in China.

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

    "Ibn Battuta's accounts highlight the 'globalized' nature of the 14th-century Islamic world, where scholars could move from Morocco to India and hold high office."

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    Rihla 3

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