Medieval Historiography

Chronology of Medieval Texts: Al-Biruni to Barani

The chronological order is: Kitab-ul-Hind (1030), Prithviraja Raso (c. 1235), Tabaqat-i-Nasiri (1260), and Fatawa-i-Jahandari (1357).

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

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Consider the following text and arrange them in chronological order:
1. Fatawa-i-Jahandari
2. Prithviraja-Raso
3. Kitab-ul-Hind
4. Tabaqat-i-Nasiri Select the correct answer from the codes given below.

[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept


Historical texts in medieval India were produced across different periods—from the initial interactions with the Arab world to the height of the Delhi Sultanate.

Authentic Source Evidence


Chronology:
1. Kitab-ul-Hind (Al-Biruni): c. 1030 CE (Ghaznavid era).
2. Prithviraja-Raso (Chand Bardai): Written after 1192, traditional date c. 1235.
3. Tabaqat-i-Nasiri (Minhaj-i-Siraj): c. 1260 (Early Slave dynasty).
4. Fatawa-i-Jahandari (Barani): c. 1357 (Tughlaq era).

Analytical Breakdown


  • Logic 1: Al-Biruni (3) is the earliest, coming with Mahmud of Ghazni.

  • Logic 2: Chand Bardai (2) followed after the fall of the Rajputs.

  • Logic 3: Minhaj (4) wrote under Nasiruddin Mahmud.

  • Logic 4: Barani (1) is the latest, living through the Tughlaq period.
  • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "Which of these texts is written in Arabic?"

    Only the Kitab-ul-Hind is written in Arabic; the others are in Brajbhasha or Persian.

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

    "The shift from Al-Biruni's objective sociology to Barani's political theory reflects the changing nature of Indo-Islamic rule."

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