Q. Sayyid Dynasty: Policies and Kings (Part 1)
Question 9: Which of the following factors primarily characterized the political state of the Delhi Sultanate during the rule of the Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451 CE)?
1.The Sultanate’s borders were permanently shrunk, limited largely to Delhi and the Doab region.
2.The rulers claimed to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, using this lineage as a source of legitimacy.
3.The constant threat of invasion by the Timurids and the fragmentation of the nobility into powerful regional entities.
Select the correct code:
Answer: D
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Correct. Following Timur’s invasion in 1398, the Sultanate was reduced to a pale shadow of its former self, with control barely extending beyond Delhi, often necessitating annual military campaigns to collect tribute from the nearby Doab chiefs.
- Statement 2: Correct. The Sayyid rulers, starting with Khizr Khan, based their legitimacy on being the descendants of Prophet Muhammad (Sayyids), hence the dynasty’s name.
- Statement 3: Correct. The Sayyids ruled under the nominal authority of Timur’s son and were constantly preoccupied with controlling powerful Amirs (nobles) who often challenged the central authority, leading to extreme political instability.
