Relevant Titles
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Mughal Kingship and Ideology: CBSE Class 12 MCQs & Practice Test
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NCERT-Aligned MCQs: Mughal Courts, Kingship and Political Ideas (Class 12 History)
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CBSE Class 12 History Practice: Mughal Kingship — 60 MCQs for Board Prep
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Quick Revision: Akbar, Jahangir, Court Culture & Kingship Ideology — Class 12 MCQs
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Sample Questions on Royal Rituals, Chronicles and Imperial Ideology — Class 12 History
Introduction
Prepare to ace your CBSE Class 12 History board exam with this NCERT-aligned MCQ practice set on Mughal Kingship and Ideology. Tailored to Part B — Medieval India, Theme 9: Kings and Chronicles — The Mughal Courts, this collection focuses on how Mughal emperors projected authority through titles, court ritual, chronicles (like the Akbarnama and Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri), coinage, and cultural patronage. It introduces key concepts — mansabdari, sulh-i-kul, din-i-ilahi, jharokha and the symbolic use of khutba and coinage — and links them to the broader ideological project of legitimising rule in a multi-religious empire. Each question is written in clear exam-style language, offers four plausible answers, and follows up with a short explanation to sharpen your conceptual understanding and correct common confusions. Use these sample questions for timed practice, quick revision, or group discussion; after attempting them, revisit the cited NCERT sections to consolidate weaker areas. Regular practice with NCERT-focused MCQs builds speed, accuracy and confidence essential for board-level success.
Sample MCQs with Explanations
Q1. Which practice at the Mughal court signalled formal recognition of a ruler’s sovereignty in the Islamic political idiom?
A. Construction of gardens only
B. Reading the khutba (Friday sermon) in the ruler’s name and issuing coins in his name
C. Holding only private family feasts
D. Granting village panchayats independence
Correct: B
Explanation: The khutba read in the sovereign’s name and coin issuance were classical markers of political sovereignty in Islamic polities; both publicly broadcasted the ruler’s authority.
Q2. The policy of sulh-i-kul under Akbar is best described as:
A. A revenue assessment technique
B. A policy of universal tolerance and administrative inclusion of diverse communities
C. A military conscription system
D. A land tenure contract
Correct: B
Explanation: Sulh-i-kul (peace with all) signalled Akbar’s policy of religious accommodation and inclusive governance, aimed at stabilising rule across a plural society.
Q3. The mansabdari system primarily contributed to Mughal kingship by:
A. Granting permanent hereditary land titles to peasants
B. Organising the nobility through ranks that linked service, pay and imperial control
C. Establishing village courts only
D. Eliminating the need for coins
Correct: B
Explanation: Mansabdari ranked nobles (mansabs) and tied military/administrative service to imperial rewards (often jagirs), helping bind elites to the emperor and reinforcing central authority.
Q4. Which chronicler is chiefly associated with the composition of the Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari, vital sources for Akbar’s kingship and administration?
A. Abu’l Fazl
B. Todar Mal
C. Mir Taqi Mir
D. Tansen
Correct: A
Explanation: Abu’l Fazl authored both the Akbarnama (chronicle) and Ain-i-Akbari (administrative compendium), providing essential official perspectives on Akbar’s rule and ideology.
Q5. Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi is often seen by historians as:
A. A formal replacement for Islam across the empire
B. An eclectic court creed aimed at ethical guidance and elite unity rather than a mass religion
C. A revenue collection manual
D. A military strategy document
Correct: B
Explanation: Din-i-Ilahi was an elite-level syncretic initiative stressing moral principles and courtly cohesion; it was not designed as a mass religion or a substitute for Islam.