General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
20381
What was the official language of the administration under the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire?
Answer:
Persian
Persian was the primary language of administration, court, and high culture for both the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire in India, as it was the language of the ruling elite and the scholarly class.
20382
The **Mansabdari System** was a unique administrative and military system introduced by which Mughal Emperor?
Answer:
Akbar
The Mansabdari System was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix the rank of an officer (*mansabdar*), his salary, and the number of cavalrymen he was required to maintain (*zat* and *sawar* rank). It was a key innovation of Akbar's administration.
20383
The system of military contracts where land was granted to nobles in exchange for service in Medieval Europe is the definition of:
Answer:
Feudalism
Feudalism, from the Latin *feudum* (fief), was the political and military system defined by mutual obligations and contracts, particularly the granting of land (fief) in return for military service.
20384
Which of the following Delhi Sultans shifted his capital from Delhi to **Daulatabad** (Deogiri) and introduced a token currency?
Answer:
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq is infamous for two major failed administrative experiments: the shifting of his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (circa 1327 AD) and the subsequent introduction of token currency (bronze coins with the face value of silver coins), both of which caused economic disruption.
20385
The **Battle of Talikota** (1565 AD) is a pivotal event associated with the downfall of which powerful South Indian kingdom?
Answer:
Vijayanagara Empire
The Battle of Talikota (also known as the Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi) in 1565 AD resulted in the decisive defeat of the Vijayanagara Empire by a coalition of Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, and Bidar). This battle marked the irreversible decline of the great empire.
20386
The first major European artistic style of the Middle Ages, characterized by massive quality, thick walls, round arches, and large towers, was:
Answer:
Romanesque
Romanesque architecture (c. 1000–1150 AD) was the first Pan-European style since the Romans. It is characterized by its heavy, thick-walled construction, which evolved into the taller, lighter, and more complex Gothic style in the mid-12th century.
20387
Which Mughal Emperor earned the epithet **'Zinda Pir'** (the Living Saint) due to his ascetic lifestyle and strict adherence to Islamic law?
Answer:
Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb Alamgir was known as 'Zinda Pir' (Living Saint) for his austere personal life, which included shunning courtly luxuries, stitching caps, and copying the Quran to earn personal income, in sharp contrast to the lavish lifestyles of his predecessors.
20388
The term **'serf'** in Medieval Europe primarily refers to a:
Answer:
A peasant who was bound to the land and subject to the local lord
Serfs were agricultural laborers in the feudal system. They were not slaves but were *bound to the land* (*adscripti glebae*). They were not free to leave the manor on which they were born and owed the lord labor, rent, and other dues.
20389
Which Italian traveler visited the Vijayanagara Empire during the reign of Deva Raya I in the 15th century?
Answer:
Nicolo de Conti
Nicolo de Conti was an Italian merchant and traveler who visited the Vijayanagara Empire, a major kingdom in South India, around 1420-1421 AD, during the rule of Deva Raya I of the Sangama dynasty.
20390
What was the name of the tax levied on non-Muslim subjects in the Delhi Sultanate, which was abolished by the Mughal Emperor Akbar?
Answer:
Jizya
Jizya was a per capita tax levied on permanent non-Muslim subjects (known as *dhimmis*) in an Islamic state. It was a sign of their submission to Muslim rule and in return for the protection of life, property, and practice of their religion. Akbar abolished it in 1564, though it was later re-imposed by Aurangzeb.