Kings and Chronicles — Class 12 History PYQs

"Akbar consciously made Persian the leading language of the Mughal Court." Justify the statement with the efforts made by him.
OR
"The visible centre of Mughal power was the King's Court." Justify the statement with suitable arguments.

State any two characteristic features of the towns built by the Mughals in India during sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Who was the author of Humanyun Nama?
OR
Who was the author of Badshah Nama?

Name the capital of Ibrahim Lodhi which was taken over by Babur in 1526.

Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow :
Nobles at court
The Jesuit Priest Father Antonio Monserrate, resident at the court of Akbar, noticed :
In order to prevent the great nobles becoming insolent through the unchallenged enjoyment of power, the King summons them to court and gives them imperious commands, as though they were his slaves. The obedience to these commands ill suits their exalted rank and dignity.
(5.1) Examine the relationship between Akbar and his nobles.
(5.2) How do you think that the nobility was an important pillar of the Mughal State ?
(5.3) Explain the observation of the Jesuit Priest Father Antonio Monserrate regarding this relationship.

State any two features of Akbar Nama.

Read the source given below carefully and answer the questions that follow :
In praise of taswir
Abu'l Fazl held the art of painting in high esteem :
Drawing the likeness of anything is called taswir. His Majesty from his earliest youth, has shown a great predilection for this art, and gives it every encouragement, as he looks upon it as a means both of study and amusement. A very large number of painters have been set to work. Each week, several supervisors and clerks of the imperial workshop submit before the emperor the work done by each artist, and His Majesty gives a reward and increases the monthly salaries of the artists according to the excellence displayed. ... Most excellent painters are now to be found, and masterpieces, worthy of a Bihzad, may be placed at the side of the wonderful works of the European painters who have attained worldwide fame. The minuteness in detail, the general finish and the boldness of execution now observed in pictures are incomparable; even inanimate objects look as if they have life. More than a hundred painters have become famous masters of the art. This is especially true of the Hindu artists. Their pictures surpass our conception of things. Few, indeed, in the whole world are found equal to them.
(8.1) How did Mughal paintings exhibit decorative elements ?
(8.2) How did Abu'l-Fazl credit Bihzad and the works of the Europeans ?
(8.3) How does this source reflect the personal inclination of the Emperor towards the paintings ?