📚 HC05 · Medieval India – II · Chapter 2 of 3CDS Level★ High Priority
📌 CDS Focus: The Mughal Empire is the single most tested period in CDS Medieval History — typically 4–6 questions per paper. Akbar's administration (Mansabdari, Din-i-Ilahi, Navaratnas), battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Bhakti/Sufi saints, and Mughal art/architecture are all direct PYQ topics. The Bhakti movement saints are also asked in the context of social reform.
PART A — BHAKTI & SUFI MOVEMENTS
1. Bhakti Movement
The Bhakti movement (6th–17th century) was a devotional reform movement emphasising personal love for God, social equality, and rejection of caste rituals. It laid the foundation for regional literature and social reform.
1.1 Key Bhakti Saints PYQ Repeated
🙏
Ramanuja
11th–12th century · South India
Founded Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism)
Challenged Adi Shankaracharya's Advaita
Emphasised personal devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu
Considered father of Sri Vaishnavism
🎵
Kabir
15th century · Varanasi
Disciple of Ramananda; weaver by profession
Criticised idol worship, caste system, rituals of both Hinduism and Islam
Composed dohas (couplets) in Hindavi; collected in Bijak
Inspired both Hindus and Muslims; preached Nirguna Bhakti
🪔
Guru Nanak
1469–1539 · Punjab
Founder of Sikhism; born at Talwandi (Nankana Sahib)
Preached Ik Onkar (one God); rejected caste and idol worship
Composed Japji Sahib; teachings in Guru Granth Sahib
Established langar (community kitchen) for equality
🎶
Mirabai
16th century · Rajputana
Rajput princess; devoted to Lord Krishna
Composed bhajans (devotional songs) in Brajbhasha
Defied social norms; faced persecution by her in-laws
Considered greatest woman Bhakti poet
📖
Tulsidas
16th century · Varanasi
Wrote Ramcharitmanas (Hindi Ramayana) — most widely read devotional text in North India
Also wrote Vinaya Patrika, Hanuman Chalisa
Devoted to Ram; Saguna Bhakti tradition
🌊
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
1486–1533 · Bengal
Founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism in Bengal
Popularised kirtan (congregational chanting)
Preached extreme devotion (bhakti) to Krishna
Had profound influence on Bengal and Odisha
⚠ CDS Trap — Saguna vs Nirguna:Nirguna (formless God) = Kabir, Guru Nanak, Raidas. Saguna (God with form) = Mirabai, Tulsidas, Chaitanya, Surdas. CDS asks "which saint followed Nirguna Bhakti?" — answer is Kabir or Guru Nanak.
1.2 Sufi Movement — Four Orders PYQ
Order (Silsila)
Founder in India
Characteristics
Key Saints
Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer)
Most popular in India; music (sama), poverty; close to common people
Accepted state patronage; less ascetic; North-West India
Bahauddin Zakariya (Multan)
Naqshbandi
Khwaja Baqi Billah
Most orthodox; opposed music; supported Sharia; opposed Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi
Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani)
Qadiri
Miyan Mir (Lahore)
Liberal; active in Punjab; Dara Shikoh associated with this order
Miyan Mir; Shah Badakhshani
💡 Mnemonic — Sufi Orders:Chishti Sufi Naqshbandi Qadiri = Close to Society, Not Quite orthodox (Chishti most popular, Naqshbandi most orthodox)
PART B — MUGHAL EMPIRE (1526–1857)
2. Mughal Empire — Rulers & Key Events
Mughal Succession — Key Rulers
2.1 Babur (1526–1530) PYQ — Battles
Battle
Year
Against
Significance
First Battle of Panipat
1526
Ibrahim Lodi (last Lodi Sultan)
Founded Mughal Empire; Babur used tulughma tactics + artillery
Battle of Khanwa
1527
Rana Sanga (Mewar)
Defeated Rajput confederacy; Babur declared Ghazi
Battle of Chanderi
1528
Medini Rai
Consolidated central India
Battle of Ghaghra
1529
Afghan chiefs
Defeated Afghan remnants in Bihar
Babur's autobiography — Tuzuk-i-Baburi (Baburnama) — written in Chaghatai Turkish; translated into Persian by Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana. Considered a literary masterpiece. Babur introduced char bagh (four-quadrant garden) style to India.
2.2 Sher Shah Suri (1540–1545) — Interregnum High Priority PYQ
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun twice (Battle of Chausa 1539, Battle of Kanauj 1540) and ruled for only 5 years — yet his administrative reforms were so remarkable that the Mughals retained most of them.
📌 Administrative Reforms
Reorganised revenue system — land measured by jarib; pattas (title deeds) issued
Divided empire into sarkars and parganas
Postal system (dak chowkis) for intelligence and communication
Introduced Rupiya (silver coin) — ancestor of modern rupee
Strengthened law and order; personal accountability of officials
⛴ Grand Trunk Road
Rebuilt and extended the ancient Uttarapatha
Stretched from Sonargaon (Bengal) to Peshawar — ~2,500 km
Planted trees on both sides; caravanserais (rest houses) every 2 kos
Improved trade, military movement, and communication
Rudyard Kipling called it "the river of life"
2.3 Akbar (1556–1605) Maximum PYQs
Akbar is the most tested Mughal emperor in CDS. His administrative system, religious policy, and cultural contributions are asked repeatedly. The Second Battle of Panipat (1556) against Hemu is the starting point of his effective reign.
⚔️
Mansabdari System
Military-Administrative Structure
Mansab = rank; every officer had a dual rank
Zat = personal rank/salary; Sawar = cavalry maintained
Mansabs ranged from 10 to 10,000 (Princes got higher)
Not hereditary; appointment by Emperor
Eliminated regional power centres; centralised command
🕌
Din-i-Ilahi
Divine Faith — 1582
Akbar's personal religious order — a synthesis of Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism
Only Birbal among Hindus accepted it
Had no priests, scriptures, or rituals; Emperor = spiritual head
Not a separate religion — more a cult of personality
Abul Fazl called it Tauhid-i-Ilahi
🏛️
Ibadat Khana
House of Worship — 1575
Built at Fatehpur Sikri for religious discussions
Initially only for Muslim scholars; later opened to all faiths
Hindu, Jain, Parsi, Christian, and Muslim scholars debated
Led Akbar to formulate Sulh-i-Kul (universal peace)
Akbar's Navaratnas (Nine Gems): Abul Fazl (historian, wrote Akbarnama), Faizi (poet), Birbal (wit; only Hindu in Din-i-Ilahi), Tansen (musician), Raja Man Singh (general), Raja Todar Mal (finance minister, reformed revenue), Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana (poet-general), Fakir Aziao-Din, Mullah Do Pyaza. CDS often asks who wrote Akbarnama and who was the finance minister.
2.4 Jahangir (1605–1627) PYQ
Aspect
Detail
Real name
Salim; son of Akbar and Mariam-uz-Zamani (Jodha Bai)
Nur Jahan
His powerful empress; effectively co-ruler; issued farmans, appeared on coins
Chain of Justice
Zanjir-i-Adl — golden chain at Agra Fort for petitions directly to Emperor
Golden age of Mughal miniature painting; artists: Ustad Mansur, Abu'l Hasan
British contact
Captain Hawkins (1608) and Sir Thomas Roe (1615) visited his court
2.5 Shah Jahan (1628–1658) Architecture PYQ
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Taj Mahal
Agra · 1632–1653
Built in memory of wife Mumtaz Mahal
Chief architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
White marble; pietra dura (stone inlay) work
UNESCO World Heritage Site; 7 Wonders of the World
Combines Persian, Islamic, and Indian architecture
🏯
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
Delhi · 1638–1648
Built when Shah Jahan shifted capital to Shahjahanabad (Delhi)
Red sandstone; inside: Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas
Diwan-i-Khas had Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus)
Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri (same as Taj)
🕌
Jama Masjid
Delhi · 1644–1656
Largest mosque in India; capacity ~25,000 people
Red sandstone + white marble; three gateways
Built by 5,000 workers over 12 years
Shah Jahan's Literature:Padshahnama (by Abdul Hamid Lahori) — the official chronicle. Ain-i-Akbari (Abul Fazl) and Akbarnama were compiled under Akbar, not Shah Jahan. CDS often mixes these up.
2.6 Aurangzeb (1658–1707) High Priority PYQ
📌 Religious & Administrative Policies
Reimposed Jizya tax on non-Muslims (1679) — abolished by Akbar
Banned music, dance, wine in court; dismissed court historians
Destroyed several Hindu temples; built mosques on temple sites
Issued Fatawa-i-Alamgiri — first compilation of Islamic law in India
Promoted orthodox Sunni Islam; opposed Shia and Sufi practices
⚔ Deccan Campaigns & Maratha Rise
Spent last 26 years in Deccan trying to subdue Marathas
Captured Shivaji's son Sambhaji (1689) and executed him
Destroyed Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687) Sultanates
Maratha guerrilla warfare exhausted the Mughal treasury
Said on his deathbed: "I came alone and go as a stranger"
⚠ Aurangzeb Traps: (1) Aurangzeb did NOT abolish the Mansabdari system. (2) He was a skilled veena player in private but banned music publicly. (3) He copied the Quran himself for income. (4) Battle of Samugarh (1658) — Aurangzeb defeated Dara Shikoh; this is how he became Emperor. (5) The first Anglo-Mughal naval conflict was during Aurangzeb's reign.
Written in Chaghatai Turkish; first autobiography in Islamic tradition
Architecture
Fatehpur Sikri
Akbar (1571–85)
Near Agra; Buland Darwaza (Gate of Victory) — 54m tall, built after Gujarat campaign
Architecture
Humayun's Tomb
Built by Haji Begum (wife)
First garden tomb in India; inspired Taj Mahal; UNESCO site
Painting
Mughal miniature painting
Akbar, Jahangir
Jahangir = greatest patron; portraits reached European naturalism standard
Music
Tansen
Akbar's court (Navaratna)
Ragas: Miyan ki Todi, Miyan ki Malhar; introduced new ragas
⚡ HC05 Memory Chart — Fast Revision
⚔️ Mughal Battles
1526 — 1st Panipat (Babur vs Ibrahim Lodi)
1527 — Khanwa (Babur vs Rana Sanga)
1539/40 — Chausa/Kanauj (Sher Shah beats Humayun)
1556 — 2nd Panipat (Akbar vs Hemu)
1576 — Haldighati (Akbar vs Rana Pratap)
📜 Akbar's System
Mansabdari — Zat + Sawar ranks
Din-i-Ilahi — 1582, Birbal only
Ibadat Khana — Fatehpur Sikri
Navaratnas — 9 gems; Abul Fazl writes
Revenue: Todar Mal (zabti system)
🙏 Bhakti Saints
Ramanuja → Vishishtadvaita
Kabir → Nirguna; disciple of Ramananda
Guru Nanak → Sikhism; Ik Onkar
Tulsidas → Ramcharitmanas
Mirabai → Krishna; Rajput poet
🕌 Sufi Orders
Chishti — Moinuddin Chishti; most popular
Suhrawardi — Bahauddin Zakariya
Naqshbandi — most orthodox; anti-music
Qadiri — Miyan Mir; Dara Shikoh
🏛️ Monuments
Taj Mahal — Shah Jahan; Mumtaz
Red Fort Delhi — Shah Jahan
Fatehpur Sikri — Akbar
Humayun's Tomb — 1st garden tomb
Buland Darwaza — 54m; Gujarat victory
📖 Books & Authors
Akbarnama / Ain-i-Akbari — Abul Fazl
Baburnama — Babur (Turkish)
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri — Jahangir
Padshahnama — Abdul Hamid Lahori
Fatawa-i-Alamgiri — Aurangzeb
📄 Topic-Wise PYQs & Tricky Questions
Q1. Who among the following was the author of 'Akbarnama'? CDS PYQ
(a) Birbal(b) Todar Mal(c) Abul Fazl(d) Abdur Rahim
✔ Answer: (c) Abul Fazl
Abul Fazl wrote Akbarnama (3 volumes: Baburnama, Humayunnama, Akbarnama) and Ain-i-Akbari (administrative appendix). He was Akbar's court historian and one of the Navaratnas. Don't confuse with Faizi (his brother, a poet).
Q2. The Mansabdari system was based on the concept of: CDS PYQ
(a) Hereditary ranks(b) Dual rank — Zat and Sawar(c) Regional administration(d) Religious identity
✔ Answer: (b) Dual rank — Zat and Sawar
Every Mansabdar had a Zat (personal rank determining salary) and a Sawar (number of cavalry he had to maintain). It was not hereditary — ranks were assigned by the Emperor. CDS specifically tests the Zat-Sawar distinction.
Q3. 'Ibadat Khana' was opened to scholars of all religions by Akbar in: Tricky
(a) 1571(b) 1575(c) 1578(d) 1582
✔ Answer: (c) 1578
Ibadat Khana was built in 1575 for Muslim scholars only. In 1578, Akbar opened it to scholars of all faiths. Din-i-Ilahi was formulated in 1582. Students confuse the building date (1575) with the opening to all faiths (1578).
Q4. Which Sufi order was the most orthodox and opposed to music? CDS PYQ
(a) Chishti(b) Qadiri(c) Suhrawardi(d) Naqshbandi
✔ Answer: (d) Naqshbandi
The Naqshbandi order, led by Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani), was the most orthodox Sufi order. It opposed music (sama), which the Chishti order strongly supported. The Naqshbandis also opposed Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi.
Q5. Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in which two battles? CDS PYQ
(a) Panipat and Khanwa(b) Chausa and Kanauj(c) Ghaghra and Chanderi(d) Haldighati and Tarain
✔ Answer: (b) Chausa and Kanauj
Sher Shah defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Battle of Kanauj / Bilgram (1540), forcing him to flee to Persia for 15 years. Panipat and Khanwa were Babur's battles; Haldighati was Akbar's.
Nur Jahan's original name was Mehrunissa. She was given the title Nur Jahan (Light of the World) by Jahangir after their marriage. Arjumand Banu Begum was Mumtaz Mahal (Shah Jahan's wife). Harkha Bai was Akbar's Rajput wife. Hamida Banu was Akbar's mother.
Q7. Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri was built to commemorate Akbar's victory over: CDS PYQ
(a) Rajputana(b) Bengal(c) Gujarat(d) Deccan
✔ Answer: (c) Gujarat
Buland Darwaza (Gate of Victory) was built in 1601 to commemorate Akbar's victory over Gujarat (1573). It stands 54 meters high and is the largest gateway in the world. It is at the southern entrance of the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri.
Q8. Which Bhakti saint was NOT a Nirguna bhakta (worshipper of formless God)? Tricky
(a) Kabir(b) Guru Nanak(c) Raidas(d) Tulsidas
✔ Answer: (d) Tulsidas
Tulsidas was a Saguna bhakta — he worshipped Ram with form, attributes, and narrative (as depicted in Ramcharitmanas). Kabir, Guru Nanak, and Raidas were all Nirguna bhaktas — they worshipped a formless, attribute-less God beyond all religion.
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