Minimalist IAS
Medieval India

Prelims · Medieval India · 12 questions

Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200)

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200) questions per year: 2016: 0, 2017: 1, 2018: 0, 2019: 0, 2020: 3, 2021: 0, 2022: 1, 2023: 1, 2024: 0, 2025: 2, 2026: 0 Asked in 5 of 11 years · most in 2020 (3)

Practising Medieval India? Take it as timed sets of 25 →

UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

भारत के इतिहास में निम्नलिखित घटनाओं पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. 1.राजा भोज के अधीन प्रतिहारों का उदय
  2. 2.महेन्द्रवर्मन – I के अधीन पल्लव सत्ता की स्थापना
  3. 3.परान्तक – I द्वारा चोल सत्ता की स्थापना
  4. 4.गोपाल द्वारा पाल राजवंश की संस्थापना

उपर्युक्त घटनाओं का, प्राचीन काल से आरम्भ कर, सही कालानुक्रम क्या है ?

Read this question in English

Consider the following events in the history of India:

1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja

2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman – I

3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka – I

4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala

What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time?

(a) 2 – 1 – 4 – 3 · (b) 3 – 1 – 4 – 2 · (c) 2 – 4 – 1 – 3 · (d) 3 – 4 – 1 – 2

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (c) 2 – 4 – 1 – 3

Mahendravarman I ruled the Pallavas in the early seventh century, Gopala founded the Pala dynasty in the eighth century, Bhoja raised the Pratiharas to their height in the ninth, and Parantaka I consolidated Chola power in the tenth. So the order is 2–4–1–3.

  • ✓ 2. Mahendravarman I was a contemporary of the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II; the Pallavas reached their peak in the 7th century under him and his son Narasimhavarman I.
  • ✓ 4. The Palas came to power in Bengal in the 8th century, when Gopala was chosen as ruler; his son Dharmapala built their empire.
  • ✓ 1. The Pratihara king Bhoja built a large empire in the 9th century, stretching from Punjab and Kathiawar to Kannauj.
  • ✓ 3. Parantaka I ruled in the 10th century; his Uttaramerur inscription describes village assemblies of the Chola period.

Remember · Order: Mahendravarman I (7th c., Pallava) → Gopala (8th c., Pala) → Bhoja (9th c., Pratihara) → Parantaka I (10th c., Chola).

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 6 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 9 Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Ch 5 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा उपवाक्य, उत्तर-हर्ष-कालीन स्रोतों में प्रायः उल्लिखित ‘हुंडी’ के स्वरूप की परिभाषा बताता है ?

Read this question in English

Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the 'Hundi' generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period?

(a) An advisory issued by the king to his subordinates · (b) A diary to be maintained for daily accounts · (c) A bill of exchange · (d) An order from the feudal lord to his subordinates

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (c) विनिमय पत्र

A hundi was a written instrument of credit and exchange — a bill of exchange — that let merchants transfer money and trade over long distances without carrying cash. References to hundika appear in post-Harsha texts such as the Lekhapaddhati.

  • ✓ (c) The hundi was a written order to pay a named person, used by merchants as a bill of exchange and credit note across regions.
  • ✗ (a) Royal orders to officials were issued as edicts or grants recorded in inscriptions and copper plates, not as hundis.
  • ✗ (d) The hundi was a commercial instrument used by traders and bankers, not a command in the feudal chain of authority.

Remember · Hundi = indigenous bill of exchange/credit note used by merchants for long-distance trade and remittance without moving cash.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Indian Society, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 8 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 2 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

भारत के इतिहास के संदर्भ में, निम्नलिखित युग्मों पर विचार कीजिए :

प्रसिद्ध स्थलवर्तमान राज्य
1.भीलसामध्य प्रदेश
2.द्वारसमुद्रमहाराष्ट्र
3.गिरिनगरगुजरात
4.स्थानेश्वरउत्तर प्रदेश

उपर्युक्त में से कौन-से युग्म सही सुमेलित हैं ?

Read this question in English

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

1. Bhilsa — Madhya Pradesh

2. Dwarasamudra — Maharashtra

3. Girinagar — Gujarat

4. Sthanesvara — Uttar Pradesh

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 3 only · (b) 1 and 4 only · (c) 2 and 3 only · (d) 2 and 4 only

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (a) केवल 1 और 3

Only Bhilsa (Madhya Pradesh) and Girinagar (Gujarat) are matched correctly. Dwarasamudra is today's Halebidu in Karnataka, and Sthanesvara is today's Thanesar in Haryana.

  • ✓ 1. Bhilsa, the old name of the town beside the river Betwa, is Vidisha, in Madhya Pradesh.
  • ✗ 2. Dvarasamudra, a Hoysala capital, is today's Halebidu, in the present State of Karnataka, not Maharashtra.
  • ✓ 3. Girinagar is another name for Girnar, the sacred hills at Junagadh in Gujarat.
  • ✗ 4. Sthaneshvara, the early capital of the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) dynasty of Harshavardhana, is present-day Thanesar in Haryana, not Uttar Pradesh.

Remember · Bhilsa = Vidisha (MP); Dwarasamudra = Halebidu (Karnataka); Girinagar = Girnar/Junagadh (Gujarat); Sthanesvara = Thanesar (Haryana).

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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  • HighRegional kingdoms: Pratiharas, Palas, Rajputs & others · 4 questions

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