Ans: D

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Nadir Shah, the Persian emperor, attacked India in 1738-39 and defeated the Mughal army at Karnal. Later, Muhammad Shah was captured, and Delhi was looted and devastated. Ahmad Shah Abdali (Durrani), who was elected the successor of Nadir Shah after the latter’s death in 1747, invaded India several times between 1748 and 1767. Abdali had recognised Alamgir II as the Mughal emperor and the Rohilla chief, Najib-ud-Daula, as Mir Bakhshi of the empire, who was to act as personal ‘supreme agent’ of Abdali. 

Statement 2 is correct: In 1758, Najib-ud-Daula was expelled from Delhi by the Maratha chief, Raghunath Rao. In 1759, Ahmad Shah Abdali returned to India to take revenge on the Marathas. In 1761, Abdali defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat. The last of Abdali’s invasions in India came in 1767. 

Ans: B

Exp: 

• In 1707, the 63-year-old Prince Muazzam (title Bahadur Shah), the eldest son of Aurangzeb, became the emperor. He adopted a pacific policy with the Marathas, the Rajputs and the Jats. Shahu, the Maratha prince, was released from Mughal captivity, and Rajput chiefs were confirmed in their respective states.
• Farrukhsiyar (1713-1719): After killing Jahandar Shah with the help of Sayyid brothers, he became the new emperor. In 1719, the Sayyid brothers dethroned Farrukhsiyar and killed him.
• Muhammad Shah (1719-48): With the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk, he killed the Sayyid Brothers. In 1724, Nizam-ul-Mulk became the wazir and founded the independent state of Hyderabad.

In 1739, Nadir Shah defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Karnal and later imprisoned Muhammad Shah and annexed areas west of the Indus into the Persian empire.

Ans: D

Exp:

Some of the main causes for the decline of the Mughals were as follows: 

• With the absence of a definite law of succession, there always occurred a war of succession; this weakened the stability of the kingdom. Hence, Statement 1 is correct..
• The empire had become too vast and unwieldy to be efficiently governed from a central authority under weak rulers. Hence, Statement 4 is correct.
• Aurangzeb’s religious policy was largely responsible, leading to revolts by Rajputs, Sikhs, Jats and Marathas. Hence, Statement 5 is correct.
• Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy was a complete failure and was an important cause of the downfall of the Mughal empire. 
• Invasions of Irani and Durrani kingdoms gave a death-blow to the Mughal empire. Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect. The first Mongol invasion of India took place in the reign of Sultan lltutmish. Mongols also attacked during the reign of Alauddin Khilji and Muhammad bin Tughluq but that did not play any role in the decline of the Mughals.

Shahaji, the father of Shivaji, had served Mughal Ruler, Shah Jahan. Later, Aurangzeb gave an opportunity to many Marathas and Deccan Muslims. The Hindus formed roughly about 33 percent of the nobles. Among the Hindu nobles, the Marathas formed more than half. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.

Ans: D

Exp: 

Several states emerged as a result of the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Martanda Varma established an independent state of Kerala with Travancore as his capital. He extended the boundaries of his state from Kanyakumari to Cochin. Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (1753 – 1805) was one of the earliest freedom fighters in India. He was the prince regent of the princely state of Kottayam in Malabar, India between 1774 and 1805.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Saadat Khan, popularly known as Burhan-ul-Mulk founded the independent principality of Awadh. It was Nizam-ul-Mulk (Hyderabad) who conferred on himself the title of Asaf-Jah and not Saadat Khan.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Murshid Kuli Khan was the founder of the independent state of Bengal. He was a capable ruler and made Bengal a prosperous state. Another name of Nizam-ul-Mulk was Kilich Khan. Nizam-ul-Mulk founded the independent state of Hyderabad.

Ans: A

Exp:

• Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49): The defeat in the first Anglo-Sikh War and the provisions of the treaties of Lahore and Bhairowal were disappointing for the Sikhs. The inhuman treatment meted out to Rani Jindan, who was sent to Benares as a pensioner, added to the resentment of the Sikhs.  Mulraj, governor of Multan, revolted which was the immediate cause of the war. The then Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie thus got the pretext to annex Punjab completely.
• Three important battles were fought before the final annexation of Punjab. These three battles were: (i) Battle of Ramnagar (ii) Battle of Chillianwala, 1849. (iii) Battle of Gujarat, 1849; the Sikh army surrendered at Rawalpindi. Gujarat is a small town on the banks of River Jhelum.