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CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) as it is examined in CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Which Afghan ruler defeated Humayun and temporarily interrupted Mughal rule, and during what years?
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun (Battles of Chausa 1539 and Kannauj/Bilgram 1540) and ruled 1540-1545, establishing the Sur Empire.
Name three administrative reforms of Sher Shah Suri that influenced later Mughal administration.
A reformed land revenue (zabt) system with surveys, the standardized silver Rupiya coin, and the improved Grand Trunk Road with a sarai (rest-house) postal network.
Who is regarded as the real consolidator of the Mughal Empire, and in which 1556 battle?
Akbar, who secured the empire at the Second Battle of Panipat (1556) by defeating Hemu.
What was Akbar's policy of Sulh-i-Kul?
Sulh-i-Kul meant 'universal peace/reconciliation' a policy of religious tolerance and impartiality among all faiths, the basis of his liberal religious approach.
What was the Din-i-Ilahi introduced by Akbar?
Din-i-Ilahi (Divine Faith), introduced in 1582, was a syncretic ethical/spiritual order blending elements of several religions, centered on loyalty to the emperor; it had very few followers.
Describe Akbar's Mansabdari system.
A graded ranking system where officials (mansabdars) held a numerical rank (mansab) with Zat (personal status/pay) and Sawar (number of cavalry to maintain), structuring the military-administrative hierarchy.
What was the Zabt (Dahsala) land revenue system under Akbar, and who designed it?
Designed largely by Raja Todar Mal, it fixed revenue (about one-third of produce) based on measured land and a ten-year (dahsala) average of prices and yields, paid in cash.
Into what administrative units did Akbar divide the Mughal Empire, from largest to smallest?
Subas (provinces), divided into Sarkars (districts), further into Parganas, with villages (mauza) as the base unit.
Name the four key provincial officers in Akbar's subah administration.
The Subadar/Nazim (governor), the Diwan (revenue), the Bakhshi (military/pay), and the Sadr/Qazi (religious affairs and justice).
Which tax on non-Muslims did Akbar abolish, and which later emperor reimposed it?
Akbar abolished the jizya (and the pilgrimage tax); Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya in 1679.
Who were the immediate successors of Akbar in order?
Jahangir (1605-1627), then Shah Jahan (1628-1658), then Aurangzeb (1658-1707).
For what is Shah Jahan's reign most celebrated, and name two of his monuments.
It is celebrated as the golden age of Mughal architecture; monuments include the Taj Mahal (Agra) and the Red Fort/Jama Masjid (Delhi).
What religious policy of Aurangzeb is often cited as alienating non-Muslims?
His orthodox Sunni policies reimposing jizya (1679), and his conflicts with Marathas, Rajputs and Sikhs which strained the empire.
Until which year did Aurangzeb rule, and why is 1707 a turning point?
He ruled until his death in 1707; his death marks the beginning of the rapid decline and fragmentation of the Mughal Empire.
List four major causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Weak successors after Aurangzeb, the empire's overexpansion and costly Deccan wars, religious/regional revolts (Marathas, Sikhs, Rajputs), and foreign invasions (Nadir Shah 1739, Ahmad Shah Abdali).
Which Persian ruler invaded India in 1739, sacked Delhi, and carried off the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor?
Nadir Shah of Persia invaded in 1739, sacked Delhi, and looted the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Name the four major Sufi orders (silsilas) active in the subcontinent.
The Chishtiyya, Suhrawardiyya, Qadiriyya, and Naqshbandiyya orders.
Who founded the Chishti order in India, and which saint made it most popular?
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (of Ajmer) established the Chishti order in India; it spread widely through saints like Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi.
Which Sufi order was known for closeness to rulers and political involvement, contrasting with the Chishtis' aloofness?
The Suhrawardi order (e.g. Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan), which accepted state patronage and remained engaged with the ruling class.
What was the role of the khanqah in Sufi influence?
The khanqah (Sufi hospice/lodge) served as a center for spiritual training, charity, free kitchens (langar), and preaching, attracting people of all faiths and spreading Islam.
Who was Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani) and what did he advocate?
A Naqshbandi reformer (1564-1624) who opposed Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi and syncretism, advocating return to orthodox Sharia and the doctrine of Wahdat-ush-Shuhud.
Who was Shah Waliullah of Delhi and why is he significant in religious reform?
An 18th-century scholar (1703-1762) who sought to revive Islam, translated the Quran into Persian, reconciled Sufi/orthodox schools, and is seen as a precursor of later Muslim reform/revival movements.
Name two iconic Indo-Muslim architectural works and the rulers/period they belong to.
The Qutb Minar (begun by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Slave dynasty) and the Taj Mahal (built by Shah Jahan, Mughal period).
Name a major Persian-language historical work and a celebrated poet associated with the Sultanate/Mughal Indo-Muslim literary tradition.
Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari/Akbarnama (Mughal history) and the poet Amir Khusrau (Sultanate era), called the 'Parrot of India' and a pioneer of Indo-Persian poetry and qawwali.
What this deck covers
The Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) deck follows the CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) syllabus — 4 chapters and 14 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 12.5 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 141 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) flashcards FAQ
How many Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) flashcards are in this CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) cards cover?
They follow the CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) syllabus — 4 chapters and 14 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.