GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-12)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-12)

JAINISM

·         It is believed that 24th Tirathankara (path finder) namely Mahavir was the founder of Jainism. He was born at Kundangram near Vaishali in 540 BC.

·         Father - 'Siddharth'; mother - 'Trishala'; wife - 'Yashodha' (who was a Lichchavi princess); daughter - 'PriyaDarshana'.

·         His first disciple was 'Jamali' who was a Kshtriya and was his son-in-law.

·         He left his home in search of truth at the age of 30 years and gained knowledge after 12 years at a place called Jimbakgrama on the banks of river Rijupalika under a Sal tree.

·         In Jainism the ultimate knowledge is known as Kaivalya.

·         After achieving Kaivalya , Mahavir got new names like ‘jina’ which means the conqueror, Kavelin and Nirgrantha.

·         Buddhist scriptures call him ‘Nigantha Nagaputa’.

·         Mahavir Jain died in 468 BC at Pavapuri.

·         Triratnas of Jainism – Right Faith, Right knowledge, Right Character.

·         ‘Sallekhana’ is a Jain tradition of embracing death through fasting

·         Jainism is based totally upon non-violence and prohibits its followers from agriculture and joining army. Hence, Jainism promoted trade and commerce and many people engaged in trade and commerce embraced Jainism.

·         Jainism believes in reincarnation.

·         Many rulers embraced Jainism among which the most famous are Rashtrakuta rulers and Chandra Gupta Maurya.

·         Mathura and Ujjain emerged as important centres of Jainism.

·         Jainism was divided into two sects namely Svetambars (under Sthalbahu) who wear white clothes and stayed in Magdha and Digambars (under Badrabahu) who decided to leave Magadha and went to Karnataka.

·         ChandraGupta Maurya embraced Jainnism under Badrabahu.

·         Rishabhdeva was the first Tirathankara of Jainism.          

·         The religious texts of Jainism are known as ‘Agamas’.            

·         ‘Paryushan’ is the famous festival of Jainism.

·         The symbol of the religion is ‘swastika’.

·         Four truths of Jainism - Ahimsa, Satya, Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) and Asteya (non-stealing). These truths were given by the Parshvanatha (23rd Tirathankara).

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GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-11)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-11)

BUDDHISM

Founder- Gautam Buddha

·         He was born in 563 BC at Kapilvastu in Lumbini.

·         Father - ’Sudhodhana’; Mother - ‘Mahamaya’; Maternal Aunt - 'Gautami'; Wife - 'Yashodhara' (who is also known as Bimba and Gopa); Son - 'Rahul'.

·         Buddha left his place at the age of 29 and became a monk on the banks of river ‘Anoma’.

·         His two teachers were 'Alaraklama' and 'Sudrakaramputra'.

·         Buddha achieved salvation at the age of 35 at a place called Bodh Gaya under a Peepal tree on the banks of river ‘Niranjana’. After this incident, he became famous as Tathagat or Buddha.

·         He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath.

·         His main followers were Bimbisara, Prasenjit, Ajatasatru and Udayin. These were rulers. Besides them, other important were Upali and Ananda.

·         Buddha made two shudra disciples - Tapsus and Kallika.

·         Buddha died in 483 BC at Kushinagar on banks of river Hiranyawati.

Incidents related to his life:

·         ‘Mahabhinishkarmana’ -  when he left his home in search of truth.

·         'Nirvana' - when he achieved salvation.

·         ‘Dharamchakraparivartin’ - when he delivered his first sermon.

·          ‘Mahaparinirvana’ - when he died in 483 BC.

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GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-10)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-10)

SAYYID DYNASTY

Sayyid Dynasty (1414 - 1451 AD)

The Mongol invader Timur, who had invaded, plundered and slaughtered the people of Delhi in 1398, appointed Sayyid Khizr Khan as governor of Lahore, Multan and Dipalpur.

After the departure of Timur, he declared himself the viceroy of Timur in north-western India and defied the authority of Delhi, then ruled by Mallu Khan and sultan Mahmud Tughlaq.

After the latter’s death, he invaded Delhi and became its master in 1414 and founder the Sayyid dynasty.

Khizr Khan (1414 - 21)

·         He didn’t assume the royal title.

·         He professed to rule as the deputy of Timur’s son and successor, Shahrukh, to whom he probably sent occasional tributes.

·         He tried to suppress the refractory chieftains in Katehar (Rohilkhand), the Doab and Mewat.

Mubarkh Shah (1421 – 34)

·         He was the son and successor of Khizr Khan and assumed the title of sultan.

·         He defeated the Muslim nobles – Jasrath Khokhar and Turkbaccha in the Punjab.

·         He was beheaded in 1434.

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GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-9)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-9)

KHILJI DYNASTY

Khilji Dynasty (1290 - 1320)

The Khiljis had a Turkish-Afghan origin. AlauddinKhilji (1296-1316 AD) was a prominent Khilji ruler.

Jallauddin Khalji(1290 – 96 AD)

·         Jalaluddin Khilji founded the Khilji dynasty.

·         He was a liberal ruler and adopted the policy of religious toleration.

·         In order to win the goodwill of the Mongols, the sultan married one of his daughters to the Mongol leader Ulugh Khan, a descendent of Chengiz Khan.

·         One of the most important events of Jalaluddin’s reign was the invasion of Devagiri, the capital of the Yadava kingdom in the Deccan, by Ali Gurshasp (later sultan Allaudin Khilji), the nephew and son – in – law of the sultan, and the governor of the Kara. After his successful campaign to Devagiri in 1296, Ali Gurshasp invited the sultan to come to Kara, to receive the enormous wealth brought from the Deccan as present. Jalaluddin came to Kara in 1296, where he was murdered by Ali Gurshasp, who proclaimed the sultan with the title of Allahuddin.

Allauddin Khalji(1296 – 1316 AD)

·         He was the first Turkish Sultan of Delhi who separated religion from politics.

·         He proclaimed Kingship knows no Kinship.

·         First ruler among the Delhi Sultans who didn’t ask for Mansur (letter of investiture) from the Caliph but called himself the deputy of Caliph.

·         He adopted the title Sikander – e – Sani or the second Alexander.

·         He annexed Gujarat (1298), Ranthambhor (1301), Mewar (1303), Malwa (1305), Jalor (1311).

·         In Deccan, Aluddin‘s army led by Malik Kafur defeated Ram Chandra (Yadava ruler of Devagiri), Pratap Rudradeva (Kakatiya ruler of Warangal), Vir Ballal III (Hoyasala ruler of Dwarsamudra) and Vir Pandya (Pandya ruler of Madurai).

·         Malik Kafur was awarded the title Malik Naib.

·         In order to avoid the problems created by the nobles, Alauddin issued 4 ordinances:

o   Confiscation of the religious endowments and free grants of lands.

o   Reorganized the spy system.

o   Prohibited the use of wine.

o   Nobles should not have convivial parties and they should not inter-marry without his permission.

·         He introduced the system of Dagh (the branding of horse) and Chehra (descriptive roll of soldiers).

·         The post of special officer called Mustakharaj was created for the purpose of collection of revenue.

·         All goods for sale were brought to an open market called Sarai Adal.

·         Many forts were built by him and the most important of them was Alai fort. He also constructed the Alai Darwaja, the entrance gate of Qutub Minar. He also built the Palace of thousand Pillars called Hazar Sutun.

·         Amir Khusrau, the poet musician, was his favorite court poet.

·         Alauddin appointed his trusted commanders, including Ghazi Malik (later known as sultan Giyasuddin Tuglaq), as warden to the North-western marches.

·         In 1316, after death of Alauddin, Malik Kafur seized the throne.

·         Before Kafur died, he nominated Shihabuddin (Alauddin‘s 6 year old prince) as King but imprisoned eldest prince Mubarak Khan.

Shiabuddin Umar (1316)

·         He was the minor son of Jhitaipali who was raised to throne after the death of Allauddin.

·         He became victim of the court politics and was later blinded.

Mubarak Khalji (1316 - 20)

·         He released 18,000 prisoners

·         He reversed all the administrative and market reforms of Allauddin Khalji.

·         During his time Devgiri was annexed.

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GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-8)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-8)

DELHI SULTNATE

1206 – 1526 AD

Rise of Delhi Sultanate:

Muizuddin Mohd. Ghori, the last Turkish conqueror of north India, defeated Prithviraj Chauhan, the Chauhan ruler of Ajmer, Delhi and parts of the Punjab, in the second battle of Tarain in 1192 and occupied his vast territory up to Delhi. He also defeated the Gahadavala ruler Jai Chandra, the ruler of Kannauj, in the battle of Chandawar in 1194, capturing his territory up to Varanasi. Mohd. Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji, one of the commanders of Mohd Ghori conquered Bihar from the later Palas in 1197 and Bengal from the last Sena ruler Lakshaman Sena in 1199. Muizuddin Mohd. Ghori had no sons. He didn’t nominate any particular one as his successor. Mohd. Ghori’s sudden death in 1206 resulted in a scramble for supremacy among his three important generals – Qutbuddin Aibak (a viceroy of Mohd. Ghori and commander of his army in India), Tajuddin Yalduz (ruled Karman and Sankuran between Afghanistan and Sind), and Nasiruddin Qubacha (held Uchh). The assumption of sovereign powers by Qutubuddin Aibak in 1206 is regarded as the foundation of the Sultanate of Delhi and the first ruling dynasty of the sultanate.

There were 5 dynasties during Delhi Sultanate period (1206 – 1526 AD):

·         Mamluk dynasty (12061290)

·         Khilji dynasty (12901320)

·         Tughlaq dynasty (13201413)

·         Sayyid dynasty (14141451)

·         Lodi dynasty (14511526)

Mamluk Dynasty 1206 – 1290 AD

Mamluk Dynasty is commonly known as the Slave Dynasty (Also called as ‘the early turk’, and ‘the ilbari’). Mamulks had a Turkish origin. It was the first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. Mamluk Dynasty was established by Qutubuddin Aibak who was a slave and general of Muhammad Ghori. Aibak took control of Ghori’s territories in the Indian region after his death.

Important rulers of the Mamluk dynasty:

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GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-7)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-7)

POST GUPTA PERIOD

THE CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI (543 – 755 AD):

·         The Chalukya kingdom was established by Pulakesin - I in 543 AD.

·         The capital of the Chalukya kingdom was Vatapi (modern Badami).

·         The Chalukyas of Badami ruled over all of Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh.

·         They were the earliest known proponents of Kannada and were important contributor to the growth of Kannada language.

·         Inscriptions from Chalukya period are mainly in Kannada and Sanskrit.

·         Pulakesin - II, the son of Pulakesin - I, was the most famous Chalukya emperor.

·         Pulakesin - II defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada and halted the southern expansion of Harsha’s kingdom.

·         Pulakesin - II also extended the Chalukya kingdom up to the northern portions of the

·         Pallava kingdom in the south.

·         Pulakesi - II is famous for the Aihole inscription, which gives details regarding defeat of Harsha.

Architecture

·         The architecture of Badami Chalukyas marked an important phase in development of South Indian architecture. Their style of architecture is also called Karnata Dravida style architecture.

·         Important temples include: Lad Khan Temple (Aihole), and Meguti Jain Temple, Durga Temple, Huccimalli Gudi Temple at Badami, Bhutanatha Temples at Badami, Sangameswara, Virupaksha and Mallikarjuna Temples at Pattadakal.

·         Chalukya architecture is known for its fusion of Nagara and Vesara architectural styles.

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History GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS (HISTORY-6)

GK SERIES FOR SSC,IAS,PCS,HAS,HCS

AND OTHER COMPETITIVE EXAMS

(HISTORY-6)

POST GUPTA PERIOD

·         According to Harsha-Charita, a royal line was founded by Pushyabhuti, a devout Saivite, somewhere near Thaneswar in the Karnal district of Haraya.

·         The important ruler of this dynasty was Prabhakaravardhana (580 – 605 AD) who assumed the title Maharajadhiraj.

·         A few details of Prabhkarvardhana are to be found in Harshacharita. He was the great General, who possibly defeated the Hunas also. Bana also mentions that he was the devotee of the sun.

·         Prabhakaravardhana had two sons, Rajhavardhan and Harshavardhana and one daughter, Rajyasri. Grahavarman of the Maukhari dynasty was married to Rajyasri.

·         After the death of Prabhakaravardhan, Rajyavardhan ascended the throne in 605 AD. When Grahavarman was killed by the Malwa ruler Deva Gupta, Rajyavardhan went after the Malwa army. The Malwa king was defeated and possibly killed.

·         On his return Rajyavardhana was confronted by Sasanka (ruler of Gaud). Rajyavardhana was killed by Sasanka.

·         After his death, Harshavardhana succeeded to the throne of Kanauj. He was also known as Siladitya.

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