Mughal Empire and Its Decline MCQs

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: July 20, 2024

1. Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire?

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Babur
d) Jahangir
Answer: c) Babur

2. The Mughal Empire reached its zenith under the rule of:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: a) Akbar

3. The famous architectural masterpiece Taj Mahal was commissioned by:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: c) Shah Jahan

4. The Mughal emperor known for his policy of religious tolerance and the Din-i Ilahi was:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: a) Akbar

5. The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked a significant turning point in the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of:

a) British East India Company
b) Dutch East India Company
c) French East India Company
d) Portuguese East India Company
Answer: a) British East India Company

6. The last powerful Mughal emperor who faced defeat in the Battle of Buxar in 1764 was:

a) Shah Alam II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Akbar II
Answer: a) Shah Alam II

7. The Peacock Throne, a symbol of opulence, was built during the reign of:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: c) Shah Jahan

8. The Mughal emperor who shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi was:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: c) Shah Jahan

9. The economic decline of the Mughal Empire was accelerated by the imposition of heavy taxes by:

a) Akbar
b) Aurangzeb
c) Shah Jahan
d) Babur
Answer: b) Aurangzeb

10. The Persian invader who captured and looted Delhi in 1739, leading to a significant decline in Mughal power, was:

a) Nader Shah
b) Babur
c) Ahmad Shah Durrani
d) Sher Shah Suri
Answer: a) Nader Shah

11. The Mughal emperor who spent the last years of his life imprisoned by the British in Rangoon (Yangon) was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: d) Shah Alam II

12. The Mughal emperor who faced the War of Succession among his sons, leading to the fragmentation of the empire, was:

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Answer: b) Humayun

13. The Mughal emperor who introduced the policy of Sulh-i-kul (peace with all) was:

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Answer: a) Akbar

14. The Maratha Empire emerged as a formidable power during the decline of the Mughal Empire, and their defeat at the hands of the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 was a major blow to the Mughals. Who was the Mughal emperor during this battle?

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

15. The Mughal emperor who reversed Akbar’s policy of religious tolerance and reimposed the jizya tax on non-Muslims was:

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Answer: d) Aurangzeb

16. The decline of the Mughal Empire was characterized by the emergence of semi-autonomous states known as:

a) Satrapies
b) Mansabdari system
c) Subahs
d) Zamindari system
Answer: c) Subahs

17. The Mughal emperor who faced challenges from the Sikh leader Guru Gobind Singh was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

18. The British East India Company established its first factory in India during the reign of the Mughal emperor:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Answer: d) Shah Jahan

19. The Mughal emperor who shifted the capital back to Delhi from Agra was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: a) Akbar II

20. The Mughal emperor who faced the invasion of Nadir Shah, resulting in the sack of Delhi in 1739, was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

21. The Mughal emperor who tried to revive the glory of the empire through cultural and architectural patronage but faced financial difficulties was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: a) Akbar II

22. The decline of the Mughal Empire was exacerbated by the emergence of regional powers such as the:

a) Marathas
b) Safavids
c) Ottomans
d) Mamluks
Answer: a) Marathas

23. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the Jats and the Ahoms during his reign was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

24. The decline of the Mughal Empire was marked by the weakening of central authority and the rise of powerful:

a) Subahdars
b) Nawabs
c) Rajputs
d) Sultans
Answer: b) Nawabs

25. The Mughal emperor who witnessed the emergence of the Sikh Khalsa under Guru Gobind Singh was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

26. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the Deccan Sultanates, particularly the Nizam of Hyderabad, was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

27. The Mughal emperor who faced the invasion of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Third Battle of Panipat was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

28. The British gained control over the Mughal emperor and used him as a puppet during the period known as:

a) The Great Rebellion
b) The Indian Mutiny
c) The Sepoy Mutiny
d) The War of Independence
Answer: c) The Sepoy Mutiny

29. The Mughal emperor who was exiled to Rangoon after the Indian Mutiny was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: d) Shah Alam II

30. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the rise of the Marathas and the emergence of the Sikh Confederacy was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

31. The Mughal emperor who was dethroned and sent to exile in Rangoon by the British was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: d) Shah Alam II

32. The decline of the Mughal Empire was hastened by the British policy of:

a) Non-interference
b) Non-alignment
c) Divide and rule
d) Cultural assimilation
Answer: c) Divide and rule

33. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of Sikh leader Banda Singh Bahadur was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

34. The British East India Company gradually replaced the Mughal administrative system with its own, known as the:

a) Mughal System
b) Raj System
c) Zamindari System
d) Mansabdari System
Answer: c) Zamindari System

35. The Mughal emperor who witnessed the gradual erosion of central authority and the empowerment of provincial governors was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Answer: d) Shah Jahan

36. The decline of the Mughal Empire was marked by the loss of control over regions, including:

a) Bengal
b) Punjab
c) Awadh
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

37. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the Rajputs and Marathas during his reign was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

38. The British East India Company’s control over Mughal territories was formalized through the signing of the Treaty of:

a) Agra
b) Allahabad
c) Delhi
d) Lahore
Answer: b) Allahabad

39. The Mughal emperor who ruled during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: b) Bahadur Shah I

40. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the emergence of the Marathas as a powerful force was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: c) Aurangzeb

41. The Mughal emperor who implemented the policy of destroying Hindu temples during his reign was:

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Answer: d) Aurangzeb

42. The decline of the Mughal Empire was characterized by internal strife and conflicts among the:

a) Nobility
b) Merchants
c) Peasants
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above

43. The British East India Company’s victory in the Battle of Plassey led to the establishment of their control over:

a) Bengal
b) Punjab
c) Awadh
d) All of the above
Answer: a) Bengal

44. The Mughal emperor who faced financial difficulties due to extravagant construction projects, including the Taj Mahal, was:

a) Akbar
b) Humayun
c) Shah Jahan
d) Aurangzeb
Answer: c) Shah Jahan

45. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the rise of European trading powers in India was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Jahan
Answer: d) Shah Jahan

46. The decline of the Mughal Empire witnessed the emergence of regional powers, including the Nizam of:

a) Hyderabad
b) Bengal
c) Awadh
d) Marathas
Answer: a) Hyderabad

47. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the rise of the Sikh Khalsa under Ranjit Singh was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: d) Shah Alam II

48. The British East India Company’s control over Mughal territories expanded after the defeat of the Marathas in the:

a) Battle of Buxar
b) Battle of Plassey
c) Battle of Panipat
d) Battle of Karnal
Answer: a) Battle of Buxar

49. The Mughal emperor who faced the challenge of the emergence of the Sikh Confederacy was:

a) Akbar II
b) Bahadur Shah I
c) Aurangzeb
d) Shah Alam II
Answer: d) Shah Alam II

50. The British East India Company’s policy of annexing territories led to the annexation of the Mughal territories, making the Mughal emperor a symbolic figurehead. This policy is known as:

a) Doctrine of Lapse
b) Subsidiary Alliance
c) Permanent Settlement
d) Doctrine of Paramountcy
Answer: b) Subsidiary Alliance