Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q18 (IAS/2021) History & Culture › Medieval India › Medieval political chronology Official Key

Consider the following statements : 1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince. 2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus. 3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1. Statement 1 is historically accurate, while statements 2 and 3 contain chronological errors.

  • Statement 1 is correct: In 1221 AD, during the reign of Iltutmish, the Mongol leader Chengiz Khan reached the banks of the Indus. He was pursuing Jalaluddin Mangabarni, the Khwarezm Prince. Iltutmish’s diplomatic refusal to grant asylum to the Prince saved the Delhi Sultanate from a direct Mongol invasion.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: Taimur (Tamerlane) invaded India in 1398 AD. At that time, the Sultan of Delhi was Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq, the last ruler of the Tughluq dynasty, not Muhammad bin Tughluq (who reigned 1325–1351 AD).
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: Vasco da Gama reached Calicut (Kerala) in 1498 AD. During this period, the Vijayanagara Empire was ruled by the Saluva Dynasty (specifically Narasimha Raya II). Deva Raya II had already passed away in 1446 AD.
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
35%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements : 1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitiv…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 6.7/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'Timeline Synchronization' question. It rewards 'horizontal' reading (mapping North India, South India, and World events simultaneously) over 'vertical' rote learning of single dynasties. It is highly fair, relying on standard NCERT themes and basic chronology found in every serious history book.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Did Genghis Khan reach the Indus while pursuing the fugitive Khwarezm prince (Jalal ad‑Din) during Sultan Iltutmish's reign (c.1211–1236)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Nomadic Empires > The Career of Genghis Khan > p. 66
Presence: 5/5
“Opp. page: 'Barbarians' as imagined by a European artist. Mongol forces in pursuit of Sultan Muhammad pushed into Azerbaijan, defeated Russian forces at the Crimea and encircled the Caspian Sea. Another wing followed the Sultan's son, Jalaluddin, into Afghanistan and the Sindh province. At the banks of the Indus, Genghis Khan considered returning to Mongolia through North India and Assam, but the heat, the natural habitat and the ill portents reported by his Shaman soothsayer made him change his mind. Genghis Khan died in 1227, having spent most of his life in military combat. His military achievements were astounding and they were largely a result of his ability to innovate and transform different aspects of steppe combat into extremely effective military strategies.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly records a Mongol wing following Jalaluddin into Afghanistan and the Sindh province.
  • States that at the banks of the Indus Genghis Khan considered returning to Mongolia, implying he reached the Indus while pursuing Jalaluddin.
  • Mentions factors (heat, shaman's ill portents) that made him halt further advance into India, explaining why the campaign stopped at the Indus.
Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Nomadic Empires > The Career of Genghis Khan > p. 65
Presence: 3/5
“After the defeat in 1218 of the Qara Khita who controlled the Tien Shan mountains north-west of China, Mongol dominions reached the Amu Darya, and the states of Transoxiana and Khwarazm. Sultan Muhammad, the ruler of Khwarazm, felt the fury of Genghis Khan's rage when he executed Mongol envoys. In the campaigns between 1219 and 1221 the great cities – Otrar, Bukhara, Samarqand, Balkh, Gurganj, Merv, Nishapur and Herat - surrendered to the Mongol forces. Towns that resisted were devastated. At Nishapur, where a Mongol prince was killed during the siege operation, Genghis Khan commanded that the 'town should be laid waste in such a manner that the site could be ploughed upon; and that in the exaction of vengeance [for the death of the prince] not even cats and dogs should be left alive'.”
Why this source?
  • Gives the chronology of Genghis Khan's campaigns (1219–1221) across Khwarazm and Transoxiana, the campaign context in which Jalaluddin was pursued.
  • Documents the wide territorial reach of Mongol operations that makes a push into Afghanistan and toward the Indus plausible within the same campaign phase.
History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks > Iltutmish (1211-1236) > p. 140
Presence: 3/5
“He diplomatically saved India by refusing to support the Khwarizmi Shah Jalaluddin of Central Asia against the Mongol ruler Chengiz Khan. Had he supported Jalaluddin, the Mongols would have overrun India with ease. Since the dynastic traditions of the 'slave regime' were weak, succession to the throne was not smooth after Iltutmish's death. The monarch was succeeded by a son, a daughter (Sultana Razia), another son, and a grandson, all within ten years, and finally by his youngest son Sultan Nasir al-Din Mahmud II (1246-66). Iltutmish's descendants fought long but in vain with their father's military slaves who had been appointed as governors of vast territories and generals of large armies.”
Why this source?
  • Links Jalaluddin with the political context of Sultan Iltutmish's reign by stating Iltutmish refused to support Jalaluddin, a decision relevant to Mongol access to India.
  • Supports the temporal overlap between Jalaluddin's flight, Mongol pursuit, and Iltutmish's rule (c.1211–1236).
Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2022 · Q47 Relevance score: 2.75

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements: 1. The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Khalji. 2. During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, one Mongol assault marched up to Delhi and besieged the city. 3. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq temporarily lost portions of north-west of his kingdom to Mongols. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2004 · Q134 Relevance score: 1.41

Consider the following statements: 1. In the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated Ibrahim Lodi. 2. Tipu Sultan was killed in the Third Anglo-Mysore War. 3. Mir Jafar entered in a conspiracy with the English for the defeat of Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah in the Battle of Plassey. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CDS-II · 2012 · Q65 Relevance score: 1.29

Consider the following statements about the European travelers to India : 1. Sir Thomas Roe, the representative of the East India Company, was granted the permission by Jahangir to open a factory at Surat. 2. Captain Hawkins was driven out from Agra by the Mughals at the instigation of the Portuguese. 3. Father Monserrate traveled with Akbar on his journey to Kashmir. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2003 · Q30 Relevance score: 1.11

Consider the following statements: 1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in early medieval times. 2. The Cholas sent an expedition against Sailendra empire of South-East Asia and conquered some of the areas. Which of these statements is/are correct?

IAS · 2011 · Q91 Relevance score: 0.87

Regarding the Indus Valley Civilization, consider the following statements. 1. It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element though present, did not dominate the scene. 2. During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India. Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?