#notesonindianhistory

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Who built Akbar’s tomb? Akbar himself or his son Jahangir?

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Mughal Monuments in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh

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Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal romantic art

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How was the Indian hero Prithviraj Chauhan died?

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Raziyya, the eldest daughter of Sultan Shams al-Din Iltutmish (1211-1236), possessed all the qualifications necessary for kings. During the lifetime of her father, she used to administer affairs of the kingdom, and possessed great grandeur, on account that her mother Turkan Khatun, was the chief lady of the harem, and her place of residence was the royal palace, the Kushk-i-Firuz. During his Gwalior campaign, Iltutmish had left Raziyya in charge of Delhi and on his return, he was very much impressed by her abilities in managing the administration of the Sultanate.

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Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq (reign: 1325-1350) was a very ambitious ruler. We have already learned about one of his curious schemes: the transfer of the capital to Devagiri and its desertion thereafter. According to Barani, Muhammad's third project was the introduction of a token currency, ie, copper and brass coins.

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Fortune had befriended Farid Khan, an Afghan of humble origins, greatly, that he rose to the throne of Delhi, after overthrowing the Mughal emperor Humayun. Farid is none other than Sher Shah Suri, the Lion King (r: 1540-1545). After a short but successful reign of 5 years, Sher Shah died on 22 May 1545 in a gunpowder explosion during the siege of Kalinjar.

Sher Shah's two sons were absent at the time of his death; his eldest son, the heir apparent, Adil Khan was at Ranthambore and Jalal Khan, his second son, was at Rewa. A conference was held by Isa Khan Hijab and other great men of the kingdom to decide who should succeed to the throne. They decided in favour of Jalal Khan because Adil Khan was fond of ease and pleasure while Jalal, though minor in years, was a brave warrior, and had always excellently managed the business confided to him by his father. Moreover, Jalal was at a short distance.

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Kumara (ie, Prince) Ramanatha was the son of Kampiladeva and his queen consort Hariharadevi. Kumara Ramanatha was a great warrior and had won many victories against the Kakatiya and Hoysala kings of Warangal and Dwarasamudra. The source of this information is a Kannada work named Paradara Sodara Ramana Kathe of Nanjunda. Hindu historical works are generally considered as fictions or poetical exaggerations. However, this work is of great historical value. Here is a short summary of the story

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Tipu Sultan had to surrender his two sons as hostages to the British followed by his defeat in the 3rd Anglo-Mysore war. Contemporary chroniclers like Major Dirom and Roderick Mackenzie had given a detailed account of their receptions by the Governor General Marquis Cornwallis. British artists like Robert Home (An eye-witness of this interesting event) Mather Brown and Arthur William Devis; all painted their versions of the Reception of the Mysorean Hostage Princes by Marquis Cornwallis.

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Rupmati, queen of Mandu, is famous in her chaste devotion to Baz Bahadur.

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Tipu Sultan had twelve sons, at the time of his death in the 4th Anglo-Mysore war in 1799 [reference: Mir Hussain Ali Khan Kirmani]. On the capture of Srirangapatna, Tipu's sons, the Zenana and Karim Sahib, his brother, were all taken prisoners. The British restored Mysore to the Wodeyars and the Vellore fort [East India Company’s strongest fortress in the Carnatic] was selected as the place of residence of Tipu's family. A liberal salary was allowed to each of the princes. But after the Vellore Mutiny, they were exiled to Calcutta. Here is a list of Tipu's 8 eldest sons according to the Irish painter Thomas Hickey. Painting has done by an unknown artist too.

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Mubariz Khan was the son of Nizam Khan, a brother of Sher Shah Suri. After murdering the young prince Firoz Shah, Mubariz Khan ascended the throne of the Sur empire at Gwalior assuming the title of Muhammad Shah Adil (r: 1555). But, he is popularly called Adali.

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Salim Shah Suri treated his nobles severely. He trusted nobody, but few persons like Daulat Khan Ulaja, Taj Khan Karrani, Isa Khan Hijab and Muhammad Shah Fermuli. Many revolts occurred during his reign, and he spend most of his time in crushing those.

Salim Shah was anxious about the future of his only son Prince Firoz Shah; as he always suspected the evil intentions of his cousin Mubariz Khan [Ahmad Yadgar calls him Mamrez Khan], who was also the brother of his wife Bibi Bai.

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The mysterious woman of the Mughal era