History Optional · Paper I · Medieval India
The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century: Political History Notes · PYQs · Solved Answers
Free notes, every previous year question and the solved answers for The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century: Political History (Paper I, Medieval India), arranged so you can read a topic and immediately see how UPSC has asked it. Syllabus: Provincial dynasties, Vijayanagar and Bahmani kingdoms, Lodis, Babur, Humayun, Sur empire, Portuguese colonial enterprise.
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1985–2025
Years covered
52
Questions listed
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Paper I · Unit 18
The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century: Political History notes
Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order. Read a topic, then open its previous year questions below.
Free notes
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Bahmani Kingdom (Bahmanids)
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Central Asian Politics and the advance of Babar towards India
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Mughal Empire, First Phase: Babur
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Mughal Empire, First Phase: Humayun
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Portuguese Colonial Enterprise
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Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bengal
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Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Gujarat
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Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Kashmir (Zain-ul Abidin)
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Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Lodis
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Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Malwa
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The Sur Empire: Sher Shah’s Administration
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Vijayanagara Empire: Politics, State, Society and the Economy
Free practice
Previous year questions: The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century: Political History
Every question UPSC has asked from this unit, year-wise, with a link to its solved answer.
Topic-wise question list
Year-wise question papers
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UPSC History Optional Question Paper 2026
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UPSC History Optional Question Paper 2025
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History Optional Question Paper: 2024
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History Optional Question Paper: 2023
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History Optional Question Paper: 2012
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History Optional Question Paper: 2011
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History Optional Question Paper: 2013
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History Optional Question Paper: 2014
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History Optional Question Paper: 2015
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History Optional Question Paper: 2016
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History Optional Question Paper: 2017
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History Optional Question Paper: 2018
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History Optional Question Paper: 2019
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History Optional Question Paper: 2021
History PYQ Master Pack
Solved PYQ answers: The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century: Political History
Topic-wise model answers, newest exam year first. Members open the full answer; everyone else sees the question and can join the pack.
PYQ Solutions
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Portuguese maritime power disrupted the character of trade in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. Review.
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Evaluate the contribution of Qalandariyyah to medieval Indian culture.
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Highlight the features of the Portuguese colonial enterprise.
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Discuss the importance of Sufi literature as an important source of history.
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The Vaishnava Bhakti tradition of the fifteenth century contributed to the flourishing of provincial literature. Discuss with appropriate examples.
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The prolonged conflict between the Vijayanagara Kingdom and the Bahmani successor states was influenced less by cultural factors, and more by strategic and economic considerations. Comment
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Give your assessment of Bahlul Lodi’s relation with his nobility.
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Examine the causes of Babur’s success against the Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat.
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The mission of Kabir was to preach a religion of love which would unite all castes and creeds. Explain
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Evaluate the contribution of Sher Shah towards trade and commerce, administration and agricultural reforms.
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Describe village polity and economy of medieval Deccan.
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Amuktamalyada dwells much upon the relationship of fort, Brahmanas and dispersed tribal groups. Comment.
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Describe in detail about the foreign travellers accounts which gave information of Vijayanagar kingdom.
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Sufi and Bhakti thoughts ennobled Indian psyche amidst the vagaries of time. Elucidate.
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Assess the rule of Zainul Abedin in Kashmir.
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What was the role of Sufi Folk literature in the diffusion of Islam in India in general and in Deccan in particular
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Do you agree that convergence of political vacuum and impact of Islamicate culture and polity in peninsular India has much to do with the growth of Vijayanagara kingdom?
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“Bhakti and Sufi movements served the same social purpose.” Discuss.
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Assess the contribution of Firoz Shah Bahamani and Mahmud Gawan in the field of education
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Evaluate Jonaraja’s account of the reign of Zain-ul-Abidin.
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“Tantrism, if not in practice, at least on conceptual level challenged patriarchy.” Examine Tantrism specially keeping in mind the above context.
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Mention the salient features of the polity of Vijayanagara Empire under Krishnadevaraya.
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To what extent is ‘Segmentary State’ model relevant for defining the Vijayanagar State? Critically examine.
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How was the cartaz system used by the Portuguese to maintain their control over the oceanic trade?
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Discuss and evaluate critically various trends in the historiography of Bhakti.
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On the basis of contemporary sources evaluate the system of agriculture and irrigation of the Vijayanagar kingdom.
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Discuss the state of society and economy of the Bahmani kingdom as gleaned from historical sources
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Comment on the Turco-Mongol theory of sovereignty. To what extent was it adopted by Babur and Humayun?
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Write a short essay on: “Significance of the arrival of the Portuguese in India.”
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“The tenets of Hindu and Muslim mystics were similar enough that the ground was ripe for syncretic movements involving adherents of both religions.” Elucidate.
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The Bahamani Kingdom: Administration
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Write brief essay on Sufism in North India.
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“The tenets of Hindu and Muslim mystics were similar enough that the ground was ripe for syncretic movements involving adherents of both religions.” Elucidate.
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Write brief essay on Chaitanyadeva and Vaishnavism
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Write brief essay: The Bahmani kingdom.
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Discuss the growth of the Nirguna School of Bhakti Movement emphasising the contribution of Kabir and Nanak to it
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What impact did Kabir and Nanak leave on Indian Society and Culture?
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Write brief essay on Sufi Movements.
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Evaluate the impact of the Sufi and Bhakti Movements on vernacular languages & life and thought of the common people
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Write brief essay on Hemu Vikramaditya.
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Write brief essay: The Sufi Movement & its role in promoting communal harmony.
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Write brief essay – Sher Shah combined in himself qualities of lion and fox.
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Make a comparative review of the agrarian reforms of Alau-ud-Din Khalji and Sher Shah Suri.
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Write brief essay on Portuguese control of the Indian Ocean and its impact.
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Write short essay of not more than 200 words: The empire-builder in North India of the sixteenth century.
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Write short answer of not more than 200 words: Significance of the Bhakti Movement.
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Bring out the significance of the reign of Sher Shah in the history of India.
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Discuss briefly the causes that contributed to the religious movements of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Analyse their approach to the realities of contemporary life.
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