The Mughal Empire

Both of them

Reason — Aurangzeb faced rebellions from many sections. The Pathans revolted near Peshawar in 1667 CE, and the Jats around Mathura revolted in 1667 CE. Since both these groups rose against him, the correct option is "Both of them".

1687 CE

Reason — As part of his Deccan policy, Aurangzeb annexed Bijapur in 1686 CE and Golconda in 1687 CE.

Sambhaji

Reason — In his attempt to subdue the Marathas, Aurangzeb captured and executed Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji, in 1689 CE.

Ahmadnagar

Reason — Aurangzeb died in Ahmadnagar in 1707 CE.

Afghanistan

Reason — Ahmad Shah Abdali was an invader from Afghanistan, whereas Nadir Shah was from Iran.

Aurangzeb : Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Reason — Just as the Khalsa resistance (the militarised Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh) rose against Aurangzeb, the Maratha resistance against Aurangzeb was led by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Marathas under Shivaji declared war against the Mughals and proved to be a menace to the Mughal army in the Deccan.

He was treated dishonourably and showed a lack of reverence for the Mughal court.

Reason — When Shivaji visited the court of Aurangzeb, he was treated in a dishonourable manner and left the court in fury. Enraged at his lack of reverence for the Mughal court, Aurangzeb put him under house arrest.

i., ii., iii. and iv.

Reason — All four combinations are correct. The Jats revolted around Mathura (1667 CE); the Satnamis, concentrated in an area near Delhi, revolted under the leadership of Bhirbhan (1672 CE); after Aurangzeb executed Guru Tegh Bahadur, his son Guru Gobind Singh reconstituted the Sikhs (1675 CE); and after Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur died, the Rajputs rebelled over the question of succession (1679 CE).

Execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur

Reason — In 1675 CE, Aurangzeb executed the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. This infuriated the Sikhs, and in response his son and successor, the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, reconstituted the Sikhs and established the Khalsa, a military brotherhood. Thus, the execution directly led to the militarisation of the Sikhs.

R is the reason for A.

Explanation — The annexation of Bijapur and Golconda did prove harmful to the Mughal Empire (A is true). This was because the empire became too vast and unwieldy to administer from Delhi, and it brought the Mughals into direct conflict with the Marathas (R is true). Hence, R correctly explains A.

R is the reason for A.

Explanation — Aurangzeb's execution of the ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, did infuriate the Sikhs (A is true). In response, his son and successor Guru Gobind Singh reconstituted the Sikhs and established the Khalsa, a military brotherhood (R is true). Both statements are factually correct and directly connected, as R describes the Sikhs' response that flowed from the anger caused by the execution.

All three foreign interventions — Nadir Shah's invasion, Ahmad Shah Abdali's invasion and the English East India Company's policies — led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

1. Nadir Shah's invasion — Nadir Shah of Iran invaded in 1739 CE. The Mughals were defeated, and he carried away the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which exposed the weakness of the empire.
2. Ahmad Shah Abdali's invasion — Ahmad Shah Abdali of Afghanistan invaded in 1761 CE. His invasion not only shattered the Mughal Empire but also destroyed the Maratha confederacy, and the Mughals could never recover from it.
3. The English East India Company's policies — The plunder by Nadir Shah alerted the EEIC to the acute weakness of the Mughal Empire and the political vacuum in the region. The Company expanded its power, the weak Mughal rulers could not stand against it, and finally, in 1857 CE, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was deported to Rangoon, formally ending Mughal rule.

Akbar was the longest reigning Mughal monarch. Aurangzeb was the second longest reigning emperor after him.

The Khalsa was established by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru.

The other name of the Alamgiri Mosque built by Aurangzeb in Lahore is the Badshahi Masjid.

Aurangzeb was succeeded by his son Bahadur Shah I.

The Khalsa was established as a response to the execution of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, by Aurangzeb in 1675 CE. This execution infuriated the Sikhs. In response, Guru Tegh Bahadur's son and successor, the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, reconstituted the Sikhs and established the Khalsa, a military brotherhood, to organise and strengthen the community.

In 1679 CE, Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur died, and a conflict arose over who would be the next Raja. Aurangzeb's choice — a grandson of the former Maharaja's elder brother — was not accepted by the other members of Jaswant Singh's family. As a result, the Rajputs rebelled. Although Aurangzeb brought the rebellion under control, the sporadic warfare continued for quite some time.

Aurangzeb spent the latter half of his reign in the Deccan, trying to conquer the independent kingdoms in the south. He annexed Bijapur in 1686 CE and Golconda in 1687 CE. He then attempted to subdue the Marathas and captured and executed Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji, in 1689 CE. However, the Marathas continued their struggle under Sambhaji's son, Shahu, and successfully repelled Mughal attacks. Aurangzeb could not subdue the Marathas completely.

The consequences of Aurangzeb's Deccan policy were:

1. The annexation of Bijapur and Golconda did not benefit the Mughal Empire, as these kingdoms were difficult to administer from Delhi.
2. Aurangzeb's entanglement with the Marathas drained the resources of the State and wasted his valuable time.
3. Owing to the long absence of Aurangzeb and his advisors, administration suffered in the north, which resulted in the outbreak of a number of revolts.

Aurangzeb died in Ahmadnagar in 1707 CE. After his death, his son Bahadur Shah I ascended the throne. Soon after, the Mughal Empire entered a period of decline owing to Bahadur Shah I's weak military and leadership qualities. Within a hundred years of Aurangzeb's death, the Mughal emperor had little control over areas beyond Delhi.

There were several causes for the decline of the Mughal Empire:

1. Weak successors of Aurangzeb — Bahadur Shah I, who succeeded Aurangzeb, was weak and inefficient. His successors were all incompetent and could not manage the huge empire. Soon, the governors of the distant states declared themselves independent.
2. Vastness of the empire — The Mughal Empire stretched across northern India and even included territories in the south. The cost of administering such a vast empire was huge, and the weak successors were incapable of managing it.
3. Wars of succession — The Mughals did not have a clear succession policy. The rulers ascended the throne through bloodshed, which tarnished the image of the Mughal rulers.
4. Policies of Aurangzeb — According to some historians, Aurangzeb's rigid religious policy alienated many people and led to serious revolts by the Rajputs, Sikhs, Jats and Satnamis. His entanglement in the Deccan also turned the northern part of his empire into a centre of revolts.
5. Powerful nobility — The nobles acquired both prominence and power under the Later Mughals. They took advantage of the weak rulers to control the administration, and in some cases carved out their own empires by declaring themselves independent.
6. Defects in the mansabdari system — The hereditary nature of the mansabdari system led to corruption and factionalism, which contributed to the downfall of the empire.
7. Foreign invasions and the establishment of the English East India Company — Invaders such as Nadir Shah (1739 CE) and Ahmad Shah Abdali (1761 CE) ravaged the empire. The English East India Company took advantage of the weakness and political vacuum to expand its power, and the weak Mughal rulers could not resist it.

(a) The mosque is the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), a small white marble mosque.

(b) Aurangzeb built it within the Red Fort complex in Delhi.

(c) Another mosque of the same name, the Moti Masjid, was built by Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort, Agra.

(a) It is the massive gate (Alamgiri Gate) that Aurangzeb added to the Lahore Fort. It is placed at the entrance of the Lahore Fort.

(b) The monument is now located in Lahore, Pakistan. It was built by Aurangzeb.

(c) The purpose of this construction was to serve as a grand, fortified entrance gateway to the Lahore Fort, reflecting the power and grandeur of the Mughal Empire.

A. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was placed under house arrest because, when he visited Aurangzeb's court in Agra in 1666 CE, he was treated in a dishonourable manner. He was furious at this treatment, and Aurangzeb, enraged at Shivaji's lack of reverence for the Mughal court, put him under house arrest.

B. To escape, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj feigned illness and began sending out enormous baskets filled with fruits, supposedly meant for distribution among the poor as penance. On 17 August 1666, hidden inside these baskets along with his young son, he slipped past the guards unnoticed and made his way back to his kingdom.