Y211: the Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526-1739 | OCR A-Level History A (H505)
Y211: the Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526-1739
- 79 questions
- 7 subtopics
- Non-British period study, one of twenty-four
- Y201 to Y224
The Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526–1739 is unit Y211 of OCR History A, one of the twenty-four options in unit group 2, the non-British period study; a student sits one of them.
Its four key topics are the foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556, Akbar the Great 1556–1605, Jahangir and Shah Jahan 1605–1658, rule and decline 1658–1739. 79 recall questions across 7 subtopics.
Sample questions from Y211: the Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526-1739
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: Babur’s conquest of India
What happened at Panipat in 1526?
Show the answer
Babur defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi, the sultan of Delhi, on 21 April 1526, opening Delhi and Agra to him and founding Mughal rule in India. -
The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: Babur’s conquest of India
Why was the battle of Khanwa in 1527 important?
Show the answer
Babur's victory over Rana Sanga of Mewar broke the Rajput confederacy that had hoped to take Delhi for itself and confirmed that the Mughals, not the Rajputs, would inherit the Lodi empire. -
The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: wars and instability under Humayun
What is meant by the Afghan interlude?
Show the answer
It is the period from 1540 to 1555 when the Mughals were expelled from India and the Afghan Suri dynasty ruled the north from Delhi. -
The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: wars and instability under Humayun
How did Sher Shah die?
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He was killed in 1545 by an explosion while besieging the Rajput fortress of Kalinjar, and was succeeded by his son Islam Shah. -
Akbar the Great 1556–1605: accession of Akbar, relations with the Rajput kingdoms and religious policy
How did Akbar take personal control of the government?
Show the answer
He dismissed Bairam Khan in 1560, then in 1562 broke the influence of the harem party around his foster-mother Maham Anaga and her son Adham Khan, after which he ruled in his own right. -
Akbar the Great 1556–1605: accession of Akbar, relations with the Rajput kingdoms and religious policy
Name three Rajput or Hindu servants who rose high under Akbar.
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Raja Man Singh of Amber commanded armies as a senior mansabdar, Todar Mal reorganised the revenue system, and Birbal was a close court companion and adviser. -
Akbar the Great 1556–1605: religion, administration, expansion and culture
Describe the mansabdari system.
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Every officer of the empire held a numerical rank, or mansab, with a zat figure fixing his personal status and pay and a sawar figure fixing the number of cavalry he had to maintain; ranks were granted and withdrawn by the emperor and were not hereditary, and holders were normally paid by the assignment of a jagir. -
Akbar the Great 1556–1605: religion, administration, expansion and culture
How did Akbar enlarge the empire?
Show the answer
He annexed Gujarat in 1573 and Bengal in 1576, secured Kabul in 1585, took Kashmir in 1586, Sind in 1591 and Kandahar in 1595, and pushed into the Deccan with the capture of Ahmadnagar and Asirgarh by 1601.
The 7 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: Babur’s conquest of India | Recall questions on India and Central Asia in the early sixteenth century, Babur, Panipat and the reasons for his victory, Khanwa, the victory of 1529 and the nature of Mughal rule under Babur. | 8 |
| The foundation of the Mughal Empire and its rulers 1526–1556: wars and instability under Humayun | Recall questions on wars and instability under Humayun, links between Humayun and Persia, the Afghan interlude, the Suri Dynasty under Sher Shah and Islam Shah. | 12 |
| Akbar the Great 1556–1605: accession of Akbar, relations with the Rajput kingdoms and religious policy | Recall questions on the accession of Akbar, his personality and rule of the emperor Akbar, relations with the Rajput kingdoms, religious policy. | 8 |
| Akbar the Great 1556–1605: religion, administration, expansion and culture | Recall questions on the Ibadat Khana, the decree of 1579, sulh-i-kul and the Din-i-Ilahi, the mansabdari system, Todar Mal’s revenue settlement, provincial government, expansion, economic change and court culture. | 11 |
| Jahangir and Shah Jahan 1605–1658: Jahangir, Shah Jahan and the triumph of Aurangzeb | Recall questions on Jahangir’s rule and Nur Jahan, Persian influence and court ceremonial, the Sikhs and the English, Shah Jahan’s accession, the Taj Mahal and Shahjahanabad, the Deccan and the war of succession won by Aurangzeb. | 20 |
| Rule and decline 1658–1739: Aurangzeb’s rule, religious policy and the Maratha wars | Recall questions on Aurangzeb as ruler, his religious measures and their effects, Shivaji and Maratha power, Purandar, the wars after 1680 and the annexation of Bijapur and Golconda. | 8 |
| Rule and decline 1658–1739: administrative reforms and the growth of revenue, weak leaders after 1707 | Recall questions on administrative reforms and the growth of revenue, conflicts with Sikhs, decline after 1707 and Aurangzeb’s responsibility, weak leaders after 1707. | 12 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby units
OCR A-Level History A Active Recall Guide
Every unit, not just this one. 6,240 questions with their answers.