UPSC Medieval India – Chapter 2: The Tripartite Struggle – Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas (21 MCQs)

← Back

UPSC Medieval India – Chapter 2: The Tripartite Struggle – Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas (21 MCQs) – 21 questions, subject: History. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

Get daily current affairs & exam alerts – follow us YouTube WhatsApp Channel Telegram Channel Facebook Page Instagram
Share with friends & study groups
Link to this page from your website / blog (HTML code)
1.  

The tripartite struggle was fought mainly for control of:

Correct Answer: C [Kanauj]

Explanation:

Kanauj, Harsha's old capital commanding the Ganga–Yamuna doab, was the symbol of paramountcy over north India that all three powers sought.

2.  

The founder of the Pala dynasty was:

Correct Answer: C [Gopala]

Explanation:

The Khalimpur plate records that Gopala was chosen king c. 750 CE to end matsyanyaya, founding the Pala dynasty.

3.  

The Buddhist monastery of Vikramashila was founded by:

Correct Answer: D [Dharmapala]

Explanation:

Dharmapala founded Vikramashila near Bhagalpur in Bihar and also built the Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur.

4.  

The Somapura Mahavihara built by the Palas is located in present-day:

Correct Answer: B [Bangladesh]

Explanation:

The Somapura Mahavihara, built by the Pala kings, stands at Paharpur in present-day Bangladesh and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5.  

The Pala king who granted villages for a monastery at Nalanda built by the Shailendra king Balaputradeva was:

Correct Answer: C [Devapala]

Explanation:

Devapala's Nalanda copper plate grants villages for the monastery built at Nalanda by Balaputradeva, the Shailendra king of Suvarnadvipa.

6.  

The Ramacharita, which describes the reign of Ramapala, was written by:

Correct Answer: A [Sandhyakara Nandi]

Explanation:

Sandhyakara Nandi's Ramacharita narrates Ramapala's reign, including his suppression of the Kaivarta revolt and recovery of Varendra.

7.  

The Pratihara ruler who made Kanauj his capital was:

Correct Answer: B [Nagabhata II]

Explanation:

Nagabhata II took Kanauj from Chakrayudha in the early ninth century and made it the Pratihara capital.

8.  

The title Adivaraha is associated with:

Correct Answer: C [Mihira Bhoja]

Explanation:

Mihira Bhoja, a devotee of Vishnu and the greatest Pratihara ruler, took the title Adivaraha, also seen on his coins.

9.  

The poet Rajashekhara, author of Karpuramanjari, was patronised by:

Correct Answer: D [Mahendrapala I]

Explanation:

Rajashekhara described himself as teacher of the Pratihara king Mahendrapala I, at whose Kanauj court he wrote Karpuramanjari.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. Nagabhata I resisted Arab raids from Sindh.
2. Dhruva defeated both Vatsaraja and Dharmapala.
3. Sulaiman praised the cavalry of the Pala king.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

Nagabhata I resisted Arab raids and Dhruva defeated both Vatsaraja and Dharmapala; statement 3 fails as Sulaiman praised Pratihara cavalry.

11.  

Assertion (A): By the late tenth century the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas had declined.

Reason (R): Long wars exhausted their resources and allowed their feudatories to become independent.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

The long tripartite wars drained all three powers and let feudatories break away, which directly explains their decline by the late tenth century.

12.  

The Rashtrakuta king who sacked Kanauj in about 916 CE was:

Correct Answer: C [Indra III]

Explanation:

Indra III raided north India and sacked Kanauj in about 916 CE during the reign of the Pratihara Mahipala.

13.  

Atisha Dipankara Srijnana, who taught in Tibet, was associated with the monastery of:

Correct Answer: A [Vikramashila]

Explanation:

Atisha Dipankara Srijnana was a leading teacher of the Pala monastery of Vikramashila before he went to Tibet.

14.  

The Pala king who suppressed the Kaivarta revolt and recovered Varendra was:

Correct Answer: B [Ramapala]

Explanation:

Ramapala crushed the Kaivarta revolt and recovered Varendra, as narrated in Sandhyakara Nandi's Ramacharita.

15.  

In Bengal, the Palas were succeeded by the:

Correct Answer: D [Senas]

Explanation:

In the twelfth century the Senas replaced the Palas as the ruling dynasty of Bengal.

16.  

The Ganitasarasangraha was written at the court of Amoghavarsha I by:

Correct Answer: A [Mahaviracharya]

Explanation:

The Jain mathematician Mahaviracharya wrote the Ganitasarasangraha at the court of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha I.

17.  

Arrange the following events in chronological order:

1. Mahmud of Ghazni attacks Kanauj
2. Gopala becomes king in Bengal
3. Indra III sacks Kanauj
4. Nagabhata II makes Kanauj his capital

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-4-3-1]

Explanation:

Order: Gopala becomes king in Bengal (c. 750) → Nagabhata II makes Kanauj his capital (early 9th century) → Indra III sacks Kanauj (c. 916) → Mahmud of Ghazni attacks Kanauj (1018).

18.  

The Paramara king Bhoja ruled from:

Correct Answer: B [Dhar]

Explanation:

Bhoja, the eleventh-century Paramara scholar-king of Malwa, ruled from his capital Dhar.

19.  

Jejakabhukti, the old name of Bundelkhand, is linked with the Chandela ruler:

Correct Answer: D [Jayashakti]

Explanation:

Bundelkhand was called Jejakabhukti after the Chandela ruler Jayashakti, also known as Jejaka.

20.  

The Pala king defeated in the northern campaign of Rajendra Chola I was:

Correct Answer: B [Mahipala I]

Explanation:

Mahipala I (c. 988–1038) was the Pala ruler defeated during Rajendra Chola I's northern campaign to the Ganga.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2022

Consider the following pairs:

King : Dynasty

1. Nannuka : Chandela
2. Jayashakti : Paramara
3. Nagabhata II : Gurjara-Pratihara
4. Bhoja : Rashtrakuta

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Correct Answer: B [Only two pairs]

Explanation:

pairs 1 and 3 are correct; Jayashakti was a Chandela and Bhoja a Paramara (or, as Mihira Bhoja, a Pratihara).

➤ Full notes, maps, tables, a reason for every option and Mains PYQs – U02 · Medieval India (UPSC book, ₹249): www.shanmugamiasacademy.in/study-materials/upsc-medieval-india

📘 U02 · Medieval India – UPSC Civil Services (Prelims & Mains)
Here you get the answer with a one-line explanation. 18 chapters · 390 MCQs incl. UPSC Prelims PYQs with a reason for every option · 90 Mains questions + Mains PYQs · maps, tables, revision cards
Get the book – ₹249 ₹499 →
Score: 0 Answered: 0 / 0