State PCS
'Mirat-i-Sikandari', a Persian history written in the early 17th century, deals with the history of:
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Answer: Option D — The Sultanate of Gujarat
Detailed Solution
"Mirat-i-Sikandari" ("Mirror of Sikandar") is a Persian history of the Sultanate of Gujarat, written by Sikandar bin Muhammad Manjhu (Iskandar) around 1611.
About the book:
- It covers the history of the independent sultans of Gujarat, from the founding of the kingdom (early 15th century) to its conquest by Akbar (1572-73).
- It describes the reigns of rulers such as Ahmad Shah I, Mahmud Begada and Bahadur Shah.
- It also gives information about the society, culture, saints and buildings of Gujarat.
- The author was a native of Gujarat, whose father served the Gujarat sultans and later the Mughals.
- It is regarded as one of the most reliable sources for the history of medieval Gujarat.
About the Sultanate of Gujarat:
- It was founded by Zafar Khan, the Tughlaq governor of Gujarat, who declared independence and took the title of Muzaffar Shah (1407).
- Ahmad Shah I (1411-1442) founded the city of Ahmedabad (1411) and made it his capital.
- Mahmud Begada (1458-1511) was the most famous ruler; he captured the forts of Girnar and Champaner.
- Bahadur Shah fought the Mughal emperor Humayun and the Portuguese; he was killed by the Portuguese in 1537.
- Akbar annexed Gujarat in 1572-73.
Monuments of the Gujarat sultans:
- The Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad.
- The Sidi Saiyyed mosque, famous for its carved stone window.
- The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Other Gujarat histories:
"Mirat-i-Ahmadi": by Ali Muhammad Khan (18th century), a history of Gujarat under the Mughals.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bengal, the Bahmani kingdom and Kashmir have other histories.
Quick tip
Remember: Mirat-i-Sikandari = history of the Gujarat Sultanate (Sikandar bin Muhammad Manjhu, about 1611); Mirat-i-Ahmadi = Gujarat under the Mughals.
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Books & Authors — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Books & Authors, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers famous books and their authors, including ancient Indian texts, works of the freedom struggle, classic and modern literature, autobiographies of famous people, and recently published books by well-known personalities. Questions usually name a book and ask for its author, or the other way round. Ancient and historical books, such as Arthashastra (Kautilya), Indica (Megasthenes) and Gitanjali (Rabindranath Tagore), are tested most often. Autobiographies are another favourite, so learn titles such as 'My Experiments with Truth' (Mahatma Gandhi) and 'Wings of Fire' (A. P. J. Abdul Kalam). Practise the books and authors questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.