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Chapter: 08. Babur Humayun And Sher Shah

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EXERCISE ANSWERS

A. Fill in the blanks.

Babur lost both Farghana and Samarkand and became a homeless wanderer. In 1504 CE, he became the ruler of Kabul.
Humayun lacked the qualities necessary to consolidate the vast empire he had inherited.
Sher Shah based his administration on the principle of a welfare state.
Sher Shah went on regular tours of inspection and set up an efficient spy system.
Sher Shah established a large standing army and introduced several reforms to make it disciplined, efficient and strong.
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B. Match the following.

First Battle of Panipat — (d) 1526 CE
Battle of Khanwa — (a) defeat of the Rajput confederacy
Battle of Ghagra — (e) Babur’s victory over the Afghans
Akbar — (b) Humayun’s son
Kamran — © Humayun’s brother
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C. Choose the correct answer.

In 1522 CE, Daulat Khan Lodi invited Babur to invade India.
With the help of the Shah of Persia, Humayun returned to India in the year 1555 CE.
Sher Shah divided his empire into 47 sarkars.
The rupia introduced by Sher Shah was made of silver.
Sher Shah’s greatest achievement was his revenue system.
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D. State whether the following are true or false. Rewrite the false statements correctly.

Babur was a descendant of Amir Timur and Chenghiz Khan.
True
Babur’s war-weary soldiers wanted to return to Kabul after the Battle of Panipat.
True (They were war-weary and homesick and did not want to fight another war, but Babur persuaded them to stay and consolidate the empire in India).
Babur won the Battle of Khanwa through treachery and cunning.
False. Babur won the Battle of Khanwa with his superior artillery and cavalry.
Sher Shah ruled for 15 years.
False. Sher Shah had a brief but brilliant reign of 5 years (1540–1545 CE).
To prevent the officers from becoming corrupt, Sher Shah introduced the system of periodical transfers.
True
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E. My mixed bag

Arrange in chronological order:
(b) First Battle of Panipat (1526 CE)
(d) Battle of Kannauj (1540 CE)
© Establishment of Afghan rule (1540 CE)
(a) Restoration of Mughal rule (1555 CE)
Which of the following is NOT a feature of Sher Shah’s reign?
© The jagir system (Sher Shah actively discouraged the jagir system).
Read the statements below, and select the correct option. ​(A) Assertion: In 1555, Humayun succeeded in recapturing Delhi and Agra. ​(B) Reason: Sher Shah’s successors were weak and incompetent.
© Both (A) and (B) are true, and (B) is the correct reason for (A).
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F. Answer the following questions in one or two words/sentences.

Between whom was the First Battle of Panipat fought?
It was fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi.
What was the significance of the First Battle of Panipat (1526 CE)?
It brought an end to the Delhi Sultanate and marked the beginning of the Mughal dynasty in India.
What is the name of Babur’s autobiography?
It is called the Tuzuk-i-Baburi (written in Turkish, later translated into Persian as the Baburnama).
Who was Humayun’s most dangerous enemy?
The Afghan chief Sher Khan Suri (later known as Sher Shah Suri) was his most dangerous enemy.
How did Humayun escape after his defeat in the Battle of Chausa (1539 CE)?
He escaped by jumping into the Ganga and floating down the river with the help of a water carrier’s inflated water bag.
How many years did Humayun spend in exile?
Humayun spent 15 years in exile (1540–1555 CE).
Who helped Humayan to recover Kabul and Kandahar?
He was helped by the Shah of Persia.
What is the significance of the Battle of Kannauj (1540 CE) in Sher Shah Suri’s rise to power?
It decisively defeated the Mughal forces, ended the fragile early Mughal Empire, and established Afghan rule in Delhi and Agra under Sher Shah.
How were the affairs of the villages managed during Sher Shah’s reign?
Villages were managed by panchayats composed of village elders, with the help of village officials like patwaris and muqaddams.
Explain the chehra system in Sher Shah’s military administration.
The chehra system involved maintaining a descriptive roll of individual soldiers to maintain army discipline and prevent fraud.
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G. Give reasons for the following.

Why did Daulat Khan Lodi invite Babur to invade India?
Daulat Khan Lodi invited Babur to help him overthrow Ibrahim Lodi, who was a cruel and highly unpopular sultan of Delhi.
Why did Sher Shah build an excellent network of good roads?
He built roads to ensure the quick movement of officials and troops, to promote trade and commerce, and to make travel easy and comfortable for merchants and travellers.
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H. Answer the following questions briefly.

Give a brief account of Babur’s early life.
Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur inherited the small Central Asian principality of Farghana from his father in 1494 CE, when he was only 11 years old. At 14, he conquered Samarkand, but soon lost both Farghana and Samarkand, becoming a homeless wanderer. Through determination and courage, he eventually established himself as the ruler of Kabul in 1504 CE.
Give an account of the causes, events and consequences of the First Battle of Panipat.
Causes: The Delhi Sultanate was weak, small, and politically disunited. Ibrahim Lodi was an unpopular ruler, leading Daulat Khan Lodi to invite Babur to invade India in 1522 CE.
Events: In 1526 CE, Babur’s small but highly disciplined and loyal army, equipped with superior cavalry and fine artillery, faced Ibrahim Lodi’s large army at Panipat. Within a few hours, Ibrahim’s army was completely routed and Ibrahim lay dead along with 15,000 soldiers.
Consequences: The battle ended the Delhi Sultanate, and Babur took over Delhi and Agra, proclaiming himself the emperor of Hindustan and establishing the Mughal dynasty.
How many battles did Babur have to fight after the First Battle of Panipat? Mention the significance of his victory in each of these battles.
Babur had to fight three major battles:
Battle of Khanwa (1527 CE): He defeated the Rajput confederacy under Rana Sanga. This victory removed the biggest obstacle to Mughal rule and gave Babur supreme control over central India.
Battle of Chanderi (1528 CE): He captured the Rajput stronghold of Chanderi under Medini Rai. This completely broke the Rajput opposition, and no other Rajput chief dared to challenge him.
Battle of Ghagra (1529 CE): He crushed the rebellious Afghan chiefs in Bihar and Bengal, securing his control over the Punjab, Delhi, and the Gangetic plain as far as Bihar.
Give a brief account of Sher Shah’s early life.
Sher Shah was born Farid Khan, the son of Hasan Khan, a jagirdar of Sasaram in Bihar. He earned the title “Sher Khan” after single-handedly killing a tiger. He joined Babur’s army, where he learned Mughal military techniques. Following Babur’s death, he took advantage of the political instability to gain power in Bihar and Bengal, eventually driving Humayun out of India.
With reference to Sher Shah’s enlightened rule, explain: (a) How the central government was organized (b) The important features of provincial administration.
(a) Central Government: Sher Shah was the supreme administrator. He divided the government into several departments, each overseen by a minister and assisted by officers. He personally supervised affairs, went on regular tours of inspection, and maintained a highly efficient spy system.
(b) Provincial Administration: The empire was divided into 47 provinces called sarkars, which were subdivided into districts called parganas. Parganas were overseen by the shiqdar-i-shiqdaran (handled by a shiqdar for law and order) and munsif-i-munsifan (handled by a munsif for revenue and civil cases). To prevent officials from becoming corrupt or overly powerful, they were periodically transferred.
Sher Shah introduced measures to make the army disciplined, efficient and strong. Explain.
Sher Shah raised a large standing army, personally trained and recruited soldiers, and fixed their salaries based on skill and ability. He revived Alauddin Khilji’s system of branding horses (dagh) and keeping descriptive rolls of soldiers (chehra). He divided the army into units under commanders, posted garrisons across the empire, and equipped the highly disciplined cavalry and infantry with artillery.
Discuss the measures taken by Sher Shah to boost the growth of trade and commerce.
Sher Shah built a vast network of roads (including the Grand Trunk Road) and rest houses (sarais). He abolished all transit duties except two (one at import and one at sale). He instructed officials to protect and respect merchants, making local zamindars and headmen responsible for their safety. He also introduced uniform weights and measures, alongside standard gold, silver (the rupia), and copper coins.
What steps did Sher Shah take to maintain law and order within his kingdom?
He established strict criminal laws and severe punishments. He appointed shiqdars in parganas to handle local law and order. Crucially, he made village headmen (muqaddams) and local chieftains responsible for crimes in their areas, severely punishing them if they failed to catch thieves, robbers, or murderers.
Sher Shah’s greatest achievement was his land revenue system. In this context, explain: (a) Land assessments (b) Taxation policy and its impact.
(a) Land Assessments: Land was surveyed and measured annually and divided into three types—good, bad, and middling—based on fertility. He introduced the patta (title deed) and qubuliat (agreement) system, clearly defining the mutual rights and duties of the peasant and the state while discouraging the corrupt jagir system.
(b) Taxation Policy and its Impact: The state tax was fixed at one-third of the average produce, payable in cash or kind. Taxes were collected strictly but assessed leniently. During crop damage from war or natural calamities (drought/flood), taxes were reduced and loans were granted to peasants. This improved the peasants’ conditions, increased cultivation, and secured a regular, steady flow of funds to the royal treasury.
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I. Source-based questions

1. Picture study: This is a picture of the tomb of the successor of Babur.

(a) Name the Mughal emperor who is buried in this tomb.
Humayun (Humayun’s Tomb).
(b) Where is this monument located?
New Delhi.
© After which battle did he go into exile? Why?
He went into exile after the Battle of Kanauj (1540 CE). He fled because his forces were decisively defeated by Sher Khan Suri, bringing the early Mughal empire to an end and replacing it with Afghan rule.
(d) How did he reconquer his lost empire?
With military assistance from the Shah of Persia, he recovered Kabul and Kandahar from his brother Kamran. Taking advantage of the weak and incompetent successors of Sher Shah after 1545 CE, Humayun returned to India and recaptured Delhi and Agra in 1555 CE.

2. Read and answer: Read the quote below by Babur…

(a) Which to-be-ruler is Babur speaking about here?
Sher Khan (later known as Sher Shah Suri).
(b) How did Babur’s statement about this person come true?
Babur’s warning came true when Sher Khan proved to be highly capable and ambitious. He consolidated power in Bihar and Bengal, mastered Mughal military techniques, and eventually overthrew Babur’s son Humayun in the Battles of Chausa and Kanauj to sit on the throne of Delhi.
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J. Map work

Guidance for mapping the areas on an outline map of the Indian subcontinent:
1. Babur’s empire (as of 1530 CE): Shade the northern strip of the Indian subcontinent, encompassing Kabul (in present-day Afghanistan), Lahore/Punjab (in present-day Pakistan), Delhi, Agra, and stretching along the Gangetic plain to the border of Bihar.
2. Areas ruled by Sher Shah (as of 1545 CE): Shade a wider region that covers Kabul, Peshawar, Punjab, Sind, Multan, Rajputana, Malwa, Delhi, Agra, Bihar, and stretches all the way to Bengal (up to Sonargaon).
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Do and Learn

A. Use your imagination

Imagine that you are a soldier in Babur’s army. Write a letter to your family…
Dear Family,
I am writing to you from the plains of Hindustan. Our journey has been incredibly long and grueling since we crossed the Indus. In 1526, we stood on the fields of Panipat against Ibrahim Lodi’s massive army. Though they outnumbered us vastly, our disciplined cavalry and brilliant artillery routed them in a matter of hours. After our triumph, we entered Delhi, but weariness and homesickness overtook many of us. We longed to return home, but our leader Babur gave an impassioned, eloquent speech that transformed us into a regiment of heroes. This courage was put to the test in 1527 at Khanwa, where we clashed with the brave Rajputs under Rana Sanga. Despite their desperate valour, our superior artillery and cavalry sealed another decisive victory. We now hold supreme control over central India, and I hope to return to you soon once our position is fully secure.
With love, ​Your Son.
Imagine you are Sher Shah, and you have become an adviser to the Prime Minister of India. Write a report on what measures, reforms and policies you would suggest…
Report on Governance Reforms and Citizen Welfare ​To: The Prime Minister of India ​From: Sher Shah Suri (Adviser)
1. Public Infrastructure and Safety: Expand high-quality expressways and national transit networks (modeled on the Grand Trunk Road) with regular, secure resting zones (sarais) to facilitate safe, easy trade and travel for all citizens. ​2. Administrative Decentralization and Anti-Corruption: Divide major administrative zones into smaller local units under strict central oversight. Implement a policy of periodic transfers for government officials to ensure they do not abuse power or engage in corrupt activities. ​3. Agricultural and Land Reforms: Provide peasants with clear, digital land title deeds (patta) and formal tax agreements (qubuliat). Calculate land revenue based on scientific soil productivity and fertility, and instantly lower tax liabilities and offer interest-free emergency loans during natural disasters like droughts and floods. ​4. Swift, Equal Justice: Implement rigorous, uniform laws where nobody is above the justice system. Hold local administrative leaders accountable for maintaining law and order in their respective jurisdictions to deter criminal activities. ​5. Trade Facilitation: Standardize economic measures and transactions under a highly secure, high-value uniform national currency (like the silver rupia) to build trust and boost local commerce.

B. Project work

The Kohinoor diamond was given to Humayun by the family of the Raja of Gwalior. Research and find out whether this story is true and write a report tracing its history.
Note: The provided text does not contain detailed facts about the Kohinoor’s exact delivery to Humayun by the Gwalior family.
Report Summary: Historical traditions outside the text indicate that after the Battle of Panipat (1526 CE), Humayun protected the family of the late Raja of Gwalior (Raja Bikramajit) from plunder. In gratitude, the family presented him with a magnificent diamond, later identified as the Kohinoor, which Humayun subsequently presented to his father Babur. Babur recorded this incident in his memoirs, noting its immense value.
Collect information on (a) Babur and (b) Humayun from the Baburnama and Humayunnama…
(a) Babur (The Lover of Nature, Poetry, and Music): In his memoirs, the Tuzuk-i-Baburi, Babur exhibits a deep appreciation for nature, meticulously detailing the flora, fauna, fruits, and flowers of Hindustan. He was also a highly cultured individual, writing in flawless Turkish prose and expressing deep interest in music and poetry.
(b) Humayun (A Man of Learning and Culture): Humayun was a deeply cultured emperor who valued intellect and literature. His passion for reading and learning is highlighted by the library he maintained in Delhi, where he spent much of his time and which ultimately became the site of his tragic, accidental death.
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation on: (a) Sher Shah’s land revenue system…
Slide 1: Title: Sher Shah’s Land Revenue System & Trade Reforms.
Slide 2: Land Assessment: Annual scientific survey and measurement of land; division of soil into three classes: good, bad, and middling.
Slide 3: Taxation & Relief Measures: Tax fixed at one-third of average produce, paid in cash or kind. Taxes reduced and state loans granted during wars, droughts, or floods.
Slide 4: Qubuliat & Patta: Discouragement of the jagir system; introduction of patta (title deed) and qubuliat (agreement) to secure peasant land rights.
Slide 5: Trade & Commerce: Abolition of unnecessary domestic transit duties; introduction of the uniform silver rupia; and holding local authorities directly accountable for the safety of traders.
Make a chart illustrating Sher Shah’s communication system…
Visual guidelines for the chart: Draw or create a model of the Grand Trunk Road connecting Sonargaon (Bangladesh) to Peshawar (Pakistan). Illustrate shady trees planted along both sides of the road, rest houses (sarais) with freshwater wells at regular intervals, and a dak chauki (post house) with two horsemen ready to carry royal mail across the empire.
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