Indian Dynasties GK for SSC Exams – Important One-Liner Questions and Answers
Preparing for SSC exams? Indian history, especially Indian dynasties, is a crucial part of the General Knowledge section. To help you ace this topic, here’s a comprehensive list of 100+ one-liner questions and answers based on Indian dynasties GK for SSC exams.
These questions are curated from reliable sources like NCERT books, previous year question papers, and credible internet resources to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Maurya Dynasty
- Who founded the Maurya dynasty?
Chandragupta Maurya - Which foreign traveler visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya?
Megasthenes (Ambassador of Seleucus) - Who was the greatest ruler of the Maurya dynasty?
Ashoka the Great - What is the name of Ashoka’s empire described in Greek texts?
Pataliputra - Which text gives detailed information about the Mauryan administration?
Arthashastra by Kautilya - Who succeeded Chandragupta Maurya?
Bindusara - What was Ashoka’s policy after the Kalinga War?
Dhamma Vijaya (Conquest through peace and virtue) - Where was the Third Buddhist Council held under Ashoka?
Pataliputra - What material were Mauryan pillars made of?
Polished sandstone - Which Mauryan king renounced his kingdom and became a Jain monk?
Chandragupta Maurya
Gupta Dynasty
- Who is known as the founder of the Gupta Empire?
Sri Gupta - Which Gupta ruler is called ‘Napoleon of India’?
Samudragupta - Which Chinese traveler visited India during the Gupta period?
Fa-Hien - Who built the Iron Pillar in Delhi?
Chandragupta II (Also known as Vikramaditya) - Which university flourished during the Gupta period?
Nalanda University - What was the official language of the Gupta administration?
Sanskrit - Which deity was most worshipped during the Gupta period?
Lord Vishnu - Who wrote the play ‘Mudrarakshasa’?
Vishakhadatta - Which Gupta ruler defeated the Hunas?
Skandagupta - What is the significance of Gupta coins?
They depicted kings performing various activities and were artistic masterpieces
Mughal Dynasty
- Who founded the Mughal Empire in India?
Babur - In which battle did Babur defeat Ibrahim Lodi?
First Battle of Panipat (1526) - Who introduced the Din-i-Ilahi religion?
Akbar - What was the title of Akbar’s revenue minister?
Raja Todar Mal - Who built the Taj Mahal?
Shah Jahan - Which Mughal emperor abolished the jizya tax initially?
Akbar - Who was the last Mughal emperor?
Bahadur Shah Zafar - Which Mughal ruler established Fatehpur Sikri?
Akbar - Who wrote ‘Humayun Nama’?
Gulbadan Begum - What was the meaning of ‘Zabt’ system introduced by Akbar?
A land revenue system based on measurement of land
Delhi Sultanate
- Who was the first Muslim ruler to establish rule in Delhi?
Qutubuddin Aibak - Who built the Qutub Minar?
Qutubuddin Aibak (Started), completed by Iltutmish - Which ruler introduced market control policy?
Alauddin Khilji - Who was the only woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
Razia Sultana - Who was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty?
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq - Which sultan shifted capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
Muhammad Bin Tughlaq - Who repelled Mongol invasions repeatedly?
Alauddin Khilji - Who wrote ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’?
Minhaj-us-Siraj - Who ended the Delhi Sultanate?
Babur after the First Battle of Panipat - Who was known as “Lakh Baksh”?
Qutubuddin Aibak (Giver of Lakhs)
Chola Dynasty
- Which river was associated with the Chola civilization?
Kaveri River - Who built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur?
Rajaraja I - What was the local self-government system in Chola villages called?
Sabha or Ur - Which Chola king invaded Southeast Asia?
Rajendra I - Which script was used in Chola inscriptions?
Tamil and Grantha scripts - What was the main source of income for the Cholas?
Land Revenue - Which sea was conquered by the Chola navy?
Bay of Bengal - What is the famous literary work from the Chola period?
Periya Puranam - Which Chola ruler started naval expeditions to Srivijaya?
Rajendra I - Where was the capital of the Chola Empire?
Thanjavur (later moved to Gangaikonda Cholapuram)
Other Important Dynasties
- Which dynasty ruled from Kannauj?
Harsha Vardhana - Who was the court poet of Harsha Vardhana?
Banabhatta - Which dynasty built the Ellora Caves?
Rashtrakutas - Which dynasty is known for building rock-cut temples in Mahabalipuram?
Pallavas - Who defeated Harsha Vardhana on the banks of the Narmada?
Pulakeshin II (Chalukya King) - Which dynasty built the Sun Temple at Konark?
Eastern Ganga Dynasty - Which dynasty ruled from Badami?
Chalukyas - Which dynasty was known for establishing Ayurvedic institutions?
Satavahanas - Which dynasty ruled from Dwarsamudra?
Hoysalas - Who built the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal?
Chalukyas
Kings and Their Titles
- Who was called ‘Vikramaditya’?
Chandragupta II - Who is known as ‘Amitrochates’ in Greek texts?
Ashoka - Which Mughal emperor was called ‘Shah-i-Bekhabar’?
Muhammad Shah - Who was known as ‘Sher-i-Punjab’?
Ranjit Singh - Which Maratha leader was called ‘Maratha Machiavelli’?
Nana Phadnavis - Who was called ‘Shivaji of South India’?
Hambir Rao Mohite - Who was known as ‘Lion of Punjab’?
Lala Lajpat Rai - Which ruler was known as ‘Alamgir’?
Aurangzeb - Who was called ‘Devanam Piya’?
Ashoka - Who was known as ‘Kavi Priya’?
Akbar
Battles and Events
- When was the First Battle of Tarain fought?
1191 AD (Between Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori) - Who won the Second Battle of Tarain?
Muhammad Ghori - Which battle led to the establishment of British supremacy in India?
Battle of Plassey (1757) - When was the Third Battle of Panipat fought?
1761 (Between Marathas and Afghan forces) - Which treaty ended the Anglo-Mysore Wars?
Treaty of Srirangapatnam - Which war concluded with the Treaty of Amritsar (1809)?
Anglo-Sikh War - Which battle marked the end of the Peshwa rule?
Battle of Koregaon (1818) - Which battle ended the Maratha Empire?
Third Battle of Panipat - Which battle gave Diwani rights to the British?
Battle of Buxar (1764) - Which battle established Mughal dominance over North India?
First Battle of Panipat
Miscellaneous Facts
- Which dynasty issued the largest number of gold coins in ancient India?
Kushanas - Which dynasty had twin capitals: Ajanta and Hyderabad?
Satavahanas - Which dynasty patronized both Hinduism and Buddhism?
Guptas - Which ruler issued the first silver coins in India?
Muhammad Ghori - Which ruler was a contemporary of Buddha?
Bimbisara (Haryanka Dynasty) - Which dynasty followed matrilineal succession in some cases?
Cheras - Which dynasty had the bull as its emblem?
Mauryas - Which dynasty is associated with the Gandhara School of Art?
Kushanas - Which dynasty constructed the Shore Temple?
Pallavas - Which dynasty is linked with the construction of the Elephanta Caves?
Rashtrakutas
Administrative Systems
- What was the provincial unit of the Mauryan Empire?
Janapadas - What was the council of ministers in the Gupta Empire called?
Mantri Parishad - What was the land revenue system introduced by Sher Shah Suri called?
Masjid System - What was the Mansabdari system?
Military and administrative grading system under Mughals - What was the Jagir system under the Mughals?
Assignment of land for revenue collection - What was the Iqta system?
Revenue assignment under Delhi Sultanate - What was the role of ‘Amil’ in Akbar’s administration?
Revenue officer - What was the role of ‘Diwan’ in Mughal administration?
Finance Minister - What was the role of ‘Faujdar’ in the Mughal era?
Military commander of a province - What was the role of ‘Qazi’ in the Delhi Sultanate?
Judicial officer
Conclusion
Studying Indian dynasties GK for SSC exams is essential for scoring well in the General Awareness section. These one-liners cover major dynasties like Maurya, Gupta, Mughal, Chola, Delhi Sultanate, and more, ensuring a strong foundation in history. Practice these questions regularly and revise them before your exam day.
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Also Read: GK About Famous Indian Monuments: Test Your Knowledge with 100+ Trivia