The Sayyid Dynasty ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1414 to 1451 AD. This dynasty was founded by Khizr Khan after the decline of the Tughlaq Dynasty. The Sayyids claimed to be descendants of Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima. They came to power during a period of political instability and territorial fragmentation in northern India. The dynasty had four rulers who governed from Delhi during a turbulent phase of medieval Indian history.
The Sayyid Dynasty is an important topic for competitive examinations like UPSC, SSC, State PSC and other government recruitment tests. Questions from this dynasty frequently appear in the medieval Indian history section. The Sayyid rulers had limited authority and their reign was marked by the gradual weakening of the Delhi Sultanate. Studying this dynasty helps aspirants build a strong foundation in medieval Indian history and score well in examinations.
30 MCQs on Sayyid Dynasty – Indian History
Q1. Who was the founder of the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Mubarak Shah
(b) Muhammad Shah
(c) Khizr Khan
(d) Alauddin Alam Shah
Q2. In which year was the Sayyid Dynasty established?
(a) 1398 AD
(b) 1414 AD
(c) 1421 AD
(d) 1451 AD
Q3. Khizr Khan was the governor of which region before founding the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Bengal
(b) Multan
(c) Gujarat
(d) Malwa
Q4. Who appointed Khizr Khan as the governor of Multan?
(a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
(c) Timur
(d) Alauddin Khilji
Q5. The Sayyid Dynasty claimed descent from whom?
(a) Caliph Abu Bakr
(b) Prophet Muhammad
(c) Caliph Umar
(d) Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni
Q6. Khizr Khan did not adopt which of the following titles?
(a) Rayat-i-Ala
(b) Sultan
(c) Governor
(d) Masnad-i-Ala
Q7. Khizr Khan acknowledged the suzerainty of which ruler?
(a) Shah Rukh of Timurid Empire
(b) Sultan of Ottoman Empire
(c) Caliph of Baghdad
(d) Sultan of Egypt
Q8. How many rulers did the Sayyid Dynasty have?
(a) Three
(b) Four
(c) Five
(d) Six
Q9. Who succeeded Khizr Khan as the ruler of the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Muhammad Shah
(b) Alauddin Alam Shah
(c) Mubarak Shah
(d) Daulat Khan Lodi
Q10. In which year did Khizr Khan die?
(a) 1414 AD
(b) 1421 AD
(c) 1434 AD
(d) 1445 AD
Q11. Which Sayyid ruler was the first to assume the title of Sultan?
(a) Khizr Khan
(b) Mubarak Shah
(c) Muhammad Shah
(d) Alauddin Alam Shah
Q12. The historian Yahya bin Ahmad Sirhindi wrote which famous work during the Sayyid period?
(a) Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi
(b) Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi
(c) Tabaqat-i-Nasiri
(d) Futuh-us-Salatin
Q13. Mubarak Shah founded which city on the banks of the Yamuna?
(a) Firozabad
(b) Mubarakabad
(c) Jaunpur
(d) Tughlaqabad
Q14. Who assassinated Mubarak Shah?
(a) Bahlul Lodi
(b) Sarwar-ul-Mulk
(c) His nobles and courtiers
(d) Muhammad Shah
Q15. In which year was Mubarak Shah assassinated?
(a) 1421 AD
(b) 1434 AD
(c) 1445 AD
(d) 1451 AD
Q16. Who succeeded Mubarak Shah as the Sayyid ruler?
(a) Khizr Khan
(b) Muhammad Shah
(c) Alauddin Alam Shah
(d) Bahlul Lodi
Q17. During the Sayyid period, which independent kingdom existed in the eastern region?
(a) Vijayanagara
(b) Jaunpur Sultanate
(c) Bahmani Sultanate
(d) Mewar Kingdom
Q18. Who was the last ruler of the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Mubarak Shah
(b) Muhammad Shah
(c) Alauddin Alam Shah
(d) Khizr Khan
Q19. Alauddin Alam Shah voluntarily retired to which place?
(a) Multan
(b) Lahore
(c) Badaun
(d) Agra
Q20. Which dynasty succeeded the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Tughlaq Dynasty
(b) Khilji Dynasty
(c) Lodi Dynasty
(d) Mughal Dynasty
Q21. Who founded the Lodi Dynasty after the fall of the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Ibrahim Lodi
(b) Sikandar Lodi
(c) Bahlul Lodi
(d) Daulat Khan Lodi
Q22. The Sayyid Dynasty ruled for approximately how many years?
(a) 27 years
(b) 37 years
(c) 47 years
(d) 57 years
Q23. During Khizr Khan’s reign, which Timurid ruler held nominal authority over Delhi?
(a) Timur
(b) Shah Rukh
(c) Babur
(d) Ulugh Beg
Q24. The Sayyid rulers had their capital at which city?
(a) Agra
(b) Lahore
(c) Delhi
(d) Jaunpur
Q25. Which of the following best describes the territorial extent of the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) The entire Indian subcontinent
(b) Limited to Delhi and surrounding areas
(c) From Punjab to Bengal
(d) From Kashmir to Deccan
Q26. Khizr Khan captured Delhi by defeating which ruler?
(a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(b) Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Shah Tughlaq
(c) Daulat Khan Lodi
(d) Nusrat Shah
Q27. The coins issued during Khizr Khan’s reign bore whose name?
(a) Khizr Khan’s own name
(b) Timur and later Shah Rukh
(c) The Abbasid Caliph
(d) No name was mentioned
Q28. Muhammad Shah of the Sayyid Dynasty ruled from which period?
(a) 1414–1421 AD
(b) 1421–1434 AD
(c) 1434–1445 AD
(d) 1445–1451 AD
Q29. Which governor became powerful during the reign of Muhammad Shah and later replaced the Sayyid Dynasty?
(a) Malik Sarwar
(b) Bahlul Khan Lodi
(c) Daulat Khan
(d) Timur Shah
Q30. The invasion of Timur in 1398 AD created a power vacuum that eventually led to the rise of which dynasty?
(a) Khilji Dynasty
(b) Tughlaq Dynasty
(c) Sayyid Dynasty
(d) Slave Dynasty
Correct Answers
- (c) Khizr Khan
- (b) 1414 AD
- (b) Multan
- (c) Timur
- (b) Prophet Muhammad
- (b) Sultan
- (a) Shah Rukh of Timurid Empire
- (b) Four
- (c) Mubarak Shah
- (b) 1421 AD
- (b) Mubarak Shah
- (b) Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi
- (b) Mubarakabad
- (c) His nobles and courtiers
- (b) 1434 AD
- (b) Muhammad Shah
- (b) Jaunpur Sultanate
- (c) Alauddin Alam Shah
- (c) Badaun
- (c) Lodi Dynasty
- (c) Bahlul Lodi
- (b) 37 years
- (b) Shah Rukh
- (c) Delhi
- (b) Limited to Delhi and surrounding areas
- (c) Daulat Khan Lodi
- (b) Timur and later Shah Rukh
- (c) 1434–1445 AD
- (b) Bahlul Khan Lodi
- (c) Sayyid Dynasty
Conclusion
The Sayyid Dynasty holds a notable place in the history of the Delhi Sultanate. Although the dynasty had a short reign of about 37 years, it marked the transition between the Tughlaq and Lodi periods. The four Sayyid rulers faced constant challenges from regional powers and rebellious nobles. Their inability to maintain a strong central authority eventually led to the rise of the Lodi Dynasty.
For aspirants preparing for UPSC, SSC, State PSC and other competitive examinations, the Sayyid Dynasty is a recurring topic in the medieval Indian history section. Practicing these 30 MCQs on the Sayyid Dynasty will help candidates strengthen their preparation and improve their performance. Regular revision of such topic-wise questions can boost accuracy and confidence during examinations.