Origins of Arcot, Mysore and Rohilkhand — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2021

With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct?

The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.
The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire.
Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 and 2
2 only
2 and 3
3 only

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

The Arcot principality emerged earlier than the consolidation of the Nizam’s position in Hyderabad and continued to operate as a Mughal authority representative, rather than emerging out of Hyderabad State.
The Nizamat of Arcot emerged from the territories of the Mughal Deccan, not directly from Hyderabad State

Statement 2 is correct

The Wodeyar (Wadiyar) dynasty, which ruled the Kingdom of Mysore, began in 1399. Initially, the Mysore Kingdom was a small part of the Vijayanagara Empire. Following the disintegration of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565, the Mysore Kingdom became independent and expanded significantly under rulers like Raja Wadiyar and Chikka Devaraja.

Statement 3 is incorrect

With the decline of the Mughal Empire, Ali Muhammad Khan, the adopted son of Sardar Daud Khan Rohilla, established the Rohilkhand Kingdom in 1721. It was located in the region between the Ganga in the south and the Kumaon hills in the north. The kingdom continued until 1774, when it was defeated by Awadh with British support, after which the British reorganised the region into the princely state of Rampur. Importantly, although Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded India in 1748, he had no role in the formation of the Rohilkhand Kingdom.