Question

Arrange the following historical events in chronological order:
A. Nadir Shah invades India and sacks Delhi.
B. The “diwani” of Bengal transferred to the East India Company.
C. Ahmad Shah Abdali defeats the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat.
D. Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi, the Delhi Sultan, at Panipat.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, B, C, D
• B. D, A, C, B
• C. B, A, D, C
• D. D, B, C, A

Hint:

Use the anchor dates 1526, 1739, 1761, and 1765 to solve this question quickly.
Remember: First Battle of Panipat, Nadir Shah's invasion, Third Battle of Panipat, and Diwani rights.
Chronological questions are best solved by writing the dates beside each event before comparing the options.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
Chronological ordering questions require the identification of the dates or relative sequence of major historical events.
The four events in this question belong to the transition from the Mughal period to the expansion of British power in India.

Step 1: Identifying the Date of Babur's Victory:
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.
This victory established the foundation of Mughal rule in northern India.
Therefore, event D is the earliest among the four events.

Step 2: Identifying Nadir Shah's Invasion:
Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire and sacked Delhi in 1739.
His invasion exposed the political and military weakness of the Mughal Empire and resulted in enormous destruction and the removal of considerable wealth from Delhi.
Thus, event A follows event D.

Step 3: Identifying the Third Battle of Panipat:
Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
The battle was a major event in eighteenth-century Indian political history and occurred after Nadir Shah's invasion.
Therefore, event C comes after A.

Step 4: Identifying the Transfer of Diwani:
In 1765, the East India Company obtained the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa from the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II.
This granted the Company the right to collect revenue and marked a major expansion of British political and fiscal authority.
Therefore, event B is the latest of the four.

Step 5: Establishing the Sequence:
The chronological order is 1526, 1739, 1761, and 1765.
Hence the sequence is D, A, C, B.
Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct answer is (B) D, A, C, B.