The Deccan Kingdoms

* Krishnadeva Raya, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire (1509-1529), maintained friendly relations with the Portuguese. In 1510, with his permission, Alphonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese governor, constructed a fort at Bhatkal, located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.

* Narasimha Saluva (**reigned 1491–1505) was a ruler of the Saluva dynasty, which briefly controlled the Vijayanagara Empire. The Portuguese presence in India was only beginning to take root during his reign, and their focus was primarily on establishing trade rather than fortifications.

* Muhammad Shah III (reigned 1463–1482) was a ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate, a medieval kingdom in the Deccan region. By the time of his reign, the Portuguese had not yet arrived in India (their arrival occurred in 1498).

* Yusuf Adil Shah: He was the founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur and ruled from 1489 to 1510. His engagements with the Portuguese were more conflictual, particularly over the control of Goa.

* Devaraya I, around 1410 A.D., got a barrage constructed across the Tungabhadra river and commissioned a 24 km long aqueduct from the Tungabhadra river to the capital.

* The account provided by Nuniz gives details of the projects undertaken by Deva Raya I that brought prosperity to the Kingdom. Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to a unit of currency, particularly a gold coin used in South India, especially in regions like the Vijayanagara Empire, the Nayakas of Madurai, and the various states of the Deccan. The Fanam was often minted in small denominations and was widely used for trade and commerce in the region.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The United East India Company of the Netherlands (VOC) was formed in 1602. The Gajapati dynasty, which ruled the Odisha region, had declined significantly by 1541 (the last ruler being Kakharua Deva). Therefore, the Dutch could not have received land grants from Gajapati rulers. They typically acquired land from local rulers like the Nayakas or the Golconda Sultanate on the east coast.

Statement 2 is correct. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510 from the Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahis). This victory established the Portuguese as a formidable regional power.

Statement 3 is correct. In 1639, Francis Day of the English East India Company obtained a lease for a strip of land in Madras from the Nayaka of Chandragiri (Damarla Venkatapathy), who was a representative/vassal of the declining Vijayanagara Empire.

All the statements are correct.

Being employed in a Royal Household of the Vijayanagar empire implies that women served a variety of roles and were crucial to the workings of the palace.

It was during the zenith of the Vijayanagar empire that female artists were encouraged to contribute to literature. Krishnadevaraya, besides having dominion over peninsular India, patronised female writers and poets.

According to Portuguese writer Ferno Nuniz, the women in the Vijayanagara Empire were experts in various fields, including : - Wrestling (skilled in martial arts) - Astrology (predicted celestial events) - Accounting (managed financial records) - Soothsaying (foretold the future based on signs and omens)

So the correct answer is 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Nizamat of Arcot was established by Aurangzeb and was the legal dependency of the Nizam of Hyderabad, it did not emerge from the Hyderabad state.

Statement 2 is correct: The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire. After Vijayanagar fell in 1565, the ruling dynasty of Wodeyars of Mysore asserted their independence.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The state of Rohilakhand was felled out of the Afghan migration into India which took place in the mid-18th century. Ali Muhammad Khan took advantage of the collapse of authority in north India following Nadir Shah's invasion, to set up a petty kingdom, Rohilakhand.

Both statements (1 and 2) are correct regarding the taxation system of Krishna Deva Raya, the ruler of Vijayanagar.

Statement 1 is correct. Land tax based on quality The Vijayanagara Empire, under Krishna Deva Raya, had a well-defined taxation system. Land revenue was the primary source of income, and the tax rate was determined based on the land's quality, fertility, and irrigation methods. This ensured a fair system where more productive lands yielded higher tax revenue.

Statement 2 is correct. Industry tax, besides land tax, the empire levied taxes on various professions and activities. Private workshops and businesses likely paid an industry tax, contributing to the state's treasury.

Harihara I, along with his brother Bukka I, founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336. The capital city, Vijayanagara (Hampi), was established on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River, which is a major tributary of the Krishna River. The rulers of the Sangama dynasty, starting with Harihara I, claimed to rule as the agents of the deity Virupaksha (a form of Lord Shiva), who was the guardian deity of the kingdom. They believed that the land south of the Krishna River belonged to the deity, and they ruled it on His behalf. To signify this divine authority, royal orders were traditionally signed in the name of 'Shri Virupaksha' in the Kannada script.