RAS question
Muhammad bin Tughlaq's real name was:
Correct answer: (B) Jauna Khan.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq's original name was Prince Jauna Khan, also referred to in Periyar University CDOE Self-Learning Material as Ulugh Khan.
Explanation
Muhammad bin Tughlaq was not his birth or princely name; Periyar University CDOE Self-Learning Material states that, three days after Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq's death, Prince Jauna Khan, alias Ulugh Khan, ascended the throne of Delhi with the name Mohammad Bin Tughlaq. The ruler later known as Muhammad bin Tughlaq was originally Prince Jauna Khan. His accession took place in 1325 CE after his father's death, and he is remembered as a memorable Delhi Sultanate figure: highly learned, but also controversial.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ghiyasuddin was Muhammad bin Tughlaq's father, not Muhammad bin Tughlaq's original name.
- (C) Prince Jauna Khan, not Alauddin, was the name attached to Muhammad bin Tughlaq before accession.
- (D) Nasiruddin was not Muhammad bin Tughlaq's original name.
Concept
This tests Delhi Sultanate ruler identification, especially the link between a ruler's personal name, accession name and dynasty. Such name-based facts recur in RAS because medieval Indian history questions often check chronology and royal succession through concise biographical markers.