RAS question
Which Mughal emperor wrote his autobiography 'Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri'?
Correct answer: (B) Jahangir.
Jahangir wrote the Mughal autobiography Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, also known as the Memoirs of Jahangir.
Explanation
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri is associated with Jahangir himself: the Project Gutenberg record lists the work as The Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri: or, Memoirs of Jahangir and attributes it to Jahangir. Jahangir is the substantive answer, not merely a title-match. Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri matters for RAS medieval history because it is a first-person Mughal source, giving insight into Jahangir's reign, administration and personal life. Jahangir also had a cultivated courtly profile: interest in art and nature, and the public image of justice represented by the Chain of Justice. The common trap is confusing one Mughal ruler's memoir with another ruler or with emperors who are not known for writing an autobiography.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Shah Jahan is not the author of Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri and is not credited with writing this autobiography.
- (C) Babur wrote Baburnama, also called Tuzuk-i-Baburi, so choosing him confuses Jahangir's memoir with a different Mughal autobiography.
- (D) Aurangzeb is not linked to this autobiography, and Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri is explicitly Jahangir's memoir.
Concept
Mughal literary and autobiographical sources are a recurring RAS medieval-history area because such texts help identify rulers, reigns and court culture. Similar Mughal memoir titles require careful separation of emperors and autobiographical works.