Who among the following rulers of medieval Gujarat surrendered Diu to Portuguese?
- (a) Ahmad Shah
- (b) Mahmud Begarha
- (c) Bahadur Shah ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) Muhammad Shah
Why the answer is (c)
• Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (1526–1537), hard pressed by Humayun's invasion in 1535, sought Portuguese help; having already ceded Bassein by the Treaty of Bassein (1534), he allowed them in 1535 to build a fort at Diu, which thus passed into Portuguese control — option (c).
• He later tried to recover Diu and was killed aboard a Portuguese ship in 1537 during negotiations.
• Ahmad Shah founded Ahmedabad (1411); Mahmud Begarha (1458–1511) fought the Portuguese at Chaul and Diu in alliance with Egypt; Muhammad Shah was an earlier sultan.
• Diu remained Portuguese until 1961.
• Hence option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Ahmad Shah
- Ahmad Shah ruled a century before the Portuguese arrived.
- (b) Mahmud Begarha
- Mahmud Begarha fought the Portuguese; he did not cede Diu.
- (d) Muhammad Shah
- Muhammad Shah was not the ruler who surrendered Diu.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.