British Conquest – Awadh Top 100 MCQs With Answer and Explanation

1. Who was the founder of the autonomous state of Awadh?
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk
D) Murshid Quli Khan

2. The capital of Awadh under Saadat Khan was ___________.
A) Lucknow
B) Faizabad
C) Allahabad
D) Kanpur

3. The Nawabs of Awadh were of which origin?
A) Afghan
B) Persian (Shia)
C) Turkish
D) Rajput

4. The Nawab of Awadh who allied with the British against the Afghans in the Battle of Buxar (1764) was ___________.
A) Saadat Khan
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

5. The Nawab of Awadh defeated at the Battle of Buxar was ___________.
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Khan
D) Wajid Ali Shah

6. The British commander at Buxar was ___________.
A) Robert Clive
B) Hector Munro
C) Eyre Coote
D) Warren Hastings

7. The Treaty of Allahabad (1765) was signed between the British and ___________.
A) Shah Alam II
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Both a & b
D) Asaf-ud-Daula

8. Under the Treaty of Allahabad (1765), Shuja-ud-Daulah had to ___________.
A) Surrender Awadh
B) Pay 50 lakh rupees indemnity
C) Accept a British Resident
D) Both b & c

9. Why did the British not annex Awadh in 1765 after Buxar?
A) Awadh was not wealthy
B) Awadh was too strong militarily
C) Awadh was needed as a buffer state against Afghans and Marathas
D) Shuja-ud-Daulah was loyal

10. Which Nawab of Awadh shifted the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow?
A) Saadat Khan
b) Shuja-ud-Daulah
c) Asaf-ud-Daula
d) Wajid Ali Shah

11. The Nawabs of Awadh were known for patronizing ___________.
A) Urdu poetry
B) Music and dance
C) Architecture (Bara Imambara, Rumi Darwaza)
D) All of the above

12. The famous “Bara Imambara” of Lucknow was built by ___________.
A) Saadat Khan
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

13. The Nawab of Awadh who is regarded as a patron of arts but weak in politics was ___________.
A) Asaf-ud-Daula
B) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
C) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
D) Wajid Ali Shah

14. The British first stationed a Resident in Awadh in ___________.
A) 1765
B) 1773
C) 1775
D) 1801

15. Who was the first British Resident in Awadh?
A) Nathaniel Middleton
B) John Shore
C) Lord Cornwallis
D) Richard Wellesley

16. The Subsidiary Alliance was imposed on Awadh by ___________.
A) Warren Hastings
B) Cornwallis
C) Wellesley
D) Dalhousie

17. Awadh became a buffer state between ___________.
A) British and Marathas
B) British and Afghans
C) British and French
D) British and Sikhs

18. Which Nawab ceded half of Awadh’s territory to the British in 1801?
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Khan
D) Saadat Ali Khan II

19. Saadat Ali Khan II ceded territory under pressure from ___________.
A) Lord Cornwallis
B) Lord Wellesley
C) Warren Hastings
D) Dalhousie

20. Awadh was formally annexed by the British in ___________.
A) 1801
B) 1837
C) 1856
D) 1857

21. The Nawab of Awadh at the time of annexation (1856) was ___________.
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
C) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
D) Wajid Ali Shah

22. The reason cited for annexation of Awadh was ___________.
A) Doctrine of Lapse
B) Misrule and maladministration
C) Military rebellion
D) Nawab’s death without heir

23. Which Governor-General annexed Awadh?
A) Wellesley
B) Cornwallis
C) Dalhousie
D) Hastings

24. The annexation of Awadh was one of the causes of ___________.
A) Battle of Plassey
B) Battle of Buxar
C) Revolt of 1857
D) Partition of Bengal

25. The immediate effect of Awadh’s annexation was ___________.
A) Peace in Awadh
B) Growth of agriculture
C) Displacement of nobles, taluqdars and sepoys
D) Revival of Mughal authority

26. The Nawab of Awadh defeated at Buxar (1764) was ___________.
A) Saadat Khan
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

27. After Buxar, the British initially wanted to annex Awadh but retained it as ___________.
A) A Mughal dependency
B) A buffer state
C) A French outpost
D) A Maratha ally

28. The Nawab of Awadh who signed the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) with the British was ___________.
A) Saadat Khan
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

29. Which Nawab shifted the capital from Faizabad to Lucknow?
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Khan
D) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar

30. Why was Lucknow chosen as the new capital of Awadh?
A) Safer location
B) Better trade routes
C) Suitable for culture and architecture
D) All of the above

31. Which famous structure was built by Asaf-ud-Daula during a famine relief project in 1784?
A) Rumi Darwaza
B) Residency
C) Bara Imambara
D) Chhota Imambara

32. Which Nawab of Awadh was known for lavish patronage of Urdu poets and musicians?
A) Saadat Khan
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

33. Who was the first British Resident stationed in Awadh?
A) Warren Hastings
B) Nathaniel Middleton
C) John Shore
D) Richard Wellesley

34. The presence of a British Resident in Awadh meant ___________.
A) British had advisory role only
B) British interfered in Awadh’s internal affairs
C) British had no influence
D) Nawab’s independence increased

35. Who succeeded Asaf-ud-Daula as Nawab of Awadh?
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
C) Shuja-ud-Daulah
D) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar

36. The Nawab of Awadh who ceded half of his territories to the British in 1801 was ___________.
A) Asaf-ud-Daula
B) Saadat Ali Khan II
C) Wajid Ali Shah
D) Shuja-ud-Daulah

37. Which Governor-General imposed the Subsidiary Alliance on Awadh?
A) Warren Hastings
B) Lord Cornwallis
C) Lord Wellesley
D) Lord Dalhousie

38. Under the Treaty of 1801, Saadat Ali Khan II had to ___________.
A) Dismiss his own army
B) Maintain a British force at his expense
C) Cede half of his territory to the Company
D) All of the above

39. Which territories were ceded by Awadh to the British in 1801?
A) Rohilkhand
B) Allahabad
C) Gorakhpur
D) All of the above

40. The Nawab who was forced to accept Subsidiary Alliance was ___________.
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Ali Khan II
D) Wajid Ali Shah

41. The real purpose of keeping Awadh under Subsidiary Alliance was ___________.
A) To protect Awadh from Marathas
B) To protect against Afghan threat
C) To extract revenue and weaken Nawab’s army
D) To maintain French trade

42. The Nawab of Awadh who tried to reform administration but was weakened by British interference was ___________.
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Shuja-ud-Daulah
C) Asaf-ud-Daula
D) Wajid Ali Shah

43. The Subsidiary Alliance in Awadh required the Nawab to ___________.
A) Maintain British troops
B) Dismiss French officers
C) Not engage in foreign relations without Company approval
D) All of the above

44. Which Nawab was turned into a “dependent prince” under the British after 1801?
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Shuja-ud-Daulah
D) Wajid Ali Shah

45. The year 1801 is important in Awadh’s history because ___________.
A) Awadh was annexed
B) Awadh signed the Subsidiary Alliance and lost half its territory
C) Nawab became king
D) Revolt broke out

46. The Nawabs of Awadh became completely dependent on ___________.
A) Afghan allies
B) Mughal emperor
C) East India Company
D) French

47. The Nawabs of Awadh lost their military independence after ___________.
A) 1765
B) 1775
C) 1801
D) 1856

48. Why did the British prefer to keep Awadh as a princely state until 1856?
A) To extract revenue without responsibility
B) To use it as a buffer
C) To maintain political control gradually
D) All of the above

49. The Nawabs of Awadh were reduced to ceremonial rulers after ___________.
A) Treaty of Allahabad (1765)
B) Treaty of 1801
C) Annexation (1856)
D) Revolt of 1857

50. The British policy towards Awadh between 1765–1801 can best be described as ___________.
A) Direct annexation
B) Gradual control through diplomacy and treaties
C) Complete non-interference
D) Revival of Mughal influence

51. The Treaty of 1801 between Awadh and the British was signed during the reign of ___________.
A) Shuja-ud-Daulah
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Saadat Ali Khan II
D) Wajid Ali Shah

52. Under the Treaty of 1801, Awadh had to ___________.
A) Accept a permanent British force at its expense
B) Dismiss its own army
C) Cede half of its territory to the British
D) All of the above

53. The territories ceded by Awadh under the Treaty of 1801 included ___________.
A) Rohilkhand
B) Gorakhpur
C) Allahabad
D) All of the above

54. The Governor-General responsible for forcing Awadh into Subsidiary Alliance was ___________.
A) Warren Hastings
B) Lord Cornwallis
C) Lord Wellesley
D) Lord Dalhousie

55. After 1801, the Nawabs of Awadh were reduced to ___________.
A) Independent kings
B) Dependent pensioners of the Company
C) Allies of the French
D) Mughal governors

56. Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar, Nawab of Awadh, assumed the title of “King” in ___________.
A) 1815
B) 1819
C) 1827
D) 1837

57. By allowing Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar to assume the title of King, the British aimed to ___________.
A) Please the Mughals
B) Weaken Mughal Emperor’s position
C) Promote independence of Awadh
D) Restore Nawab’s authority

58. The Nawab of Awadh who ruled between 1819–1827 was ___________.
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
C) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
D) Muhammad Ali Shah

59. The Nawab of Awadh known for his extravagant lifestyle and neglect of administration was ___________.
A) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Shuja-ud-Daulah
D) Wajid Ali Shah

60. The British declared Nasir-ud-Din Haidar’s reign illegitimate and placed ___________.
A) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
B) Muhammad Ali Shah
C) Wajid Ali Shah
D) Saadat Khan II

61. The Nawab of Awadh who ruled from 1837–1842 was ___________.
A) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
B) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
C) Muhammad Ali Shah
D) Wajid Ali Shah

62. The Nawab of Awadh from 1842–1856 was ___________.
A) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
B) Muhammad Ali Shah
C) Wajid Ali Shah
D) Saadat Ali Khan II

63. Wajid Ali Shah was known for ___________.
A) Military reforms
B) Strict administration
C) Patronage of arts, dance, and music
D) Expanding territory

64. The British justification for annexing Awadh in 1856 was ___________.
A) Doctrine of Lapse
B) Misrule and maladministration
C) Nawab’s death without heir
D) Treaty of Buxar

65. Which Governor-General annexed Awadh in 1856?
A) Lord Wellesley
B) Lord Dalhousie
C) Lord Cornwallis
D) Lord Canning

66. Wajid Ali Shah was exiled by the British to ___________.
A) Lucknow
B) Rangoon
C) Calcutta
D) Allahabad

67. The annexation of Awadh angered ___________.
A) Taluqdars
B) Soldiers (sepoys)
C) Nobility and peasants
D) All of the above

68. Which annexation became an immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
A) Satara
B) Jhansi
C) Awadh
D) Nagpur

69. The annexation of Awadh (1856) was significant because ___________.
A) It provided sepoys for the Bengal Army
B) It displaced landlords and peasants
C) It symbolized British betrayal of loyal Nawabs
D) All of the above

70. The British annexed Awadh in 1856 citing misrule, but the real reason was ___________.
A) Military strategy
B) Economic gain (fertile land and revenue)
C) To check Marathas
D) Religious conflict

71. Who described Awadh as the “garden, granary and arsenal of India”?
A) Lord Dalhousie
B) Lord Wellesley
C) Warren Hastings
D) Edmund Burke

72. Which Nawab of Awadh formally adopted the title of “Padshah” (King)?
A) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
B) Asaf-ud-Daula
C) Shuja-ud-Daulah
D) Wajid Ali Shah

73. The Nawabs of Awadh after 1801 increasingly became ___________.
A) Independent monarchs
B) Dependent rulers under British Residents
C) Allies of the French
D) Mughal governors

74. The Resident system in Awadh was introduced in ___________.
A) 1765
B) 1775
C) 1801
D) 1856

75. The downfall of Awadh’s independence was sealed by ___________.
A) Treaty of Allahabad (1765)
B) Treaty of 1801 (Subsidiary Alliance)
C) Annexation (1856)
D) Revolt of 1857

76. Awadh was annexed by the British in ___________.
A) 1801
B) 1837
C) 1856
D) 1857

77. The Nawab of Awadh at the time of annexation was ___________.
A) Saadat Ali Khan II
B) Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar
C) Nasir-ud-Din Haidar
D) Wajid Ali Shah

78. The official reason given for annexation of Awadh was ___________.
A) Doctrine of Lapse
B) Misrule and maladministration
C) Nawab’s death without heir
D) Revolt of sepoys

79. The real motive for annexing Awadh was ___________.
A) Expansion of Mughal power
B) Fertile land and rich revenue resources
C) French threat
D) Religious conflict

80. Which Governor-General annexed Awadh?
A) Wellesley
B) Cornwallis
C) Dalhousie
D) Canning

81. Wajid Ali Shah, after annexation, was exiled to ___________.
A) Lucknow
B) Rangoon
C) Calcutta (Metiabruz)
D) Allahabad

82. The annexation of Awadh created deep resentment among ___________.
A) Taluqdars (landlords)
B) Soldiers (sepoys)
C) Nobility and peasants
D) All of the above

83. Awadh was annexed under which British policy?
A) Doctrine of Lapse
B) Policy of Misrule
C) Subsidiary Alliance
D) Divide and Rule

84. Why was Doctrine of Lapse not applied in Awadh’s annexation?
A) Nawab had a legitimate heir
B) Nawab adopted an heir
C) Doctrine was not applicable to hereditary states
D) British needed a stronger excuse

85. Who described Awadh as the “garden, granary and arsenal of India”?
A) Warren Hastings
B) Dalhousie
C) Wellesley
D) Edmund Burke

86. The annexation of Awadh in 1856 directly contributed to ___________.
A) The Battle of Plassey
B) The Revolt of 1857
C) The Anglo-Sikh Wars
D) Partition of Bengal

87. The sepoys of the Bengal Army were mostly recruited from ___________.
A) Maharashtra
B) Punjab
C) Awadh and Eastern UP
D) Bengal proper

88. Who was the first British Commissioner appointed after annexation of Awadh?
A) William Sleeman
B) Outram
C) Henry Lawrence
D) James Outram

89. The taluqdars of Awadh after annexation were ___________.
A) Strengthened
B) Dispossessed and humiliated
C) Given more land
D) Made allies of British

90. The discontent of taluqdars in Awadh was a major cause of ___________.
A) Battle of Buxar
B) Revolt of 1857
C) Partition of Bengal
D) Anglo-Maratha Wars

91. Wajid Ali Shah’s cultural contributions included ___________.
A) Kathak dance
B) Urdu poetry
C) Theatre (Raslila, Rahas)
D) All of the above

92. Who among the following criticized the annexation of Awadh in the British Parliament?
A) Edmund Burke
B) Lord Canning
C) John Bright
D) William Pitt

93. The annexation of Awadh displaced how many taluqdars from their estates?
A) 5,000
B) 10,000
C) 15,000
D) 20,000

94. What role did Begum Hazrat Mahal, wife of Wajid Ali Shah, play in 1857?
A) Supported the British
B) Remained neutral
C) Led the Awadh rebels in Lucknow
D) Fled to Nepal

95. After annexation, the British promised reforms in Awadh such as ___________.
A) Better land settlement
B) Efficient justice
C) End of taluqdari abuses
D) All of the above

96. Why was Awadh annexation considered a betrayal by Indians?
A) Nawabs were loyal allies of the British
B) Nawab had supported British in wars
C) Awadh was not hostile before 1856
D) All of the above

97. The annexation of Awadh is regarded as ___________.
A) Justified reform
B) Economic boon
C) High-handed imperialism
D) A French conspiracy

98. Which British official strongly opposed annexation of Awadh?
A) Sir Henry Lawrence
B) Lord Canning
C) John Shore
D) Cornwallis

99. The annexation of Awadh in 1856 turned which city into the epicenter of 1857 revolt?
A) Kanpur
B) Delhi
C) Lucknow
D) Allahabad

100. The annexation of Awadh is considered one of the most important causes of ___________.
A) Battle of Plassey
B) Battle of Buxar
C) Revolt of 1857
D) Anglo-Sikh Wars