Consider the following statements:
1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince.
2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus.
3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: In 1221 CE, Genghis Khan pursued Jalal-ud-din Mangabarni, the fugitive crown prince of the Khwarezmian Empire, up to the banks of the river Indus. Delhi Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish adroitly refused to grant asylum or military alliance to the Khwarezm prince, saving the infant Delhi Sultanate from catastrophic Mongol invasion.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Amir Timur (Tamerlane) invaded India, sacked Multan, and crossed the Indus in 1398 CE during the reign of Sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Shah Tughluq (the last ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty), whereas Muhammad bin Tughluq ruled much earlier (1325–1351 CE).
Statement 3 is incorrect: Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached the port of Calicut (Kozhikode) in 1498 CE. The prominent Vijayanagara emperor Deva Raya II reigned between 1422 and 1446 CE. In 1498, the Vijayanagara Empire was under the Saluva dynasty (regency of Narasa Nayaka).
Therefore, only statement 1 is correct — Option A.