Consider the following statements about cavalry warfare in India : 1. The iron stirrup made it possible for the armoured warrior to sit firmly on a horse without falling off. 2. The iron stirrup also allowed a cavalry charge with lances held tightly to the body, without the rider being thrown off by the shock of impact. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

The correct answer is C, Both 1 and 2. The iron stirrup gave the rider a firm seat, and that firm seat made the lance charge possible, so both statements are correct. A stirrup is a loop hung from the saddle in which the rider rests his feet. Without it, a heavily armoured warrior could easily lose balance and fall, especially when turning or striking. With his feet braced in iron stirrups, he could sit steadily, carry heavy armour and use both hands for weapons. It also let him hold a lance tightly against his body and charge at speed, letting the horse's momentum drive the blow, without being thrown off by the shock of impact. Historians link the spread of the iron stirrup and the heavy cavalry it supported to the warfare of the early medieval period, when mounted armoured warriors became the core of many armies. Option A is wrong because statement 2 is also correct. Option B is wrong because statement 1 is also correct. Option D is wrong because both statements describe real effects of the stirrup. Exam tip: iron stirrup means a firm seat for armoured horsemen and the shock charge with a couched lance.