Razia Sultan was the first Muslim female ruler. She ruled in Delhi from 1236 to 1240 as the Sultan herself – it was a title never before bestowed on a woman, a position of power never before attained by a woman. She was the fifth Mamluk Sultan one of the few female sovereigns ever in the entire history of Islamic civilizations across the world.
Razia it is believed had refused to be addressed as a Sultana as
that word meant wife or mistress of a Sultan. but claimed the title Sultan as
she herself was the premier.
Razia – The Ruler
Razia's ascent to the throne gains immense historical significance
not just because she was a woman ruler but also because she did not come from
nobility per se. Her ancestors were Turkish Seljuk slaves and their dynasty was
called the Slave Dynasty thus making her rulership a subversion of
existing power structures at many levels.
Her father Iltutmish had arrived in Delhi as a slave serving under
Qutb-ud-din and through his bravery and skill attained the position of a
provincial governor. When Qutb-ud-din died. Iltutmish garnered support from the
then Turkish nobility and ascended to be the sultan the first of the Slave
dynasty.
In his last days, Iltutmish almost rewrote history by appointing
his daughter Razia as his heir apparent. No ruler before him had ever chosen a
woman successor. However, Iltutmish, realising that she was more skilled and fit
to rule the kingdom than her brothers chose her considering her gender no
barrier to her abilities.
Razia was raised as a bold young girl. She had trained in military skills and professional warfare along with her brothers and other children of the aristocratic class and had good knowledge of state administration too.
However, those skills were imparted to her only expecting her to
later make a good queen to a king and offer advice and assistance if needed –
not to be a ruler herself. Therefore her ascent was strongly opposed
by even from close family. After her father passed away her brother took
over the throne but was assassinated in 6 short months after which Razia
claimed the throne that was rightfully hers.
After becoming the Sultan of Delhi she adopted a gender-neutral
attire and proved to be an efficient capable and brave ruler. She was widely
respected and loved by her officials and public but one of her brothers usurped
the throne. In the conflicts that followed Razia was brutally killed.
Childhood and Early Life
Razia Sultan was born Raziya al-Din in 1205 in Budaun India. She
was Shams-ud-din Iltutmishs only daughter and had three brothers. Her mother
was Qutb-ud-dins daughter who was married to her father because of his skill
and valour.
Upon Qutb-ud-dins death, his son Aram Baksh inherited the throne in
1210. He did not prove to be a very competent ruler and hence Iltutmish took
over the throne with the help of the then Turkish nobility.
Iltutmish proved to be a more efficient ruler and also very
liberal-minded. He imparted a similar training in martial arts and
administration to all his children including Razia.
In her formative years, Razia had very little interaction with the
women in the harem so she
never really imbibed the customary demure behaviour of women of the
contemporary Muslim society of her times. Even during her fathers reign as a
Sultan Razia assisted her father actively in the affairs of State. As Sultan
contrary to custom she displayed her face in public and openly rode an elephant
into battles as the chief of her army.
Over this period. Iltutmish realised that while all his
sons were only interested in enjoying the royal privileges and pleasures. Razia
was the most skilled and sincere among them. He broke away from from the Muslim
canon of every dynasty before him and named Razia as his heir apparent. the
first woman successor of a Sultan ever.
Razia's Reign
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish passed away on 30 April 1236. Even though
he had already appointed Razia as his heir apparent. the existing Muslim
nobility was completely against accepting a woman as their sultan. Thus the political
pressure groups ensured that instead of Razia her brother Ruknuddin Firuz was
made the Sultan.
The new Sultan was a complete failure as a ruler. It is believed
that Iltutmish widow Shah Turkaan ran the government during his brief reign for
all practical purposes. while the Sultan remained immersed in enjoying his
royal status. After just six months in November, a court conspiracy resulted in
the assassination of both Ruknuddin and his mother Shah Turkana.
Razia came to power on 10 November 1236 and ascended the throne
with the formal name of Jalâlat-ud-Dîn Raziyâ. As a ruler, she gave up a traditional Muslim woman's attire. including the pariah and adopted gender-neutral attire. similar to what male
rulers before her used to wear. Her giving up of the veil in shocked the
conservative Muslims and was not taken to very kindly by the religious class.
She exercised authority with ease and confidence and ordered coins
to be minted in her name as a Pillar of Women. Queen of the Times, Sultana Razia,
daughter of Shamsuddin Altumish.
Her training and her father's tutelage came in handy for her as a
good ruler. She was an unabashed a woman and brave warrior. Razia Sultan led
her forces from the front in battles and conquered various new territories and
in order to strengthen her kingdom. As an administrator to Razia was no less
than what Delhi had seen in Sultans before her.
She was also a secular Sultan and established several educational
institutions and public libraries. Along with the learning of the Quran, she laid emphasis
for all kinds of new learning. Traditional works in the sciences and literature
from all cultures other than Islam were also studied in the institutions.
However, her becoming the ruler was not accepted by the Turkish
nobles who considered a woman becoming the Sultan as an insult to all the male
warriors and nobles. In the leadership of one such nobleman Malik
Ikhtiar-ud-din Aitigin, a conspiracy against Razia was hatched.
Malik Ikhtiar-ud-din Altunia the governor of Bhatinda who was
surprisingly Razia's childhood friend was the first to raise a revolt against
her rule. She did bravely lead her army against him, but following a bitter
defeat was taken, prisoner. Her brother, Muizuddin Bahram Shah subsequently
usurped the throne.
Razia's Life and Legacy
Razia was the first and also the last female ruler of the Delhi
Sultanate. She bravely defied conservative traditions and proved for the first
time to the country that gender was not a barrier inability.
During her reign as the Sultan, she was rumoured to be close to
one of her Abyssinian slaves – Jamaluddin Yaqut. This was used by her opponents
to assassinate her character by spreading rumours that she was in an amorous
relationship with him.
Yaqut was killed in the battle between Razia and Altunia. while
Razia was captured and imprisoned at Lila Mubarak in Bathinda. But eventually
Malik Ikhtiar-ud-din Altunia who was Razia's childhood friend softened and they
eventually got married.
Razia with her husbands support decided to take back her kingdom
from her brother but was defeated and fled Delhi. In October 1240 they are
believed to have been robbed and killed by several co-conspirators of her
brothers.
Razia's Legend in Popular Culture
Due to her unique place in history, Razia Sultan was the first
woman monarch of the Delhi Sultanate. Razia is rightfully the subject of many
popular legends. A historical fiction book titled – Razia: Queen of India has been written
based on her life by Rafiq Zakaria. She has her own title in the reputed Indian
comic book series Amar Chitra Katha.
She features in an online comic strip titled Razia Sultan by
Halima Voyles and remains inspirational for every little girl who is told she
is not as good as her brothers.
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