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Razia Sultana

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Razia Sultana
Sultana,Padshah
Equestrian miniature painting of Razia Sultana, circa 18th century
5thSultan of Delhi
Reign19 November 1236 − 20 April 1240
PredecessorRuknuddin Firuz
SuccessorMuizuddin Bahram
Bornc. 1205[1]
Died15 October 1240
Kaithal,Delhi Sultanate
Burial
Bulbuli Khana nearTurkman Gate,Delhi
Spouse
​
​
(m.1240)​
Names
Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din
Regnal name
Jalâlat-ud-Dîn Razia
HouseMamluk dynasty
FatherIltutmish
MotherTurkan Khatun
ReligionSunni Islam

Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din(Persian:سلطان رضیه الدنیا والدین) (c. 1205 - 15 October 1240,r. 1236–1240), popularly known asRazia Sultana,was a ruler of theDelhi Sultanatein the northern part of theIndian subcontinent.She was the first female Muslim ruler of the subcontinent, and the only female Muslim ruler of Delhi.

A daughter ofMamlukSultanShamsuddin Iltutmish,Razia administered Delhi during 1231–1232 when her father was busy in theGwaliorcampaign. According to a possibly apocryphal legend, impressed by her performance during this period, Iltutmish nominated Razia as hisheir apparentafter returning to Delhi. Iltutmish was succeeded by Razia's half-brotherRuknuddin Firuz,whose motherShah Turkanplanned to execute her. During a rebellion against Ruknuddin, Razia instigated the general public against Shah Turkan, and ascended the throne after Ruknuddin was deposed in 1236.

Razia's ascension was challenged by a section of nobles, some of whom ultimately joined her, while the others were defeated. TheTurkicnobles who supported her expected her to be a figurehead, but she increasingly asserted her power. This, combined with her appointments of non-Turkic officers to important posts, led to their resentment against her. She was deposed by a group of nobles in April 1240, after having ruled for less than four years. She married one of the rebels –Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia– and attempted to regain the throne, but was defeated by her half-brother and successorMuizuddin Bahramin October that year, and was killed shortly after.

Names and titles

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Razia's name is also transliterated as Raḍiyya[2]or Raziyya.[3]The term "Sultana", used by some modern writers, is a misnomer as it means "the king's wife" rather than "female ruler". Razia's own coins call herSultan Jalalat al-Duniya wal-Dinor asal-Sultan al-Muazzam Raziyat al-Din bint al-Sultan.TheSanskrit-language inscriptions of the Sultanate call herJallaladina,while near-contemporary historianMinhajcalls herSultan Raziyat al-Duniya wa'l Din bint al-Sultan[4]orSultan Raziyat al-Duniya wa'l Din bint al-Sultan.[5]Another masculine titlepadshah(badshah)was also given to Razia.[6][7][8]

Early life

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Razia was born to the Delhi SultanShamsuddin Iltutmish,aTurkicslave (mamluk) of his predecessorQutb ud-Din Aibak.Razia's mother – Turkan Khatun was a daughter of Qutb ud-Din Aibak,[3][9]and the chief wife of Iltutmish.[2]Razia was the eldest daughter of Iltutmish, and probably his first-born child.[2]

Ascension to the throne

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Iltutmish had groomed his eldest sonNasiruddin Mahmudto be his successor, but this son died unexpectedly in 1229.[10]According to historianMinhaj-i-Siraj,Iltutmish believed his other sons were absorbed in pleasurable activities, and would be incapable of managing the state affairs after his death. While leaving for hisGwaliorcampaign in 1231, Iltutmish left his daughter Razia as in-charge of Delhi's administration. Razia performed her duties so well that after returning to Delhi, Iltutmish decided to name her as his successor.[11]Iltutmish ordered his officermushrif-i mamlakatTajul Mulk Mahmud Dabir to prepare a decree naming Razia as theheir apparent.[10]When his nobles questioned this decision on the basis that he had surviving sons, Iltutmish replied that Razia was more capable than his sons.[12]

However, after Iltutmish's death, the nobles appointed his sonRuknuddin Firuzas the new king. Possibly, during his last years, Iltutmish had agreed to appoint a son as his successor. This is suggested by the fact that after becoming seriously ill, he had recalled Ruknuddin from Lahore to Delhi.[12]Another possibility is that the legend of Iltutmish nominating Razia as his successor is a false story circulated by Razia's supporters after her ascension. Minhaj is the only near-contemporary source that narrates this legend, and he did not witness the events or the alleged decree himself: he was in Gwalior at the time, and did not return to Delhi until 1238.[2]

Ruknuddin was not an able ruler, and left the control of administration to his motherShah Turkan.The duo's blinding and execution of Iltutmish's popular son Qutubuddin, combined with Shah Turkan's high-handedness, led to rebellions by several nobles, and even thewazir(prime minister)Nizamul MulkJunaidi joined the rebels.[13]This situation became worse, when the Turkic-origin slave officers close to Ruknuddin planned killings of the sultanate'sTazik(non-Turkic) officers. This led to the murders of several important Tazik officers, including Junaidi's son Ziyaul Mulk and Tajul Mulk Mahmud, who had drawn up the decree declaring Razia as the heir apparent.[14]While Ruknuddin marched towardsKuhramto fight the rebels, Shah Turkan planned to execute Razia in Delhi. At acongregational prayer,Razia instigated the general public against Shah Turkan. A mob then attacked the royal palace and detained Shah Turkan. Several nobles and the army pledged allegiance to Razia, and placed her on the throne,[15]making her the first female Muslim ruler in South Asia.[16]Ruknuddin marched back to Delhi, but Razia sent a force to arrest him: he was imprisoned and probably executed on 19 November 1236, having ruled for less than 7 months.[15]

Razia's ascension to the throne of Delhi was unique not only because she was a woman, but also because the support from the general public was the driving force behind her appointment. According to the 14th century textFutuh-us-Salatin,she had asked the people to depose her if she failed to meet their expectations.[4]

Opposition to ascension

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From the beginning of her reign, Razia faced stiff opposition from nobles ofTurkicorigin. She had ascended the throne with the support of the general public of Delhi rather than that of the powerful Turkic-origin provincial governor . Razia attempted to offset the power of the Turkic nobility by creating a class of non-Turkic nobles, which led to further opposition from the Turkic nobles.[17]

Nizamul MulkMuhammad Junaidi, a 'Tazik' (non-Turkic) officer who had held the post of thewazir(prime minister) since Iltutmish's time,[18]refused to accept her ascension. He was joined by four Turkic nobles, who had also rebelled against Razia's predecessor Ruknuddin. These nobles includedMalikIzzuddin Muhammad Salari ofBadaun,MalikIzzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz ofMultan,MalikSaifuddin Kuchi ofHansi,andMalikAlauddin Jani ofLahore.[19]When these nobles marched against Razia from different directions, she sought help fromMalikNusratuddin Taisi, whom she had appointed as the governor ofAwadh.However, shortly after crossing the Ganges on his way to Delhi, Taisi was captured by Kuchi's forces and died in captivity.[17]

Razia then led an army out of thefortifiedcity of Delhi to fight the rebels and set up a camp on the banks of theYamuna River.After some indecisive skirmishes, the rebel leaders Muhammad Salari and Izzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz decided to join Razia. They secretly met with Razia, and the group planned to arrest other rebel leaders, including Junaidi.[17]However, Junaidi and other rebel leaders learned about the plan, and escaped, pursued by Razia's forces. Saifuddin Kuchi and his brother Fakhruddin were captured, imprisoned, and later executed. Junaidi fled to theSirmaur hillsand died there. Alauddin Jani was killed at the Nakawan village, and his head was later brought to Delhi.[20]

Reign

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Miniature painting of Razia Sultana holdingdurbarwith identifying inscriptions, by Gulam Ali Khan, circa 19th century.

Immediately after ascending the throne, Razia made several important appointments.[21]She appointed Khwaja Muhazzabuddin as her newwazir(prime minister), and conferred the titleNizamul Mulkupon him. Muhazzabuddin had earlier served as deputy to the previouswazirJunaidi. Razia appointedMalikSaifuddin Aibek Bahtu as the in-charge of her army, and conferred the titleQutlugh Khanupon him. However, Saifuddin died soon after, and Razia appointedMalikQutubuddin Hasan Ghuri to the newly created office ofnaib-i lashkar(in-charge of the army). Razia assigned theiqta'of Lahore, formerly held by the slain rebel Alauddin Jani, toMalikIzzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz, the rebel who had joined her.[20]Razia appointed her loyalists to imperial household positions, includingMalik-i KabirIkhtiyaruddin Aitigin asAmir-i HajibandMalikJamaluddin YaqutasAmir-i Akhur.[22]

Minhaj mentions that soon, all the nobles fromLakhnautiin the east toDebalin the west acknowledged her authority.[20]Razia's first military campaign directed at non-rebels was an invasion ofRanthambore,whoseChahamanaruler had asserted his sovereignty after Iltutmish's death. Razia directedMalikQutubuddin Hasan Ghuri to march to Ranthambore: he was able to evacuate the Turkic nobles and officers from the fort, but was unable to subjugate the Chahamanas. The Chahamanas, in alliance with theMewatis,captured a large part of present-day north-easternRajasthan,and carried out guerilla war around Delhi. Razia also sent a force to re-assert Delhi's control overGwalior,but this campaign had to be aborted.[20]

During Razia's reign,theShiasrevolted against theSultanate,but the rebellion was suppressed.[23]In a major incident, the ShiaQarmatianscarried out an attack on theJama masjidinDelhi.The Qarmatian leader Nuruddin Turk had earlier condemned theSunniShafi‘iandHanafidoctrines, and had gathered nearly 1,000 supporters from Delhi,Gujarat,Sindh,andthe Doab.On 5 March 1237, he and his supporters entered the mosque, and started killing the Sunnis assembled there for theFriday prayers,before being attacked by the citizens.[24]

In 1238, Malik HasanQarlugh,the formerKhwarazmiangovernor ofGhazni,faced a threat from theMongols,and sent his son to Delhi, probably to seek a military alliance against the Mongols. Razia received the prince courteously, assigned him the revenues ofBaranfor his expenses, but refused to form an alliance against the Mongols.[25]

Overthrow

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The nobles who supported Razia intended her to be a figurehead, but she increasingly asserted herself. For example, her initial coins were issued with her father's name, but by 1237–1238, she had started issuing coins solely in her own name.[26]Isamimentions that initially, she observedpurdah:a screen separated her throne from the courtiers and the general public, and she was surrounded by female guards. However, later, she started appearing in public dressed in traditional male attire, wearing a cloak (qaba) and a hat (kulah). She rode on elephants through the streets of Delhi, making public appearances like the earlier Sultans.[22]

Razia's increasing assertiveness and her appointment of non-Turkic people to important posts created resentment among the Turkic nobles.[22]The post ofAmir-i Akhurhad previously been held by officers of Turkic origin, and Yaqut was ofAbyssinianorigin: therefore, Razia's Turkic officers resented this appointment.[22]Chroniclers such as Isami,Sirhindi,Badauni,Firishta,andNizamuddin Ahmadattribute Razia's intimacy with Yaqut as a major cause of her downfall.[27]

In 1238–1239,MalikIzudin Kabir Khan Ayaz – the governor ofLahore– rebelled against Razia, and she marched against him, forcing him to flee toSodhra.Because the area beyond Sodhra was controlled by theMongols,and because Razia continued to pursue him, Izzuddin was forced to surrender and accept Razia's authority once again. Razia treated him leniently; she took away theiqtaof Lahore from him, but assigned him the iqta ofMultan,which Iltutmish had assigned to Ikhtiyaruddin Qaraqash Khan Aitigin.[28]

Razia had recalled Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin, a Turkic slave purchased by Iltutmish, to her court in Delhi, and made himAmir-i Hajib.She had also bestowed favours upon another slave of Iltutmish – Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia, by assigning him first the iqta ofBaran,and then, the iqta ofTabarhinda.However, these two officers conspired with other Turkic officers to overthrow her, while she was away on the Lahore campaign.[29]Razia arrived in Delhi on 3 April 1240, and learned that Altunia had rebelled against her in Tabarhinda. Unaware that other nobles in Delhi had joined Altunia in conspiring against her, Razia marched towards Tabarhinda ten days later. At Tabarhinda, the rebel forces killed her loyalist Yaqut, and imprisoned her.[30]

According to Minhaj, Razia ruled for 3 years, 6 months, and 6 days.[24]

Alliance with Altunia and death

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When the news of Razia's arrest reached Delhi, the rebel nobles there appointed Muizuddin Bahram – a son of Iltutmish – on the throne.[30]He formally ascended the throne on 21 April 1240, and the nobles pledged allegiance to him on 5 May 1240.[31]The nobles expected the new king to be a figurehead, and intended to control the affairs of the state through the newly created office ofnaib-i mamlakat(equivalent to regent), which was assigned to Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin. However, the new king had Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin assassinated within 1–2 months.[32]

After deposing Razia, the nobles at Delhi had distributed important offices and iqtas among themselves, ignoring claims of Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia, who had arrested Razia at Tabarhinda. After Aitigin's death, Altunia lost all hope of realizing any benefits from Razia's overthrow, and decided to ally with her. Razia also saw this as an opportunity to win back the throne, and married Altunia in September 1240. The two were supported by some other disgruntled Turkic nobles, includingMalikQaraqash andMalikSalari.[30]

Altunia assembled an army, which according toAbdul Malik Isami,includedKhokhars,Jats,andRajputs.In September–October 1240, Sultan Muizuddin Bahram led an army against the forces of Altunia and Razia, and defeated them on 14 October 1240. Altunia and Razia were forced to retreat toKaithal,where they were deserted by their soldiers, and were killed by a group of Hindus. Razia was killed on 15 October 1240.[33][30][34]

She remains the only woman to have sat upon the throne of Delhi.[35]

Tomb

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Graves of Razia and her sister

The grave of Razia is located at Mohalla Bulbuli Khana nearTurkman GateinOld Delhi.[36]The 14th century travelerIbn Batutamentions that Razia's tomb had become a pilgrimage centre:[2]A dome had been built over it, and people sought blessings from it.[3]

Razia's grave is said to have been built by her successor and half-brother Bahram. Another grave, said to be of her sister Shazia, is located beside her grave. Razia was a devotee of theSufisaint Shah Turkman Bayabani, and the place where she is buried is said to be his hospice (khanqah).[37][page needed]

Today, the site is largely neglected: theArchaeological Survey of Indiaperforms annual maintenance to it, but has been unable to beautify it further because it is surrounded by illegal construction, and is approachable only through a narrow, congested lane. In the late 20th century, the local residents constructed a mosque near it.[36]

A ruined building inKaithalis purported to be the site of Razia's original grave.[38][39]

Coins

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Coins of Razia are found in silver andbillon;one gold coin of Bengal style is also known. Silver Tankas were issued from both Bengal (Lakhnauti) and Delhi. Initially she issued coins from Delhi in the name of her father Iltumish citing the titleNasrati.e. female title ofNasir.[40]

  • Razia's jaital's Billon coins
  • Budayun Type
    Budayun Type
  • Delhi Type
    Delhi Type
  • Delhi Type
    Delhi Type
  • Billon jital coin of Razia
    Billonjitalcoin of Razia
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Films

Television

References

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  1. ^Smithsonian "TIMELINES OF EVERYONE"(1st ed.). U.S. U.K.: DK. 2020. p. 63.ISBN9781465499967.
  2. ^abcdePeter Jackson 2003,p. 46.
  3. ^abcGuida M. Jackson 1999,p. 341.
  4. ^abK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 237.
  5. ^Minhaj-i-Siraj, Abu-'Umar-i-'Usman (1873).The Tabakat-i-Nasiri. Translated by Major H. G. Raverty.London: Asiatic Society of Bengal. p. 637.
  6. ^Harwood, Philip,ed. (25 March 1876)."The Queen's Indian Title".Saturday Review: Politics, Literature, Science and Art.41(1, 065). Published at the Office, Southampton Street, Strand: 397 – via the Internet Archive.In the thirteenth century a woman, the celebrated Queen Raziya, ascended the throne of Delhi and reigned for the brief space of four years. She bore the title ofSultanand was sometimes calledBadshah.
  7. ^A. V. Williams Jackson,ed. (1907). "Raziya, The Mohammedan Empress of India".History of India.Vol. 5. Grolier Society. p. 104.It will be noted that Minhaj always speaks of the queen as "Sultan," since this title, or that of Padshah, "king," was given to her,
  8. ^Henry Miers Elliot.John Dowson(ed.).The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians.Vol. 2. p.332.The queen is always called "Sultán" and "Bádsháh," not Sultána, as by Briggs and Elphinstone.
  9. ^Sudha Sharma 2016,p. 141 quote: "But as per Abu-Umar-i-Usman Minhaj-ud-din Siraj (Tabaqat-iNasiri), Turkan Khatun was the name of Razia's mother and not of this lady [Shah Turkan]."
  10. ^abK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 230.
  11. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 230–231.
  12. ^abK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 231.
  13. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,p. 235.
  14. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 235–236.
  15. ^abK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 236.
  16. ^Muzaffar Husain Syed 2011,p. 231.
  17. ^abcK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 238.
  18. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,p. 225.
  19. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,p. 235, 238.
  20. ^abcdK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 239.
  21. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 239–240.
  22. ^abcdK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 240.
  23. ^Guida M. Jackson 1999,p. 342.
  24. ^abK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 243.
  25. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 243–244.
  26. ^Peter Jackson 2003,p. 47.
  27. ^Sudha Sharma 2016,p. 141.
  28. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 240–241.
  29. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,p. 241.
  30. ^abcdK. A. Nizami 1992,p. 242.
  31. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,p. 244.
  32. ^K. A. Nizami 1992,pp. 242–244.
  33. ^Lyons 2022.
  34. ^Gabbay, Alyssa (1 January 2011)."In Reality a Man: Sultan Iltutmish, His Daughter, Raziya, and Gender Ambiguity in Thirteenth Century Northern India"(PDF).Journal of Persianate Studies.4(1).Brill Publishers:48.doi:10.1163/187471611X568285.eISSN1874-7167.ISSN1874-7094.LCCN2008236337.Retrieved11 July2021– viaUNCG University Libraries.The troops accompanying the couple abandoned them, and both Raziya and her husband were killed near Kaithal on 25 Rabiʿ I 638/14 October 1240.
  35. ^Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal (1964).The Sultanate of Delhi (711-1526 A.D.) 4th edition.Agra: Shiva Lal Agarwala & Co. (P.) Ltd. pp. 105–106.
  36. ^abSyed Abdullah Zaini (9 August 2013)."A forgotten tomb".
  37. ^Rana Safvi,The Forgotten Cities of Delhi.Quote: "The lanes leading to her tomb are very confusing and one has to ask for directions at Bhojala Pahari. There is an ASI board which leads into Bulbuli Khana. At the end of some narrow, dingy lanes is another stone sign by ASI, which announces the last resting place of South Asia's first female monarch."
  38. ^"Tomb of Razia Sultan".Haryana Tourism.Retrieved10 January2020.
  39. ^Sukhbir Siwach (13 June 2014)."Kaithal farmer stands in way of Razia Sultan memorial | Chandigarh News - Times of India".The Times of India.Retrieved26 April2022.
  40. ^Stan Goron; J. P. Goenka (2001).The Coins of the Indian Sultanates.Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 26.ISBN9788121510103.
  41. ^Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999).Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema.British Film Institute.ISBN9780851706696.Retrieved12 August2012.
  42. ^PTI (4 February 2015)."TV show about women emperor Razia Sultan launched".Indian Express.Retrieved18 January2020.

Bibliography

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