#Razia Sultana (1236-1240), born to the Sultan Iltutmish of the Slave
Dynasty was groomed and trained by her father from a very young age, her father wanted her to learn all the skills required to be a ruler. She was brave, astound, confident, and learned, unlike the women of her times. She went on to reject the orthodoxy of those times and became a ruler of the Delhi sultanate in the 13th century. Growing up at that age, with such a personality was not easy for sure. She had to bear the taunts of her family, other nobles of the court but this could not deter her from achieving what she wanted. She had excellent knowledge about swords, warfare, politics, statecraft, etc, yet she was always reminded that a woman could not ever be a Sultan.
There was only one person who believed in her- Sultan Iltutmish, her father. She became the first Woman sultan and ruled the court of Delhi from 1236-1240. On 13th April 1236, Iltutmish passed away, appointing Razia as the rightful heir. During her reign, she proved her mettle as a just and capable ruler and was renowned for her subversive actions, which varied from sporting men’s attire to printing coins in her own name and image. Razia ascended her throne as
#Jalalat-ud-din-Raziya, she gave up on wearing a veil and took up men’s attire. She received support from her subjects and opened private libraries and established schools, she made rigid administrative policies as well. She minted coins in her name, proclaiming herself to be the ’Queen of the times’. Since her childhood, she showed a keen interest in warfare and also
learned how to command armies. Her father considered his sons to be incompetent and thus helped Razia to become the person she became.
Even during the reign of her father, she helped him with the state affairs. Malik Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda grew to fall in love with Razia’s charm and wit and took her as his wife. He rebelled against the Turkish nobles and was determined to win Razia back her kingdom; he planned a siege on behalf of his sovereign. Together, they marched towards Delhi but were unsuccessful in their conquest. They were defeated by Bahram on 13th October 1240. Razia and Altunia fled Delhi after their defeat and reached Baithal the very next day. With their remaining forces abandoning them, they met their unfortunate ends at the hands of the Hindu Jats there, who robbed and killed them. Two of the most significant things that Razia’s reign is remembered for are her administrative strategies and her bold public appearance.
Fighting patriarchy was one of the many things she did. Keeping in mind the time she was born and having to fight all the odds, she did a good job. She got the highest positions in the kingdom which she deserved, as her father Sultan Iltutmish let her ascend the throne and considered all his sons to be incompetent when compared to her.
She ruled for 4 long years, and then came the end of the rule of the
only female ruler of Delhi. The final resting place of Razia Sultana is
quite debatable. Few claim that she is resting in some narrow lanes of Old Delhi. Few others say that she is buried in Khaital, Haryana.
Razia Sultan was a brave and just ruler. She was a ruler who took up the well-being of her subjects as her prime duty. She impacted
everyone’s life in one way or the other. She left a huge mark on us and people still remember her to date.
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