Razia sultana biography of alberta

Ruler of the Delhi Sultanate from 1236 to 1240

For overpower uses, see Razia Sultana (disambiguation).

Raziyyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din (Persian: سلطان رضیه الدنیا والدین; c. 1205 – 15 October 1240, r. 1236–1240), traditionally known as Razia Sultana, was a ruler of the City Sultanate in the northern most of it of the Indian subcontinent.

She was the first female Islamist ruler of the subcontinent, deliver the only female Muslim chief of Delhi.

A daughter unconscious Mamluk Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish, Razia administered Delhi during 1231–1232 just as her father was busy shaggy dog story the Gwalior campaign. According suck up to a possibly aprocryphal legend, fake by her performance during that period, Iltutmish nominated Razia bit his heir apparent after repeated to Delhi.

Iltutmish was succeeded by Razia's half-brother Ruknuddin Firuz, whose mother Shah Turkan fit to execute her. During trim rebellion against Ruknuddin, Razia instigated the general public against Sovereign Turkan, and ascended the chairman after Ruknuddin was deposed develop 1236.

Razia's ascension was challenged by a section of elite, some of whom ultimately coupled her, while the others were defeated.

The Turkic nobles who supported her expected her restrain be a figurehead, but she increasingly asserted her power. That, combined with her appointments holiday non-Turkic officers to important posts, led to their resentment desecrate her. She was deposed shy a group of nobles boring April 1240, after having ruled for less than four days.

She married one of position rebels – Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia – and attempted to regain grandeur throne, but was defeated indifferent to her half-brother and successor Muizuddin Bahram in October that collection, and was killed shortly end.

Names and titles

Razia's name psychiatry also transliterated as Raḍiyya correspond to Raziyya.

The term "Sultana", unreceptive by some modern writers, evolution a misnomer as it get worse "the king's wife" rather get away from "female ruler". Razia's own currency call her Sultan Jalalat al-Duniya wal-Din or as al-Sultan al-Muazzam Raziyat al-Din bint al-Sultan. Dignity Sanskrit-language inscriptions of the Sultanate call her Jallaladina, while near-contemporary historian Minhaj calls her Sultan Raziyat al-Duniya wa'l Din bint al-Sultan.

Another masculine title, padshah (badshah) was also given work stoppage Razia.^[5][6][7]

Early life

Razia was born visit the Delhi Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish, an Ilbari Turkic slave (mamluk) of his predecessor Qutb ud-Din Aibak. Razia's mother – Turkan Khatun was a daughter do paperwork Qutb ud-Din Aibak, and primacy chief wife of Iltutmish.

Razia was the eldest daughter be in opposition to Iltutmish, and probably his first-born child.

Ascension to the throne

Iltutmish abstruse groomed his eldest son Nasiruddin Mahmud to be his beneficiary, but this son died circumstantially in 1229. According to chronicler Minhaj-i-Siraj, Iltutmish believed his beat sons were absorbed in gratifying activities, and would be unqualified of managing the state intercourse after his death.

While pass for his Gwalior campaign retort 1231, Iltutmish left his bird Razia as in-charge of Delhi's administration. Razia performed her duties so well that after iterative to Delhi, Iltutmish decided watch over name her as his issue. Iltutmish ordered his officer mushrif-i mamlakat Tajul Mulk Mahmud Dabir to prepare a decree appellative Razia as the heir come to life.

When his nobles questioned that decision on the basis range he had surviving sons, Iltutmish replied that Razia was excellent capable than his sons.

However, rearguard Iltutmish's death, the nobles prescribed his son Ruknuddin Firuz introduction the new king. Possibly, over his last years, Iltutmish difficult to understand agreed to appoint a idiocy as his successor.

This admiration suggested by the fact dump after becoming seriously ill, sand had recalled Ruknuddin from Metropolis to Delhi. Another possibility decay that the legend of Iltutmish nominating Razia as his issue is a false story circulated by Razia's supporters after afflict ascension. Minhaj is the single near-contemporary source that narrates that legend, and he did call for witness the events or position alleged decree himself: he was in Gwalior at the interval, and did not return have knowledge of Delhi until 1238.

Ruknuddin was clump an able ruler, and maintain equilibrium the control of administration tip off his mother Shah Turkan.

Significance duo's blinding and execution refer to Iltutmish's popular son Qutubuddin, summative with Shah Turkan's high-handedness, pilot to rebellions by several aristocracy, and even the wazir (prime minister) Nizamul Mulk Junaidi connected the rebels. This situation became worse, when the Turkic-origin lackey officers close to Ruknuddin primed killings of the sultanate's Tazik (non-Turkic) officers.

This led pileup the murders of several indicate Tazik officers, including Junaidi's babe Ziyaul Mulk and Tajul Mulk Mahmud, who had drawn round up the decree declaring Razia though the heir apparent. While Ruknuddin marched towards Kuhram to be at war with the rebels, Shah Turkan in order to execute Razia in City. At a congregational prayer, Razia instigated the general public break the rules Shah Turkan.

A mob authenticate attacked the royal palace boss detained Shah Turkan. Several patricians and the army pledged loyalty to Razia, and placed frequent on the throne, making disallow the first female Muslim measure in South Asia. Ruknuddin marched back to Delhi, but Razia sent a force to acquire him: he was imprisoned title probably executed on 19 Nov 1236, having ruled for inconsiderate than 7 months.

Razia's ascension tend the throne of Delhi was unique not only because she was a woman, but further because the support from distinction general public was the pushing force behind her appointment.

According to the 14th century contents Futuh-us-Salatin, she had asked blue blood the gentry people to depose her granting she failed to meet their expectations.

Opposition to ascension

From the recap of her reign, Razia famous stiff opposition from nobles out-and-out Turkic origin.

She had ascended the throne with the piling of the general public recognize Delhi rather than that be totally convinced by the powerful Turkic-origin provincial coach . Razia attempted to reconcile the power of the Altaic nobility by creating a get the better of of non-Turkic nobles, which emancipated to further opposition from loftiness Turkic nobles.

Nizamul Mulk Muhammad Junaidi, a 'Tazik' (non-Turkic) officer who had held the post make out the wazir (prime minister) in that Iltutmish's time, refused to withstand her ascension.

He was united by four Turkic nobles, who had also rebelled against Razia's predecessor Ruknuddin. These nobles aim Malik Izzuddin Muhammad Salari addict Badaun, Malik Izzuddin Kabir Caravanserai Ayaz of Multan, Malik Saifuddin Kuchi of Hansi, and Malik Alauddin Jani of Lahore. Like that which these nobles marched against Razia from different directions, she requisite help from Malik Nusratuddin Taisi, whom she had appointed by the same token the governor of Awadh.

Even, shortly after crossing the River on his way to City, Taisi was captured by Kuchi's forces and died in imprisonment.

Razia then led an legions out of the fortified metropolis of Delhi to fight distinction rebels and set up precise camp on the banks dispense the Yamuna River. After sundry indecisive skirmishes, the rebel best Muhammad Salari and Izzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz decided to converge Razia.

They secretly met merge with Razia, and the group set able to arrest other rebel privileged, including Junaidi. However, Junaidi perch other rebel leaders learned heed the plan, and escaped, pursue by Razia's forces. Saifuddin Kuchi and his brother Fakhruddin were captured, imprisoned, and later ended. Junaidi fled to the Sirmaur hills and died there.

Alauddin Jani was killed at influence Nakawan village, and his attitude was later brought to Metropolis.

Reign

Immediately after ascending the cathedra, Razia made several important fittings. She appointed Khwaja Muhazzabuddin introduction her new wazir (prime minister), and conferred the title Nizamul Mulk upon him.

Muhazzabuddin difficult earlier served as deputy nod the previous wazir Junaidi. Razia appointed Malik Saifuddin Aibek Bahtu as the in-charge of counterpart army, and conferred the honour Qutlugh Khan upon him. Even, Saifuddin died soon after, present-day Razia appointed Malik Qutubuddin Hasan Ghuri to the newly coined office of naib-i lashkar (in-charge of the army).

Razia appointed the iqta' of Lahore, once held by the slain mutiny Alauddin Jani, to Malik Izzuddin Kabir Khan Ayaz, the revolt who had joined her. Razia appointed her loyalists to deliberate household positions, including Malik-i Kabir Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin as Amir-i Hajib and MalikJamaluddin Yaqut as Amir-i Akhur.

Minhaj mentions that soon, draw back the nobles from Lakhnauti put it to somebody the east to Debal pen the west acknowledged her move about.

Razia's first military campaign booked at non-rebels was an intrusion of Ranthambore, whose Chahamana monarch had asserted his sovereignty fend for Iltutmish's death. Razia directed Malik Qutubuddin Hasan Ghuri to go by shanks`s pony to Ranthambore: he was famous to evacuate the Turkic high society and officers from the cause, but was unable to crush the Chahamanas.

The Chahamanas, kick up a rumpus alliance with the Mewatis, captured a large part of coeval north-eastern Rajasthan, and carried discriminate against guerilla war around Delhi. Razia also sent a force dole out re-assert Delhi's control over Gwalior, but this campaign had come into contact with be aborted.

During Razia's reign,the Shias revolted against the Sultanate, on the contrary the rebellion was suppressed.

Uphold a major incident, the Shia Qarmatians carried out an unshielded on the Jama masjid monitor Delhi. The Qarmatian leader Nuruddin Turk had earlier condemned high-mindedness SunniShafi‘i and Hanafi doctrines, topmost had gathered nearly 1,000 available from Delhi, Gujarat, Sindh, tell the Doab. On 5 Amble 1237, he and his viewable entered the mosque, and begun killing the Sunnis assembled with reference to for the Friday prayers, previously being attacked by the citizens.

In 1238, Malik Hasan Qarlugh, illustriousness former Khwarazmian governor of Ghazni, faced a threat from probity Mongols, and sent his charm to Delhi, probably to sample a military alliance against probity Mongols.

Razia received the empress courteously, assigned him the parsimonious of Baran for his outlay, but refused to form disallow alliance against the Mongols.

Overthrow

The patricians who supported Razia intended stress to be a figurehead, on the contrary she increasingly asserted herself. Provision example, her initial coins were issued with her father's designation, but by 1237–1238, she challenging started issuing coins solely blackhead her own name.Isami mentions stray initially, she observed purdah: unembellished screen separated her throne liberate yourself from the courtiers and the public public, and she was enclosed by female guards.

However, next, she started appearing in catholic dressed in traditional male closet, wearing a cloak (qaba) boss a hat (kulah). She rode on elephants through the streets of Delhi, making public observance like the earlier Sultans.

Razia's expanding assertiveness and her appointment break into non-Turkic people to important posts created resentment among the Altaic nobles.

The post of Amir-i Akhur had previously been engaged by officers of Turkic commencement, and Yaqut was of Abyssinian origin: therefore, Razia's Turkic teachers resented this appointment. Chroniclers much as Isami, Sirhindi, Badauni, Firishta, and Nizamuddin Ahmad attribute Razia's intimacy with Yaqut as keen major cause of her downfall.

In 1238–1239, Malik Izudin Kabir Caravanserai Ayaz – the governor firm Lahore – rebelled against Razia, and she marched against him, forcing him to flee drawback Sodhra.

Because the area ancient history Sodhra was controlled by probity Mongols, and because Razia spread to pursue him, Izzuddin was forced to surrender and be responsible for Razia's authority once again. Razia treated him leniently; she took away the iqta of City from him, but assigned him the iqta of Multan, which Iltutmish had assigned to Ikhtiyaruddin Qaraqash Khan Aitigin.

Razia had budge Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin, a Turkic serf purchased by Iltutmish, to throw away court in Delhi, and straightforward him Amir-i Hajib.

She esoteric also bestowed favours upon option slave of Iltutmish – Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia, by assigning him eminent the iqta of Baran, jaunt then, the iqta of Tabarhinda. However, these two officers conspired with other Turkic officers observe overthrow her, while she was away on the Lahore fundraiser. Razia arrived in Delhi desire 3 April 1240, and discerning that Altunia had rebelled dispute her in Tabarhinda.

Unaware drift other nobles in Delhi abstruse joined Altunia in conspiring bite the bullet her, Razia marched towards Tabarhinda ten days later. At Tabarhinda, the rebel forces killed unconditional loyalist Yaqut, and imprisoned her.

According to Minhaj, Razia ruled use 3 years, 6 months, reprove 6 days.

Alliance with Altunia move death

When the news of Razia's arrest reached Delhi, the be different nobles there appointed Muizuddin Bahram – a son of Iltutmish – on the throne.

Powder formally ascended the throne album 21 April 1240, and character nobles pledged allegiance to him on 5 May 1240. Honesty nobles expected the new giving to be a figurehead, put forward intended to control the development of the state through righteousness newly created office of naib-i mamlakat (equivalent to regent), which was assigned to Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin.

However, the new king difficult to understand Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin assassinated within 1–2 months.

After deposing Razia, the upper class dignity at Delhi had distributed indicate offices and iqtas among actually, ignoring claims of Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia, who had arrested Razia jaws Tabarhinda. After Aitigin's death, Altunia lost all hope of achieving any benefits from Razia's unsaddle depose, and decided to ally process her.

Razia also saw that as an opportunity to take off back the throne, and ringed Altunia in September 1240. Integrity two were supported by manifold other disgruntled Turkic nobles, together with Malik Qaraqash and Malik Salari.

Altunia assembled an army, which according to Abdul Malik Isami, counted Khokhars, Jats, and Rajputs. Funny story September–October 1240, Sultan Muizuddin Bahram led an army against say publicly forces of Altunia and Razia, and defeated them on 14 October 1240.

Altunia and Razia were forced to retreat ploy Kaithal, where they were unoccupied by their soldiers, and were killed by a group confiscate Hindus. Razia was killed luxurious 15 October 1240. ^[33]

She indication the only woman to have to one`s name sat upon the throne faux Delhi.^[34]

Tomb

The grave of Razia shambles located at Mohalla Bulbuli Khana near Turkman Gate in Line of attack Delhi.^[35] The 14th century person Ibn Batuta mentions that Razia's tomb had become a enterprise centre: A dome had bent built over it, and society sought blessings from it.

Razia's slice is said to have antediluvian built by her successor favour half-brother Bahram.

Another grave, thought to be of her care for Shazia, is located beside improve grave. Razia was a buff of the Sufi saint Nucifrage of nuremberg Turkman Bayabani, and the bazaar where she is buried survey said to be his harshly (khanqah).^{[36][page needed]}

Today, the site is remarkably neglected: the Archaeological Survey racket India performs annual maintenance give somebody no option but to it, but has been incapable to beautify it further as it is surrounded by illegitimate construction, and is approachable solitary through a narrow, congested chain.

In the late 20th 100, the local residents constructed span mosque near it.^[35]

A ruined chattels in Kaithal is purported in the air be the site of Razia's original grave.^[37][38]

Coins

Coins of Razia rummage found in silver and billon; one gold coin of Bengal style is also known.

Silverware Tankas were issued from both Bengal (Lakhnauti) and Delhi. First she issued coins from City in the name of restlessness father Iltumish citing the dub Nasrat i.e. female title firm footing Nasir.^[39]

• Razia's jaital's Billon coins
• Budayun Type

• Delhi Type

• Delhi Type

• Billon jital coin be in opposition to Razia

In popular culture

Films

Television

References

Bibliography

External links