Razia Sultan (r. 1236–1240) was the fifth ruler of the Mamluk Dynasty (Slave Dynasty) and the only female monarch to rule the Delhi Sultanate. Daughter of the great Sultan Iltutmish, she was chosen as his heir over her incompetent brothers because of her intellect and administrative skills. Her reign was marked by progressive reforms, the refusal to wear the veil (Purdah), and holding open court dressed in male attire (Quba and Kulah). However, her rise was resented by the powerful Turkish nobles known as the Chahalgani (The Forty), leading to rebellions, her imprisonment, and eventual assassination in 1240.| Feature | Details |
| Reign | 1236 – 1240 CE |
| Dynasty | Mamluk (Slave) Dynasty |
| Father | Shams-ud-din Iltutmish |
| Title | Sultan (Not Sultana) Jalalat-ud-Din Raziya |
| Capital | Delhi |
| Key Ally/Lover | Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut (Abyssinian Slave) |
| Husband | Malik Altunia (Governor of Bhatinda) |
| Enemy | The Chahalgani (Group of Forty Nobles) |
| Death | October 14, 1240 (Kaithal, Haryana) |
The Chosen Heir: Merit Over Gender
Sultan Iltutmish was a visionary. Seeing that his sons were devoted to wine and pleasure, he broke tradition and nominated his daughter Razia as his successor. He famously said, “My sons are engrossed in the pleasures of youth, and no one of them possesses the capability of managing the affairs of the country.”
However, after Iltutmish’s death in 1236, the nobles disregarded his wish and placed his son Rukn-ud-din Firuz on the throne. Rukn-ud-din was a puppet, and his mother Shah Turkan ran a reign of terror.
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The Red Clad Rebel
Razia did not give up. In a dramatic move, she dressed in red garments (symbolizing a demand for justice) and appeared before the public at the Jama Masjid in Delhi during Friday prayers. She appealed directly to the people against the tyranny of her brother and mother. The people of Delhi revolted, deposed Rukn-ud-din, and placed Razia on the throne. This was the first time the people of Delhi chose their ruler.
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Reign of the Sultan
Razia refused to be a puppet. She adopted the title Sultan (Ruler) instead of Sultana (Wife of Ruler).
- Breaking Barriers: She abandoned the Purdah (veil), dressed in a man’s tunic (Quba) and turban (Kulah), rode elephants, and led armies into battle.
- Administration: She issued coins in her name as “Pillar of Women, Queen of the Times, Sultan Razia.” She tried to break the monopoly of the Turkish nobles by appointing non-Turks to high positions.
- The Yaqut Controversy: She appointed an Abyssinian (African) slave, Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, as the Superintendent of the Royal Stables (Amir-i-Akhur). This enraged the Turkish nobles, who spread rumors of an illicit affair between them to discredit her.
The Rebellion and Fall
The Chahalgani (The Forty Nobles) could not accept a woman ordering them around. Rebellions broke out in Lahore and Bhatinda.
- Battle of Bhatinda: The Governor of Bhatinda, Malik Altunia, rebelled. Razia marched to crush him but was defeated. Her loyal general Yaqut was killed, and she was imprisoned in the Qila Mubarak fort in Bhatinda.
- The Diplomatic Twist: In a brilliant diplomatic maneuver, the imprisoned Razia married her captor, Altunia, and convinced him to march with her to reclaim Delhi.
The Tragic End
Razia and Altunia marched towards Delhi but were defeated by the forces of her brother Bahram Shah (backed by the nobles). Forced to flee, they were abandoned by their army. Exhausted and hungry, they took shelter near a tree in Kaithal (Haryana). On October 14, 1240, they were robbed and killed by local bandits (Jats) while they slept. Thus ended the life of the only woman who dared to sit on the throne of Delhi.
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Quick Comparison Table: Razia vs. The Chahalgani
| Feature | Razia Sultan | Chahalgani (The Forty) |
| Goal | Strong Monarchy / Centralized Power | Weak Monarchy / Noble Dominance |
| Gender View | Merit over Gender | Patriarchal / Traditional |
| Support Base | Common People / Non-Turkish Nobles | Turkish Elite / Military |
| Strategy | Direct Appeal to Public | Palace Intrigues / Coups |
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- The Three Graves: There is a dispute over Razia’s actual grave. Claims are made by three places: Old Delhi (Bulbul-i-Khan), Kaithal (Haryana), and Tonk (Rajasthan). The site in Old Delhi is the most widely accepted but lies in a dilapidated state today.
- Elephant Rider: Razia was an expert horse rider and mahout. She led her army from the front sitting on an elephant, making her visible to all her troops.
- Short Reign: She ruled for only 3 years, 6 months, and 6 days, but her impact was such that later chroniclers like Minhaj-i-Siraj wrote, “She was endowed with all the admirable attributes and qualifications necessary for kings; but as she did not belong to the right sex, of what avail were all these excellent qualifications?”
Conclusion
Razia Sultan was a ruler born ahead of her time. Her failure was not a failure of competence, but a failure of her society to accept a woman as a leader. She remains a powerful symbol of feminist resistance in Indian history, proving that courage knows no gender.
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If you think you have remembered everything about this topic take this QUIZ
Results
#1. Which dynasty did Razia Sultan belong to?
#2. Why did Sultan Iltutmish famously nominate his daughter Razia as his successor over his sons?
#3. How did Razia successfully appeal to the people of Delhi to overthrow her tyrannical brother, Rukn-ud-din?
#4. To emphasize her role as a ruler rather than the wife of a ruler, which specific title did Razia adopt?
#5. 5. Who were the “Chahalgani” that constantly opposed Razia Sultan’s rule?
#6. The appointment of which Abyssinian slave to the Superintendent of the Royal Stables enraged the Turkish elite?
#7. After being defeated and imprisoned, what brilliant diplomatic maneuver did Razia use to try and reclaim Delhi?
#8. According to the text, exactly how long did Razia Sultan’s impactful reign last?
Who was the father of Razia Sultan?
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish.
Why did Razia refuse the title “Sultana”?
Because “Sultana” meant “Wife of the Sultan,” and she was the sovereign ruler herself.
Who was the African slave favored by Razia?
Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut.
Who defeated and imprisoned Razia in Bhatinda?
Malik Altunia (who later became her husband).
Where is Razia Sultan’s tomb generally believed to be?
In the narrow lanes of Turkman Gate, Old Delhi (though Kaithal also claims it).
