Razia Sultan – First Women Ruler Of South Asia

Razia Sultan (Reign: 1236 – 1240), also known as Raziya Al Din. Razia Sultan was the fifth Mamluk Sultan.

Razia Sultan was the first woman in Indian History who was involved in the throne of Delhi. She was the who changed the destiny of women’s and and old narrow perspective of women. Razia Sultan was the daughter of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish and Qutub Begum. She was South Asia’s first Muslim Ruler with extreme talent, bravery and administration. She was a great warrior, born in 1205 belonging to Turkish Seljuks ancestry. Razia received training of sword fighting, horse riding leading the army and about other administrations of the Kingdom. Being more competent than her brother, Sultan Iltutmish chooses Razia as his successor since the very beginning. Razia was made in charge of everything in the absence of Iltutmish in the Iltutmish’s reign. Razia was a highly educated lady of courage and preoccupied in the affairs of the state before her reign.

Razia received training fighting, leading the army and about other administrations of the Kingdom. Being more competent than her brother, Sultan Iltutmish chooses Razia as his successor since the very beginning. Razia was made in charge of everything in the absence of Iltutmish in the Iltutmish’s reign. With the death of Iltutmish, Rukn-ud-din, Iltutnish’s son occupied the throne. In the year 1236, Razia overtook the throne by defeating her brother with Delhi’s support.

(Razia’s family was not from the Nobel class. The ancestral roots of Razia trace to Turkish Seljuk Slaves.)

Razia Sultana used to dressed like a man and sat in open durbar. She was an effective ruler and had characteristics of a monarch. even before she got to be sultan, she was attracted towards administration of father’s rule. As sultan, Razia wore a man’s tunic and crown; and in opposition to custom, she would later demonstrate her face when she rode an elephant in fight as the leader of her armed force.

According to the Muslim culture, Razia should be called as Razia Sultana but Razia refused to be addressed as ‘Sultana’. As in Muslim culture, Sultana refers to the wife of a Sultan(ruler), that’s why She proclaimed herself as Sultan (the ruler.) She was the fifth ruler of the Mamluk Dynasty who is an important figure in the Islamic Civilization all across the world.

The reign of Razia Sultana-

• Being a great ruler Razia Sultan set up legitimate and complete peace in her domain, in which every single person follows the rule and regulation which was set up by her.
• She attempted to enhance the base of the nation by enhancing exchange, building streets, burrowing wells, etc.
• Furthermore she built up schools,the work of People in Science, philosophy astronomy and literature. institutes, places for exploration, and open libraries that facilitated researchers to work on the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad.
• She contributed even in the field of craftsmanship and culture and upheld scholars, painters and craftsmen.
• In her reign, she got coins minted with the title – “Pillar of Women, Queen of the Times, Sultan Razia, daughter of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish.”

Razia’s accession to the throne was not at all easy. The Nobles from Turkish were not appreciating of the fact that a woman is with the throne. They were apprehensive and jealous of it. Hence, they made a plan to revolt against Razia. They hatched a conspiracy with Ikhtiar -ud – din Aitigin as the leader of the conspiracy. He was raised from the office Badaun.

End of Rajia Sultan-

The clarification for her end was this unsatisfactory affection. Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, an African Siddi slave turned privileged person who was an adjacent countryman to her and was guessed to be her life partner. Regardless of the way that it happened behind various spread and gateways, their relationship was no puzzle in the Delhi court.

Malik Ikhtiar-ud-Altunia, the administrative head of Bhatinda was against this relationship of Razia. The story goes that Altunia and Razia were youth mates. As they grew up together, he turned out to be miserably fascinated with Razia and the rebellion was basically a technique for getting back Razia. Devastation took after rapidly. Yaqut was slaughtered and Altunia kept Razia. When she was trying to control a resistance by the Turkish Governor of Batinda, they misused her unfortunate insufficiency at Delhi and removed her. Her kin Bahram was designated.

To protect her reputation, Razia sensibly decided to marry Altunia, the administrative head of Batinda and strolled towards Delhi with her mate.

On October 13, 1240, she was powdered down by Bahram and the disastrous couple was killed the very next day.

Conclusion –

A Muslim descendant of Turkish extraction invaded in India in the eleventh century writing the death of Razia. Razia died in 1240. Razia’s reign lasted for almost three and a half years. She brought a lot of big reforms in the education system and administration but unfortunately, could not stand alone in front of the Muslim Nobles. The rule of the women got subjected to the envyness and discontent of the masculine powers. Still, Razia became a display of power and bravery. She defied the Muslim tradition by ditching the veil and took the course on the battlefield. In her small span, she is definitely credited of being just and generous ruler. Razia, in no manner, was any less than the great Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate. She fought several battles on the forefront and lead to the seize of several territories. She had mastered the administration.