Raziah

Raziah (* 1205 ; † 1240 ) was a sultana in the Indian sultanate of Delhi , one of the few ruling women in Islamic history, contemporary of the sultana of Egypt Shajar ad-Durr .

Sultan Iltumisch's favorite daughter and deputy came to power in Delhi or Lahore after his death in 1236 when she deposed one of her brothers, Rukn ud din Firuz I.

Outwardly, Raziah Sultanah appeared in man's clothes and gave an unveiled audience. She appointed Jallal-ud-din Yaqut as vizier (or head stable master), an intelligent Abyssinian slave with whom she had an affair. This and the rule of a woman in general led to conflicts with the Turkish nobility. For a time, Raziah had the upper hand in a power struggle with renegade governors (in Lahore and Bhatinda ), a Shiite sect in Delhi, and unreliable Mamluks . She was eventually deposed and detained for the affair, and Yaqut was murdered. Instead, the Mamluks set one of their younger brothers, Muiz ud din Bahram (r. 1240–42), as sultan.

But the Council of Forty, i. H. the Mamluken generals disagreed among themselves, so she was freed. Raziah Sultanah then married her liberator and former adversary Malik Altuniya and tried with his help to regain the throne. But the project failed. She lost the fight, had to flee and was murdered in her sleep while resting. Raziah was buried in a simple tomb in Delhi.

Web links

• Radiyya bint Iltutmish , her life story
• Story of Pakistan

predecessor	Office	successor
Rukn ud din Firuz I.	Sultana of Delhi ( slave dynasty ) 1236–1240	Muiz ud din Bahram