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Indian History, or subcontinental History, is incomplete without speaking of the women who left a mark in their own significant ways. The first woman who comes to mind is perhaps the only woman Sultan to rule Delhi, Raziya (Razia).
It’s been over a year since I had been trying to read and understand the mystery of Raziya Bint Iltutmish. Attributed as the only Woman Muslim Monarch of India, she is a name of many assumptions, imagination and speculations. The few books that have been written on her or the historical accounts of the Slave Dynasty mentioning her have always been about the turbulence of the government and the various rebels and uprisings that took place among the prominent chiefs of Iltutmish, who wanted to rise in power. No documentation or portrayal is found about her look, character or early days from her contemporary times. The only relevant historical book I found solely on her was by Dr Karunapada Dutta, while she finds a chapter in Heroines by Ira Mukhoty or The Women Who Ruled India by Archana Gadoria Gupta.
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Historically speaking, Raziya came into the spotlight after living a much-secluded life away from the court when her half-brother Rukn Al-Din, whose mother was speculated to be one of Iltutmish’s concubines, tried to kill her. Many historical accounts claim that an ailing Iltutmish chose her to reign over his sons because they were incompetent. She had also worked as his representative between the years 1229 to 1231 at Delhi while he was at war. But no documents back this. In fact, Rukn Al-Din or Rukn Ud Din as he’s called, was being prepared for the throne clearly by his father, because he was already given a larger portion of the kingdom to rule at Lahore. On the contrary, Raziya, like every other girl, was confined to the inner palace. If Iltutmish wanted her on the throne, he would have shown such intentions by making her take part in the administration of the country actively.
Born in 1205 A.D. to the then newly married Princess Qutb Begum and the general of her father’s army, Iltutmish, Razia was an unmarried princess of twenty-nine years when her father died. Why she was not married or engaged remains a mystery. Many of her half-brothers have been mentioned in the battles and rebellions that happened immediately after Iltutmish died. But there is no mention of any sisters or half-sisters of hers. In the imagination of many, she is often portrayed as a fair maiden with doe eyes and high cheekbones. But her appearance and character still remain unknown. When Rukn Ud Din tried to kill her, she stood in front of the powerful chiefs of the country and the army and reminded them of her father’s great services to the nation. She accused her brother and his mother of the murder of their kin, and hence the nobles sided with her. Politically speaking, these nobles were actually very much disturbed by Rukn Ud-Din's over-ambition and will to rule alone, dismissing their importance or opinion and considering Raziya, who was to them an incompetent, inexperienced woman, who could be their puppet on the throne. Many of the orthodox seniors had already shown their displeasure as Raziya had appeared at the court as the newly proclaimed Sultan after settling scores with her kin. In the year 1236, thus, India found its first and only female monarch in Sultan Jalalat Ud Din Raziya.
In her short reign of four years, Raziya proved she was not merely a puppet. She curbed the power of the nobles and made them furious. Her administrative and defensive moves are still praised by modern-day historians. She was an intelligent woman, a good fighter and a compassionate ruler. She gave the forts of Gwalior and Ranthambore back to their Hindu Rulers, giving them respect and importance as well. All these made the chiefs plan a rebellion against her. Furthermore, she had dared to step out of the veil, wear the clothes of a man, and ride the elephant under broad daylight, showing her face to her subjects, and refused to be called “Sultana”, which was a title for queens. These moves by a woman disturbed the orthodox society of the time. They took her as too independent and reckless, and hence a wrong example to other women in society.
Here we talk about the two men in her life. Jamal Ud Din Yakut was a slave of her father’s who, during Raziya’s reign, had suddenly grown to a lot of power. The chiefs rising against her had created rumours of her affair with him. The story of her affair with Yakut, a princess getting involved with a slave, brought forward disgust from the people about her character and, hence, her competency as a ruler. The purposes of the chiefs were thus served. True or not, it is very clear that during the early days of her reign, she had shown immense trust and faith in Yakut. This man disappeared from the scene either because of the rumours or by war and death, as many opine.
| One of the tombs claimed to be hers. |
The next man we talk about is Malik Altunia, the chief of Bhatinda in present-day Punjab. He had been a chief in favour of Raziya, who was also originally a slave. Later in her reign, he revolted against her and captured her. It was then that Raziya proposed marriage to him and sought his alliance to reclaim her throne at Delhi. Many versions of stories are woven between Altunia and Raziya. Some say they had known each other since her childhood days, during her father’s reign, and the marriage was a reciprocation of their long-lost love, and that he revolted against her, thinking she had a romantic relationship with Yakut. That would explain why she was not engaged or married. Many also claim that Yakut didn’t exist and the whole story was framed later to question her character. Historians like to call the marriage a purely political move by both parties, as Raziya needed his army to claim back her throne from the rebels and Altunia an alliance to stay powerful. After marriage in the year 1239, they headed out to meet the rebellions led by Bahram near Delhi. After retreating to Kaithal, they were eventually killed there on 13th October 1240 A.D.
The burial place of Raziya also remains untraceable. Some claim her tomb is at the Turk Gate of Shahjahanabad, while some say she was buried at Kaithal alongside Altunia, exactly where they fell fighting. Some also say her burial is at Tonk, Rajasthan. No historical documentation validates any of the places as her true burial site.
Now, this is the story we all know. We all read about it, and find names of the people who rebelled against her and also those who helped her. We know her family and their achievements. Be it her maternal grandfather, Qutb Ud Din or her father, Iltutmish. Both rulers record glorious reigns and successful conquests. It is, however, said that Raziya had been a people’s favourite as well. Unlike most of her time, she was tolerant towards her Hindu Subjects and was a good fighter and administrator. In her short reign, she tried to establish that she was no less than a son to her father. Her moves of being called Sultan instead of Sultana and wearing men’s attire to the court were all reflections of this try. Among her brothers, who were actually power hungry and spent most of their time in pleasure, she had on the other hand shown the skills of being an able administrator. She had coins in her name and maintained her own cavalry. Although she is a mystery yet to solve, personally, I feel she is also a woman who rose to power because she had no other option. She served her people because she wanted to survive independently. And she was someone ahead of her time, and the world around her was not ready to accept a female monarch who needed no husband, father or brother as co-regent.
Coins issued in her name are still the only testimony to her short reign as the first independent female ruler in the subcontinent.
