MOOMTAZ EMRITH
(Windsor, ON, Canada)
Razia Sultana ruled India long before Babur (1526-1530) the Mongol invader, would conquer the Delhi Sultanate in 1526 after defeating Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526) at the first Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty in India that would literally give a new twist and have a deep impact on India’s history.
Razia’s full name was Sultan Raziyyat-Ud Dunya Wa Ud-Din but she was simply known as Razia Sultana and she was the first woman to rule India and was, also, the first Muslim female to rule over the powerful Sultanate of Delhi – which was a remarkable feat in itself given the fact that it came at a time when prejudice against women was rife and women holding position of authority were heavily frowned upon by a male-dominated society. And Razia Sultana’s short reign was significant for the many hurdles and rebellions against her authority by, among others, her own siblings just because she was a woman. Yet, she was no pansy. She would put up a fight to uphold her authority.
Razia was the daughter of Altumish, who was himself a Mamluk Turk and a slave of Qutub ud-din Aibak, Sultan of Delhi. Altumish eventually became the son-in-law of Sultan Aibak thanks to his “insurmountable performance, aptitude and indomitable statesmanship.”
In 1231, when Sultan Altumish got tied up in a campaign in Gwalior, his daughter Razia held the fort in Delhi during his absence and she did such a good job that when Altumish returned, he decided to name her as his heir and successor over his sons, who were all known for leading a life of carousing and debauchery. However, Altumish had earlier nominated his eldest son, Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud, whom he had been grooming as his heir. Unfortunately, the son died unexpectedly in 1229.
It is true that Altumish’s decision to name his daughter, Razia, as his successor, created a lot of resentment against Razia among her three half-brothers and their mother Shan Turkan, who would make attempts to have Razia killed. Also, Razia’s nomination as heir was equally unpopular among the Turkic nobles at Court, who could not see a woman on the throne of Delhi. But the Sultan would stand his ground.
However, at the death of Altumish 1236, the nobles chose Ruknuddin Firuz, Razia’s half-brother, as Sultan. Razia would not take it lying down. She instigated a rebellion. She roused the people against the newly installed ‘Sultan’ and during a Friday Jummah prayer, she succeeded to win a section of the nobles to her cause and with the popular support of the people who had rallied around her, Ruknuddin Firuz was deposed and Razia became Sultana of Delhi in 1236. She was the first and only Muslim woman to become Sultana.
Her half-brother Sultan Ruknuddin Firuz and his conniving mother, Shan Turkan, would both be killed in the skirmishes that ensued. The nobles accepted Razia as Sultana begrudgingly. As a matter of fact, they had hoped that Razia, as Sultana, would just be a figure-head. But they were mistaken. Razia had no intention of playing second-fiddle to the nobles. She slowly began to assert her authority and appointed people – mostly non-Turkic – she could trust in key positions in the realm. She, who had been raised as a docile, obedient Muslim princess, would slowly show her transformation. As one chronicler puts it:
“As a true archetypical of her fierce blood, adopted the route of mutiny against the degenerative status given to women and succeeded in ascending the throne of Delhi as the first Queen of Delhi after her father’s death.”
Eventually, she stopped wearing a veil over her face and discarded the purdah system completely and began “to dress up like a man wearing a head–dress and tunic, and gave up the veil, which shocked the courtiers.” Indeed, as one historian put it:
“Since the sword remained in the sheath, many rebellions were left unchecked. With a royal blow, she tore away the veil; she showed her face’s to the sun from behind the screen. The (lioness) showed so much force that brave men bent low before her” (*)
Razia proved herself to be a shrewd politician too despite the fact that she faced on-going problems ruling her realm. It was a constant struggle to keep her position especially given the fact that she was a woman. But she was smart and gifted in her own way. She knew how to play one side against the other and get them to oppose one another and fight each other. Thus, she was able to maintain her position on the throne but it was apparent that such a situation could not endure for long but would be probably one of her biggest achievements as Queen. She ever remained close to her people. She loved to mingle among her subjects.
She established schools, academies, centres for research and libraries that included works of ancient Hindu philosophers along with copies of the Holy Qur’an and books on the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh).
Razia’s opponents were on the look out for the opportunity to rise against her and the moment they were waiting for came up when he appointed her favourite advisor, Jamal ud-Din Yaqut as Superintendent of Stables. That appointment sparked jealousy among the Turkic nobles and was the beginning of the end of Razia Sultan. It was alleged that Razia and Yakut were lovers but there was no evidence of that. However, it is true that Razia had “a great friendship with Yakut.” The nobles, understandably rebelled against her and led a coup. The group was headed by Malik Altunia, who was the governor of Bhatinda and a childhood friend of Razia. However, the battle that followed between Razia and Altunia ended up in favour of the latter. Yakut was killed and Razia herself was taken prisoner. However, Razia came up with an interesting ploy, she decided to marry Altunia. While that solved her problem with Altunia, her half-brother Muiz-ud-Din Bahram Shah for his part, took over the throne of Delhi and proclaimed himself Sultan.
Razia would not take things lying down. She and her newly wedded husband raised an army against Bahram. However, in the battle that followed between the two forces on October 24, 1240, Razia and Altunia were both defeated and they fled to Kaithai and their army deserted them. They were thus left alone and powerless. A band of (Jats) robbers fell upon them without knowing that they were the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate and, in the process, they killed them and robbed them. Thus ended the story of Razia Sultana – the first only Muslim woman to rule India. What is remarkable about Razia Sultana is the fact that she was, after all accepted as Queen by the people in a realm that was deeply imbued in strict Islamic culture.
To be sure, Bollywood, India’s movie Industry, has always been fascinated by the story of Razia Sultana –a character that is charismatic, brave and noble, and enterprising and smart in a world that was then taboo to women. She braved the challenges, faced the odds head on and left her name to history. Understandably, a number of attempts have been made to put on celluloid Razia Sultana’s story. The most noteworthy attempt was in 1983 by poet and film-maker Kamal Amrohi. The movie starred Bollywood’s ‘dream girl’ Hema Malini in the title role and Dharmendra, Bollywood popular hero, as the devoted Ethiopian slave Yakut.