Razia Sultana

Razia Sultana (c. 1205–1240) was the only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate and the first female Muslim ruler of the subcontinent. Eldest daughter of Iltutmish, a Turkic slave, she governed Delhi in 1231–1232 while he campaigned at Gwalior. A chronicler says he named her his heir, but the nobles raised her half-brother Ruknuddin Firuz instead, whose mother Shah Turkan ruled in his name.

In 1236, as Ruknuddin marched against rebels and Shah Turkan plotted her death, Razia roused the people at prayer; a mob seized the palace and the army placed her on the throne. She put down a Shia rising and retook Gwalior, but Turkic nobles resented her non-Turkic officers.

In April 1240 they deposed her and rebel Altunia arrested her. She married him in September and marched on Delhi, but on 14 October was defeated by her half-brother Muizuddin Bahram and killed by her captors.