Razia Sultana: The Only Woman to Rule the Delhi Sultanate

Priya Khaitan
Jul 27
2 min read

Updated: Aug 3

Overview

Razia Sultana (c. 1205–1240) was the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate, chosen by her father over his sons for her ability, and remembered for governing openly as "Sultan" rather than accepting the feminized title "Sultana."

Timeline

c. 1205 — Born in Budaun, daughter of Sultan Iltutmish and Turkan Khatun
1236 — Iltutmish nominates Razia as his successor over his sons; she ascends the throne on 19 November after her brother Ruknuddin Firuz is deposed
1236–1240 — Rules the Delhi Sultanate, minting coins in her own name and image and leading her armies personally
1240 — Turkic nobility, resentful of her authority and her appointment of Jamal-ud-din Yaqut, rebel; she is deposed by her brother Muizuddin Bahram
September 1240 — Marries Malik Altunia, governor of Bhatinda, in an alliance to reclaim her throne
October 1240 — Defeated in battle attempting to retake Delhi; killed within days of the defeat near Kaithal

Early Life

Razia was the only daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, one of the Delhi Sultanate's most capable rulers. Unlike other princesses of her era, she was trained directly in administration, military strategy, and governance — training her father evidently judged superior to that given his own sons.

Achievements

First and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate, reigning 1236–1240
Rejected the feminized title 'Sultana,' insisting on being addressed and governing as 'Sultan'
Minted currency bearing her own name and image, an unmistakable assertion of sovereign authority
Led her armies personally into battle, dressed in male warrior attire
Oversaw a period of administrative reform and economic activity during her reign

Challenges

Her rule faced constant resistance from Turkic nobles uncomfortable governing under a woman, intensified by her decision to discard the veil and appoint non-noble allies to high office. This resentment ultimately produced the rebellion that deposed her in 1240, and the battle that led to her death within the same year.

Legacy

Historians have compared Razia's struggle against a patriarchal court to that of Egypt's Hatshepsut centuries earlier. Though her reign lasted barely four years, she remains a singular figure in South Asian history — the only woman ever to hold the Delhi Sultanate's throne in her own right.

Razia Sultana refused to be addressed as "Sultana" — the feminine form of the title — insisting instead on ruling, and being known, as "Sultan."

Sources

Wikipedia: Razia Sultan; GKToday; Ancient Origins. Note: historical accounts differ on the precise circumstances of her death (killed by local Jats versus executed on her brother's orders); both versions are noted in the historical record.

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