Razia Sultan was the first and only female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in India. She ruled from 1236 to 1240 CE and was known for her bravery, intelligence, and administrative skills.
Razia was the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, who had established the Delhi Sultanate after the decline of the Ghaznavid Empire. Iltutmish had several sons, but he chose Razia as his successor, as he believed her to be the most capable of ruling the empire.
Razia's reign was marked by several accomplishments. She introduced several reforms to the administration, such as improving the tax collection system and establishing a network of spies to gather information about the state of affairs in the empire. She also established a postal system, which improved communication and helped her maintain control over the vast empire. Razia was also a skilled warrior and led several military campaigns against neighboring kingdoms. She defeated the rebellious governor of Bhatinda, Malik Altunia, who had refused to recognize her as the Sultan. She also successfully repelled a Mongol invasion led by Genghis Khan's grandson, Batu Khan.
Despite her many achievements, Razia faced significant opposition from the nobility, who were unhappy with being ruled by a woman. Her half-brother Ruknuddin Firuz, who had been appointed as her successor by the nobility, led a rebellion against her. Razia was defeated and imprisoned, and Ruknuddin became the Sultan. However, Razia managed to escape from prison and launched a counter-attack against her half-brother. She defeated Ruknuddin and regained the throne, but her reign was short-lived. She was betrayed by one of her advisors, Altunia, whom she had married for political reasons. Altunia, who had harbored resentment towards Razia for defeating him earlier, turned against her and had her killed in 1240 CE.
Razia Sultan's legacy has endured through the centuries. She was a trailblazer for women in positions of power and challenged the traditional norms of her time. Her reign demonstrated that a woman could rule a vast empire effectively and competently. She is still celebrated as a symbol of female empowerment and has inspired several books, films, and television series in India.
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