Razia Sultan

Timeline

1. 1211–1220Delhi · DelhiWhen Iltutmish acceded in 1211, Razia was about six years old and grew up in the Delhi court. Her father broke with convention by having her trained in horsemanship, archery, state affairs, and administration rather than secluding her in the harem, laying the groundwork for her later regency and accession.
2. 1231–1236Delhi · DelhiDuring Iltutmish's later years, while he was away on campaigns, he ordered Razia to act on his behalf in governing. When the sultan lay dying in 1236 he designated her as his heir; despite objections from his sons and some nobles, she still acceded the same year, becoming a rare female Islamic ruler in Indian history.
3. 1236–1240Delhi · DelhiAfter acceding, Razia personally handled state affairs, reformed the administration, and courted the common people, but met resistance from the Turkic nobility. She was deposed in a 1240 uprising and killed while fleeing; her brief reign became an important chapter in the political history of the Delhi Sultanate.