Unearthing the Lost Tombs of Sultan Raziya and her Habshi lover Yaqut in the alleys of Old Delhi

Would you believe this if I told you... 

Right opposite the famous Jama masjid~ down the streets, alleys and bye-lanes of Old Delhi lies hidden the tomb of Delhi Sultanate's Trailblazing only woman ruler who challenged patriarchy?

Here are some photos that will give you a clear idea....

After walking through several dingy lanes like this in search of Sultan Raziya's tomb I reached 👇

...what seemed like the entrance to the tomb of Delhi Sultanate's most iconic woman ruler  👇

There is no indication, but we can assume the bigger tomb to the left belongs to SULTAN RAZIYA & YAKUT is to the right. Location: near Turkman gate, Chandni chowk. Take the lane opp Jama masjid and keep taking directions from locals.

There is also a masjid in the enclosure 

Anonymous tomb, possibly that of a child 

Continued from: Delhi Muslim invasions PART 2

ILTUTMISH died on 30 April 1236 CE due to illness. He had many children from his several wives and concubines. But what is noteworthy is the fact that even during his lifetime he had entrusted Delhi administration in the efficient hands of his daughter Raziya Sultana, and considered her as a befitting heir to the throne [1231 CE]~ An idea quite unpopular in the Islamic world* 

*Islamic teachings state a woman's intelligence is ½ that of a man. 

Note- She is commonly referred to as RAZIYA SULTANA. However, SULTANA means the wife of a SULTAN. Whereas RAZIYA was herself a ruler/ SULTAN. The coinage issued during her reign addressed her as Sultan Jalâlat-al-Duniya wal-Din.

Unfortunately, despite his wishes the nobility appointed Ruknuddin Firuz (r. 1236) Iltutmish's eldest son and Raziya's half-brother to the throne instead. It is said that Ruknuddin was a man given to pleasures, and proved rather unfit leaving the responsibility of running the kingdom to his mother Shah Turkan, who in turn spent time spiting her rivals.  

A family affair 

Ruknuddin Firuz- his mother, Shah Turkan was one of ILTUTMISH's concubines. 

Sultan Raziya- her mother, Turkan Khatun was ILTUTMISH's chief wife. She was also the daughter of QUTB AL-DIN AIBAK, the 1st Mamluk ruler of Delhi Sultanate.

Ruknuddin and his mother Shah Turkan despised Raziya for being the favoured heir to the throne, and had planned to eliminate her. When Raziya got to know of this, she made an announcement to the general public and incited them. This caused a major upheaval as people and nobility who were well aware of Ruknuddin's whimsical ways, now pledged allegiance to Raziya. Within just 7 months, Ruknuddin and his mother Shah Turkan were imprisoned and later executed.   

How Razia Sultana, Delhi's first woman muslim ruler challenged patriarchy 

Sultan Raziya (r. 1236 to 1240 CE) became the next regent of the DELHI SULTANATE. 

Ironically the nobility that supported her expected her as regent only in name and were certainly irked when she asserted her authority. For instance - initially she conducted court from behind a purdah and only attended by female guards. But later she took the courage to do away with these, and appeared before the general public dressed as a male Sultan in a 'qaba' (cloak) and 'kulah' (turban). She also made public appearances riding an elephant through the streets of Delhi.

Raziya dressed up as a male Sultan 

In 1237-38 she also made obsolete the coins that were used under the name ILTUTMISH (her father) and replaced these with new coinage under her own name as Sultan Jalâlat-al-Duniya wal-Din.

Skirmishes with rebel Turkic governors

When the high-handedness of the Turkic governors got overbearing, Raziya set out to create a new class non-Turkic officials instead. By doing so, she ruffled feathers among these powerful Turkic origin nobility. And so a rebellion began... Multan, Badaun, Lahore and Hansi~ they marched in from all 4 sides. Raziya led an army to fight them on the banks of the Yamuna. As the skirmishes began, 2 of the rebel leaders switched over to her side, and then they all conspired to arrest the remaining 2 rebel leaders. When few of these rebels learnt of her motive, they fled with Raziya's army close at their heels. Those who were captured were imprisoned and later executed.

Thereafter, Sultan Raziya made several crucial changes and appointed those loyal to her to important positions such as~ wazir (prime minister), army commander, another to replace the slain rebel leader from Lahore and such. She was now respected and her authority acknowledged among her own household. 

Campaign against Rajputs goes bust

Sultan Raziya now directed her attention to the Rajput rulers who had taken back their territories during the reign of her father Iltutmish. With Malik Qutubuddin Hasan Ghuri, her new army commander at the helm~ she directed him to recapture Ranthambore. The Chahamanas Rajputs got into alliance with the Mewatis (Rajputs from around Haryana -Rajasthan) and employed guerrilla warfare tactics from the forests around Delhi making it impossible for Malik to win the war.

She later tried to regain control over Gwalior but the campaign could not be carried out as planned.

Shia QARMATIANS revolt

The Shias were adamant. They had already abandoned the Sunni and Hanafi doctrine of Islam and wished to assert their own dominance. Nuruddin Turk thus got together 1000 of his followers from various parts of India, and on 5 March 1237 he entered a Sunni mosque IE. Jama masjid in DELHI and started killing the Sunni devout who had gathered there for Friday prayers. However many citizens who learnt of this surrounded and attacked them in return.

Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut: Sultan Raziya's blue-eyed boy

Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was a Siddhi* slave of the Delhi Sultanate. 

*Siddhis are an ethnic community who originate from the Bantu tribe ie. Abbysinians of East Africa. They are likely to have arrived in India sometime during the Arab Islamic conquests. This community even today lives in parts of Gujarat, Karnataka and Karachi. They profess Islam by and large.  

When the new regent of the DELHI SULTANATE, namely Raziya made a major shuffle in her cabinet she promoted Yaqut as an important official in her imperial household and bestowed upon him the title of Amir-i-Akhur (an in-charge of the royal stables) a privilege previously enjoyed only by Turkic officials. Raziya found him to be trustworthy and relied on him greatly. Needless to say this decision was deeply resented by Turkic nobility. 

Within a short span of time YAQUT progressed from Amir-i-Akhur to Amir-ul-Umra (Chief of the Nobles). This title too was previously a privilege for high ranking Turkic officials. 

Malik Altunia : the dutiful and loving husband

Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-din Altunia and Sultan Raziya, it is said; were childhood sweethearts and he vowed to marry her someday. But Raziya led a busy life, first administration of Delhi under her father, Iltutmish and later as the new Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. Although it's not too clear about his ancestry, he was born in Bhatinda PUNJAB.  

Based on his credibility, Mirza Altunia rose to importance during the reign of Iltutmish; from Sharab-dar (in-charge of liquor) to Sar Chatar-dar (head of the state canopy-bearers). He was her pillar of support during her struggles in ascending the throne which ultimately resulted in a victory for Sultan Raziya. For this he was granted the governorship of BHATINDA. 

ALTUNIA-RAZIYA-YAQUT: A love triangle or hatched conspiracy?

While Mirza Altunia was busy with his affairs as governor of Bhatinda, Raziya Sultana regarded and relied greatly on Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut. The manner in which YAQUT rose to high rank despite belonging to a different race, irked the Turkic nobility tremendously. Rumors took flight about a likely affair between the two. 

When these rumors fell on the ears of Mirza Altunia, he was torn with jealousy; so much so that he led a revolt against RAZIYA. The outcome was indeed unfortunate as YAQUT her trustworthy Abbysinian slave lost his life, while RAZIYA was taken prisoner by Mirza Altunia. During her days in prison Altunia tried his best to win her heart back by visiting her daily, keeping her in comfort and showering her with love and affection. And he no doubt succeeded, RAZIYA's heart melted at his kind gestures. She was finally released and the two got married.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

The truth of such an emotional and complicated love affair could only be related by ALTUNIA-RAZIYA-YAQUT themselves. Don't you agree?!   

Also, is it mere coincidence that all three share the same year of death, namely 1240. While we are told that YAQUT was slain by Mirza Altunia. In the same year that Altunia married RAZIYA, and while they marched back towards Delhi it seemed as if they were being chased. 

Muiz ud-din Bahram was Raziya's half-brother who had been vying for the throne and had now plotted to overthrow her. As the newly-wed couple (Raziya and Altunia) reached Delhi, Bahram conspired with the Chihalgani [The Forty]* to overthrow and execute the couple. Some say it is quite possible that while Mirza Altunia was away in Bhatinda, YAQUT was her bodyguard and support. 

*The Chilalgani were an elite group of 40 powerful Turkic nobles capable enough to make or break a weak Sultan. It is quite possible Raziya had been attempting to break their influence, by forming her own team of non-Turkic officials. They had previously assisted Iltutmish in defeating Aram Shah and then later helped Mirza Altunia in bringing Raziya to the throne.

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The couple were forced to flee even further from Delhi to save their lives. Suddenly, their own band of army abandoned them, and later a group of Jats, it is said, nabbed, robbed and killed them both on Nov 13, 1240.

In any case only Muiz ud-din Bahram and the Turkic nobility would have benefited from this unfortunate incident, since they were now rid of an assertive woman ruler who it seemed had been offsetting their authority considerably.

Sultan Jalâlat-al-Duniya wal-Din popularly known as Raziya Sultana will never be an inspiration for mullahs and orthodox hardliners. But history will always remember her as the first and last woman muslim ruler of DELHI SULTANATE.

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Back to: DELHI SULTANATE- PART 2