Female Muslim Sovereign of 13th century India-Razia Sultan

Abstract

Female as a sovereign and a monarch remain an interesting subject of history of Europe but this chapter is hardly enclosed on the pages of Indian history due to the male dominant historiographical trends. Indian history was the domain of kings, warriors and knights and women in general and monarchs in particular are missing due to gender biases and un-ending debate of Islamic laws where woman as monarch and head of state does not acceptable. Even the case of United State of America is still under sway of male president where female sovereign is not acceptable by the conservatives. The case of queen Raziya is the same as one of most important source of Delhi sultanate did not mention her name as a queen. Queen Raziya was a female sovereign of Delhi sultanate who embarked the throne in the presence of the legal heirs of her Father Sultan Iltutmish. Although her rule could not sustain due to the dominant Turkish hierarchy of Forty Umarhs in which Sultan Balban was the most treacherous. This research focus upon the Sultan Raziya bold steps which she took to transformed herself as a female sovereign and her strategies to improve the rules of kingship in India. It also deals with the comments of contemporary historian about Raziya which shows the male mentality of Indian historiography having dual standards in history writing.