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Razia Sultan's Tomb |
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| In the Bulbuli Khane locality, east of Kalan
Masjid, at some distance from Turkman Gate, just near the Sitaram
Bazaar, reached by a forking lane is the tomb of Razia Sultan,
the only woman in the history to rule over Delhi. Her tomb (the
one with stone slab) is located on a raised platform in the
center of an unroofed walled courtyard (approx 35 sq feet) along
with the grave of her sister Saziya, unknown to history. Apart
from a prayer mihrab in the western wall, the courtyard has
two more small graves in the southwestern corner, probably of
children, also unknown to the world. It is said that her brother
and successor Behram Shah built this tomb here soon after the
death of Razia, away from the Qutb area for strategic reasons. |
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| Nominated by her father Sultan Iltutmish as the
next Sultan of Slave Dynasty, Razia Sultan ascended the throne
with the support of her subjects after they rebelled against
her elder brother Feroz, appointed by the courtiers in spite
of the nomination by Iltutmish. She ascended the Delhi throne
in 1236 AD and ruled successfully for three years but her life
was 'one long power struggle against her provincial nobility'
that felt that choosing the Sultan was their prerogative. Conspiracy
took place and she was killed in 1240 AD when she was out of
Delhi, suppressing a revolt by one of her nobles. She was captured
there and later killed at Kaithal in District Karnal. It is
said that she was even buried there and her real grave lies
there. |
| Razia Sultan was a woman of great determination
and courage. Dressed like a man, she used to ride on horseback
with her bow and quiver and directly communicated to the common
people. The main reason for the conspiracy against her was that
the Turks noble were unable to digest the fact that a woman
was ruling them. Though they were successful in their conspiracy
at that time but the history remembers Razia Sultan as the only
woman who ruled Delhi. |
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