Razia Sultana Taking Charge of Administration

On 30th April, 1236, Iltutmish passed away, appointing Razia as his rightful heir. The Muslim nobility refused to accept this, and therefore, they installed her incompetent brother, Rakn ud din Firuz, on the throne. His rule, which was managed by Shah Turkaan, Iltutmish's widow, came to an abrupt end a mere 6 months later, when both he and his mother were assassinated. Razia was finally handed the reigns to the kingdom on 10th November, 1236.

Razia ascended the throne as Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ, and immediately dropped her veil, replacing it with men’s attire instead. She authoritatively issued coins in her name, proclaiming herself to be the ‘pillar of women’ and ‘Queen of the times.’ She was proud of her kingdom, and worked on conquering new territories and strengthening it. She also made breakthroughs in its administration, and established schools, academies, and public libraries.