ＨＩＳＴＯＲＹ ＭＥＭＥ | nine people — raziyya al-din
Raziyya al-Din (1205 – October 13, 1240) (Urdu: رضیہ سلطانہ, Hindi: रज़िया सुल्ताना), throne name Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ (Urdu: جلالۃ الدین رضیہ, Hindi: जलालत उद-दीन रज़िया), usually referred to in history as Razia Sultan, was the Sultan of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. Like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if necessary. Razia Sultana was the only woman ruler of both the Sultanate and the Mughal period, although other women ruled from behind the scenes. Razia refused to be addressed as Sultana because it meant “wife or mistress of a sultan”. She would answer only to the title “Sultan”.
Razia is said to have pointed out that the spirit of religion was more important than its parts, and that even the Islamic prophet Muhammad spoke against overburdening the non-Muslims. On another occasion, she reportedly tried to appoint an Indian Muslim convert from Hinduism to an official position but again ran into opposition from the nobles.
Razia was reportedly devoted to the cause of her empire and to her subjects. There is no record that she made any attempt to remain aloof from her subjects, rather it appears she preferred to mingle among them. Her tolerance of Hinduism would later bring her criticism from Muslim historians. [ + more ] [ face used: Deepika Padukone ]