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raziya sulTan (1236-1240)

The Iltutmish was a broad minded ruler is proved by the fact that though he had sons,
he considered none of them worthy of the throne. He decided to nominate his daughter
Raziya to the throne. Thus, the nomination of a daughter to the throne in preference to
sons was a very bold and a novel step. After becoming the ruler, Raziya refused to be a
puppet. She discarded female dress and started holding court with
the face unveiled. She even hunted and led the army in war. However,

she faced a lot of opposition from the turkish nobles who did not
approve of her independent ways. One important chronicler of that
period Minhaj-i-Siraj reflected this discomfort at having a woman as a
ruler in his accounts. Raziya was finally murderd in 1240. This ended
the short but significant reign of Raziya.

Raziya Sultan
Raziya Sultan was the first woman ruler of India.

nasir-ud-din mahmud (1246-1265)

After Raziya’s death, her brother Bahram and her nephew Allauddin ruled from 1240 to
1246 but they were very weak rulers. Nasir-ud-din Mahmud the youngest son of Iltutmish

access the throne in 1246. He ruled for 19 years, but he was a puppet in the hands of his
senior minister Ghiyas-ud-din Balban.

ghiyas-ud-din balban (1266-1287)

After several weak rulers, Ghiyas-ud-din Balban, a powerful noble,
became Sultan in 1266. He continued Iltutmish’s policy of suppressing
revolts and strengthening the Sultanate’s hold over its territories.

Balban died in 1287. His grand son the last ruler of the Slave dynasty,
was murdered in 1290.
Balban
Khalji dynasTy (1290-1320)

After the death of Balban, there was confusion in Delhi for sometime. Taking advantage of
this, a new group called the Khaljis came to power. Jalal-ud-din Khalji was the founder of
the Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320). He ruled for a brief period of only six years.

jalal-ud-din Khalji (1290-1296)

Jalal-ud-din Khalji was the founder ruler of Khalji Dynasty in India. He was very old when
he ascended the throne. He was a weak ruler who adopted a lenient policy towards the

Mongols. He married one of his daughters to Mongol leader Ulugh Khan. He was murdered
by his nephew, who was son-in-law; also named Alla-ud-din Khalij to capture the throne.

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