1 RUKN-UD-DIN FEROZ: SOLTANA RAZIA BEGUM. 97
2 RUEKN-UD-DIN FEROZ.
3 After the reduction of Gwalior, in 1231 a.p., Rukn-ud-din Feroz was fen a Nera
4 appointed by his father, Shams-ud-din Altamash, viceroy in the Panjab. When 2.07 © a
5 the emperor died, Rukn-ud-din happened to be at Delhi, and was there
6 crowned king. But he soon gave himself up to licentious excesses and
7 neglected the affairs of state, which were mainly conducted by his mother,
8 Shah Turkan, a cruel woman, who put to death all the women of the
9 Emperor Shams-ud-din’s harem. Malik Ala-ud-din Khan was at that time
10 governor of Lahore, and Malik Kabir Khan, viceroy of Multdn. <A coalition 3 Combinabiantof the
11 of the chiefs was formed at Lahore to depose the king,.and was joined by -
12 all the nobles of the northern and western provinces. The king marched
13 against the confederates, but was deserted by some of his principal chiefs,
14 who retired with their followers to Delhi and raised Sultdéna Razia Begum,
15 eldest daughter of Shams-ud-dfn, to the throne, Shah Turkan, the king’s
16 mother, being put in confinement. Rukn-ud-din was defeated by Sultdéna , He is defeated ana
17 Razia Begum, delivered up to her, and died in prison some time afterwards, Sultana Razia Begum,
18 after reigning only six months and twenty-eight days. eee Nae
19 SULTANA RAZIA BEGUM.
20 Sulténa Razia Begum, called Malikai Dowran, was endowed with all the | Razia, a talented
21 qualifications necessary for the ablest kings. She was no ordinary woman, "°°"
22 and the most severe critics of het actions could find no fault with her, but
23 that she was a woman. She was possessed of valour, determination and
24 courage in an eminent degree, and her remarkable talents and habit of close
25 application to business enabled her, in the time of her father, to make
26 herself familiar, not only with the routine of current business, but also with
27 the art of politics. She was the constant companion of her father, and,
28 while the king was engaged in the reduction of the fort of Gwalior, he
29 uppointed her his regent at the capital during his absence. When the
30 Omerahs asked him the reason of his appointing his daughter to conduct
31 the affairs of Government, in preference to any of his sons, he replied that
32 “he observed his sons gave themselves up to wine, women, gambling and
33 wind (flattery), and that he thought the government too weighty for them,
34 while Razia, though a woman, had a man’s head and heart, and was better
35 than twenty such sons.” She was well educated and could read the Kurdn
36 with correct pronunciation.
37 Razia, after her assumption of imperial authority, changed her apparel, __ Her application to
38 assumed the royal robes, gave public audience from the throne daily, and eas
39 transacted all the business of state in public, revising and confirming the
40 laws of her father and dispensing justice with equal hand.
41 The confederate Omerahs, who had met at Léhorc, marched to Delhi,
42 but the queen so skilfully sowed the seeds of dissension among the
43 leading chiefs that they soon broke up their camp and dispersed. The
44 queen conferred the office of prime minister on Khwaja Mahdi Ghaznavi,
45 with the title of Nizdm-ul-mulk, while Kabir Khan was made viceroy of guiexnan eaiey
46 Lahore. All the disturbances were now quelled, and the governors of of Lahore.
47 distant provinces tendered their submission to the queen. Some of the
48 maicontents having been executed and the rest reduced to submission
49 by milder measures, peace and prosperity once more reigned throughout -
50 the land. Unfortunately for the queen, who was unmarried, she displayed
51 the frailty of her sex by taking into her confidence an Abyssinian slave, pit cin aectn’
52 named Jamal-ud-din. Royal favours were daily showered on this indi- ii coastiamengas
53 vidual, He was raised at once from the office of master of the horse
54 7
55 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com