The Nāṣirī Generations 197: IV. SULTAN RAZIYYAT-UD-DUNYA WA UD-DIN, DAUGHTER OF SULTAN I-YAL-TIMISH.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 197
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IV. SULTAN RAZIYYAT-UD-DUNYA WA UD-DIN, DAUGHTER OF SULTAN I-YAL-TIMISH.
197.1
Sultan Raziyyat—may she rest in peace!—was a great sovereign, and sagacious, just, beneficent, the patron of the learned, a dispenser of justice, the cherisher of her subjects, and of warlike talent, and was endowed with all the admirable attributes and qualifications necessary for kings; but, as she did not attain the destiny, in her creation, of being computed among men, of what advantage were all these excellent qualifications unto her? During the lifetime of the august Sultan, her father, she exercised authority, and possessed great grandeur, on this account, that her mother, Turkan Khatun, was the greatest [of the ladies] of the sublime haram and her place of residence was the royal palace, the Kushk-i-Firuzi [Firuzi Castle]. As the august Sultan Shams-ud-Din used to notice in her indications of sovereignty and high spirit, although she was a daughter, and [consequently] veiled from public gaze, when he returned after acquiring possession of Gwaliyur, he commanded the Taj-ul-Mulk, Mahmud, the secretary — on whom be peace ! — who was the Mushrif-i-Mamalik [Secretary of the State], to write out a decree, naming his daughter as his heir-apparent, and she was made his heir [accordingly].
197.2
Whilst this decree was being written out, those servants of the state, who had access to the presence of the Sultan, made representation, saying: “Inasmuch as he has grown-up sons who are eligible for the sovereignty, what scheme and what object has the Sultan of Islam in view in making a daughter sovereign and heir-apparent? Be pleased to remove this difficulty from our minds, as this deed does not seem advisable to your humble servants.’’ The Sultan replied ; “My sons are engrossed in the pleasures of youth, and none of them possesses the capability of managing the affairs of the country, and by them the government of the kingdom will not be carried out. After my death it will be seen that not one of them will be found to be more worthy of the heir-apparentship than she, my daughter.” The case turned out as that august monarch had predicted. When Sultan Raziyyat ascended the throne of the kingdom, all things returned to their usual rules and customs; but the Wazir of the kingdom, the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Muhammad, Junaidi, did not acknowledge her; and Malik ’Ala-ud-Din, Jani, Malik Saif-ud-Din, Kuji, Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Kabir Khan-i-Ayaz, Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Muhammad, Salari, and the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Muhammad, Junaidi, assembled from different parts before the gate of the city of Dihli, and commenced hostilities against Sultan Raziyyat, and this opposition continued for a considerable time.
197.3
At this period Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa’i, the Mu’izzi, who was feoffee of Awadh, marched with his forces from that province, for the purpose of rendering aid to Sultan Raziyyat, in conformity with [her] commands, towards Dihli, the capital. After he had crossed the river Gang, the hostile Maliks who were before the city of Dihli unexpectedly advanced to meet him, and took him prisoner, and affliction overcame him, and he died. The stay of the hostile Maliks before the gate of Dihli was prolonged for a considerable time; but, as the good fortune of Sultan Raziyyat was at the point of ascendancy, the Sultan issued from the city, and directed her sublime tent to be pitched at a place on the bank of the river Jun; and, between the Turk Amirs who served at the stirrup of sovereignty, and the hostile Maliks, conflicts took place upon several occasions. At last, an accommodation was arranged, but in a deceptive manner, and by the subtile contrivance of Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Muhammad, Salari, and Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Kabir Khan-i-Ayaz, who, secretly, went over to the Sultan’s side, and, one night, met before the entrance to the royal tent, with this stipulation, that Malik Jani, Malik Saif-ud-Din, Kuji, and the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Muhammad, Junaidi, should be summoned, and be taken into custody and imprisoned, in order that the sedition might be quelled.
197.4
When these Maliks became aware that the state of affairs was on this wise, they left their camp and fled. The Sultan’s horsemen followed in pursuit, and Malik Saif-ud-Din, Kuji, and his brother, Fakhr-ud-Din, fell into their hands, and, subsequently to that, they were put to death in prison. Malik 'Ala-ud-Din, Jani, was killed within the limits of Payal, at a village named Nakawan; and his head was brought to the capital; and the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Muhammad Junaidi, retired to the hills of Sir-mur Bardar, and there, after some time, he died.
197.5
Now that the affairs of Sultan Raziyyat’s government became arranged, she gave the office of Wazir to the Khwajah Muhazzab, who was the deputy of the Nizam-ul-Mulk, and he likewise received the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. The charge of the army, as her lieutenant, was conferred upon Malik Saif-ud-Din, I-bak-i-Bihak, who received the title of Kutlugh Khan; and Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Kabir Khan-i-Ayaz, received the fief of Lohor, and the kingdom became pacified, and the power of the state widely extended. From the territory of Lakhanawati to Diwal and Damrilah, all the Maliks and Amirs manifested their obedience and submission. Suddenly, Malik Saif-ud-Din, I-bak-i-Bihak, died, and the charge of the army was bestowed upon Malik Kutb-ud-Din, Husain, son of ’Ali, Ghuri and he was appointed to [march and relieve] the fortress of Rantabhur, because the Hindus, after the decease of the august Sultan, Shams-ud-Din, I-yal-timish, had, for a considerable time, invested that preserved town and stronghold. Malik Kutb-ud-Din, Husain, conducted the forces to that part, withdrew the Musalman Amirs [and their troops?] out of that fortification, destroyed the works, and retired, and returned to the capital again.
197.6
At this time, the Malik-i-Kabir [Great Malik] Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Aet-kin, became Amir-i-Hajib, and Malik Jamal-ud-Din, Ya-kut, the Habashi [Abyssinian or Ethiopian], who was Lord of the Stables, acquired favour in attendance upon the Sultan, so that the Turk Amirs and Maliks began to be envious thereat ; and it so chanced to happen that Sultan Raziyyat laid aside the female dress and issued from [her] seclusion, and donned the tunic, and assumed the head-dress [of a man], and appeared among the people ; and, when she rode out on an elephant, at the time of mounting it, all people used, openly, to see her. At this period she issued commands for her troops to proceed to Gwaliyur, and bestowed rich and valuable presents. As disobedience was out of the question this servant of the victorious kingdom, Minhaj-i-Saraj, in conjunction with the Malik-ul-Umra [the chief of Amirs] Ziya-ud-Din, Junaidi, who was the Amir-i-Dad [chief magistrate] of Gwaliyur, and with other persons of note, came out of the preserved fortress of Gwaliyur on the 1st of the month Sha'ban, 635 H., and returned to Dihli, the capital; and, in this same month, Sultan Raziyyat committed to the charge of this servant [the author] the Nasiriah College at the capital, to which was added the Kazi-ship of Gwaliyur.
197.7
In the year 637 H. Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Kabir Khan-i-Ayaz, who was the feudatory of Lohor, began to show a rebellious spirit. Sultan Raziyyat led an army towards that part from Dihli, and followed in pursuit of him. At last an accommodation took place, and he presented himself; and the province of Multan, which Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Kara-Kush Khan-i-Aet-kin, held, was made over to the charge of Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Kabir Khan-i-Ayaz. Sultan Raziyyat returned again to the capital on Thursday, the 19th of the month of Sha’ban 637 H. Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Altuniah, who held the fief of Tabarhindah, broke out into rebellion, and, secretly, some of the Amirs of the Court abetted him in this treason. Sultan Raziyyat, on Wednesday, the 9th of the sacred month Ramazan of this same year [637 H.], set out from the capital, with numerous forces, for the purpose of putting down Malik Altuniah’s rebellion. When she reached that place [Tabarhindah] through circumstances which supervened, the Turk Amirs rose against her, and put to death Amir Jamal-ud-Din, Ya-kut, the Habashi, seized Sultan Raziyyat and put her in durance, and sent her to the fortress of Tabarhindah.
197.8
Among the events which happened in the beginning of Sultan Raziyyat's reign, the greatest was that the Kiramitah and Mulahidah heretics of Hindustan, incited by a person, a sort of learned man, named Nur-ud-Din, a Turk, whom they used to style Nur, the Turk, collected together at Dihli, from different parts of the territory of Hind, such as Gujarat, and the country of Sind, and the parts round about the capital, Dihli, and the banks of the rivers Jun and Gang. In secret they pledged themselves to be faithful to each other, and, at the instigation of Nur, the Turk, they conspired against Islam. This Nur, the Turk, used to harangue, and the mob would collect around him. He used to call the ’Ulama of the orthodox people Nasibi [setters-up], and to style them Murji’ [procrastinators], and used to incite the common people to animosity against the orders of 'Ulama of the sects of Abu-Hanifah and Shafi until a day was fixed upon. The whole of the fraternities of the Mulahidah and Kiramitah entered the Jami' Masjid of the city of Dihli, on Friday, the 6th of the month of Rajab, in the year 634 H., to the number of about one thousand persons, armed with swords and shields.
197.9
Having divided into two bodies, one body, from the side of the Hisar-i-Nau [the new Citadel], entered the gateway of the Jami' Masjid on the northern side, and the second body, passing through the Bazar-i-Bazazan [the Bazar of the Cloth-Merchants], entered the gateway of the Mu’izzi College under the supposition that it was the Jami' Masjid, and, on both sides, fell upon the Musalmans with [their] swords. A great number of people, some by the swords of those heretics, and some [trodden] under people’s feet, attained martyrdom. On an outcry having arisen from the city on account of this outbreak, the warriors of the city, such as Nasir-ud-Din, Ai-yitim, the Balarami, and Amir, Imam-i-Nasiri, the Poet, and other armed men, from different directions, rode fully equipped [as they were] with cuirass, and other defensive armour, steel cap, spear, and shield, into the Jami Masjid, by the minarah entrance and plied their swords upon the Mulahidah and Kiramitah heretics ; and the Musalmans, who were on the roof of the Jami Masjid, poured down stones and bricks upon them, and sent the whole of the Mulahidahs and Kiramitahs to hell, and quelled that outbreak; Thanks be to God for the blessing of safety and the honour of religion !
197.10
When they imprisoned Sultan Raziyyat within the stronghold of Tabarhindah, Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Altuniah, entered into a matrimonial contract with her, and espoused her, and marched an army towards Dihli, in order to take possession of the kingdom a second time. Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Muhammad, Salari, and Malik Kara-Kash rebelled and quitted the capital, Dihli, and went and joined them. Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, Bahram Shah [Raziyyat's brother], was [at this time] seated on the throne ; and Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Aet-kin, the Amir-i-Hajib, having been assassinated, Badr-ud-Din, Sunkar, the Rumi, had become Amir-i-Hajib. In the month of Rabi’-ul-Awwal, in the year 638 H., Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, Bahram Shah, led an army out of Dihli for the purpose of resisting Sultan Raziyyat and Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-Din, Altuniah, and they were routed, and, having reached Kaithal, the troops along with them all abandoned them and Sultan Raziyyat and Malik Altuniah fell captive into the hands of Hindus, and attained martyrdom. Their defeat took place on the 24th of the month, Rabi’-ul-Awwal; and the martyrdom of Sultan Raziyyat took place on Tuesday, the 25th of Rabi’-ul-Awwal in the year 638 H. Her reign extended over a period of three years, six months, and six days.