Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut
Encyclopedia
Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was an Abyssinian
slave who was a close confidante of Razia Sultana
, the first female monarch of the Delhi Sultanate
in India
and is speculated to have been her lover
. Razia Sultana's patronage made him an influential member of the court, provoking racial antagonism amongst the nobles and clergy, who were primarily Turkish and already resented the rule of a female monarch.
and then Razia Sultan, sometime from 1200 to 1240 CE
, when he was slain in a revolt against Razia Sultan. Yaqut was a habshi
. Habshi's were enslaved Africans
of East Africa
n descent frequently employed by Muslim monarch
s in India for their reputed physical prowess and loyalty and as such were an important part of the armies and administration of the Delhi Sultanate
.
record that their relationship was illicit and too intimate in public, but others assert that Yaqut was just a close advisor and friend. A particular incident that provoked the rumours was when Yaqut was observed sliding his arms under the queen's armpits to hoist her onto a horse, which was seen as a flagrant act of intimacy. His power and influence grew through his close relationship with Razia Sultana, who appointed him to the important post of superintendent of the royal stables, giving a loyalist an important post and challenging the power of the Muslim nobles and orthodox leaders. She awarded him the honorific title Amir-al-Khayl (Amir of Horses) and later the much higher Amir-al-Umara (Amir of Amirs), much to the consternation and outrage of the Turkish nobility. Already resented for being a woman ruler by the Muslim nobles and clerics, Razia's proximity to an Abyssinian slave (considered racially inferior to the Turkish nobles who ruled the Sultanate) alienated the nobility and clerics and soon provoked open rebellion and conspiracy.
A rebellion led by Malik Altunia
, the governor of Bhatinda (Punjab) broke out against Razia and Yaqut; fearing a siege
, Razia and Yaqut chose to go out of Delhi to engage the rebels. Forces loyal to Razia and Yaqut were routed by Altunia; Yaqut was killed and Razia was imprisoned until she married Altunia; however, both Razia and Altunia were subsequently killed in battle against Razia's brother Bahram Shah, who had usurped the throne of Delhi
in Razia's absence.
in India. The character of Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was played by the Indian actor Dharmendra
in the 1983 Hindi film Razia Sultan
, whose plot was centred around the love story of Yaqut and Razia, who was portrayed by the actress Hema Malini
.
Habesha people
The term Habesha ābešā, Ḥābešā; al-Ḥabašah) refers to the South Semitic-speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in certain cases, ancestral origins trace back to those people who ruled the Axumite Empire and the kingdom known as DʿMT .Peoples referred to as "Habesha" today...
slave who was a close confidante of Razia Sultana
Razia Sultana
Razia al-Din , throne name Jalâlat ud-Dîn Raziyâ , usually referred to in history as Razia Sultan, was the Sultan of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if...
, the first female monarch of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and is speculated to have been her lover
Sexual partner
Sexual partners are people who engage in sexual activity together. The sexual partners can be of any gender or sexual orientation. The sexual partners may be in a committed relationship, either on an exclusive basis or not, or engage in the sexual activity on a casual basis...
. Razia Sultana's patronage made him an influential member of the court, provoking racial antagonism amongst the nobles and clergy, who were primarily Turkish and already resented the rule of a female monarch.
Ethnic background
Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut lived during the time of the Sultan IltutmishIltutmish
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish was the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi of Turkic origin. He was a slave of Qutub-ud-din-Aybak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the...
and then Razia Sultan, sometime from 1200 to 1240 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
, when he was slain in a revolt against Razia Sultan. Yaqut was a habshi
Siddi
The Siddi, Siddhi, or Sheedi , also known as Habshi, are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab and/or Black African descent. The Siddi population is currently estimated to be 20,000–55,000, with Gujarat and Hyderabad in India the main population centre. Siddis are mainly Sufi Muslims,...
. Habshi's were enslaved Africans
African people
African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":...
of East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n descent frequently employed by Muslim monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s in India for their reputed physical prowess and loyalty and as such were an important part of the armies and administration of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
.
Biography
Yaqut rose in the ranks of the Delhi court, and found favour with the first female monarch of the Mamluk dynasty, Razia Sultana. Yaqut soon became a close advisor and was widely rumoured in the court and amongst the nobles to be the queen's lover. Contemporary historians were also conflicted in their assessment — many including Ibn BattutaIbn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
record that their relationship was illicit and too intimate in public, but others assert that Yaqut was just a close advisor and friend. A particular incident that provoked the rumours was when Yaqut was observed sliding his arms under the queen's armpits to hoist her onto a horse, which was seen as a flagrant act of intimacy. His power and influence grew through his close relationship with Razia Sultana, who appointed him to the important post of superintendent of the royal stables, giving a loyalist an important post and challenging the power of the Muslim nobles and orthodox leaders. She awarded him the honorific title Amir-al-Khayl (Amir of Horses) and later the much higher Amir-al-Umara (Amir of Amirs), much to the consternation and outrage of the Turkish nobility. Already resented for being a woman ruler by the Muslim nobles and clerics, Razia's proximity to an Abyssinian slave (considered racially inferior to the Turkish nobles who ruled the Sultanate) alienated the nobility and clerics and soon provoked open rebellion and conspiracy.
A rebellion led by Malik Altunia
Malik Altunia
Malik Altunia was the governor of Bhatinda in India under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate under the Mamluk Sultanate. He led a revolt against Razia Sultana, the Sultana of Delhi and his childhood friend. To escape death, Razia agreed to marry Altunia...
, the governor of Bhatinda (Punjab) broke out against Razia and Yaqut; fearing a siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
, Razia and Yaqut chose to go out of Delhi to engage the rebels. Forces loyal to Razia and Yaqut were routed by Altunia; Yaqut was killed and Razia was imprisoned until she married Altunia; however, both Razia and Altunia were subsequently killed in battle against Razia's brother Bahram Shah, who had usurped the throne of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
in Razia's absence.
Modern influence
The speculated relationship between the slave Yaqut and the queen Razia has become famous and a part of folkloreFolklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
in India. The character of Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut was played by the Indian actor Dharmendra
Dharmendra
Dharmendra Singh Deol |Punjab]]), better known as Dharmendra, is an award-winning Hindi film actor who has appeared in more than 247 Hindi-language films as of 2011. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema and also another Lifetime...
in the 1983 Hindi film Razia Sultan
Razia Sultan (film)
Razia Sultan is 1983 Urdu film, written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, and starring Hema Malini and Dharmendra in lead roles.The film's music was provided by Khayyam, with lyrics by Jan Nisar Akhtar and two songs by Nida Fazli who walked into the project when Akhtar died...
, whose plot was centred around the love story of Yaqut and Razia, who was portrayed by the actress Hema Malini
Hema Malini
Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar , she went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra. She was initially promoted as...
.