- During his last year, Iltutmish was worried over the problem of succession. He considered none of his surviving sons to be worthy of the throne, so he finally nominated his daughter, Raziya, to the throne, and induced the nobles and the theologians (ulama) to agree to the nomination.
- Although Iltutmish nominated his daughter Raziya as his successor, the Qazi of Delhi and Wazir put Ruknuddin Feroz on the throne. When the governor of Multan revolted, Ruknuddin marched to suppress that revolt. Seizing the opportunity with the support of the Amirs of Delhi, Raziya ascended the throne of the Delhi Sultanate. She appointed an Abyssinian slave named Yakuth as the Master of the Royal Horses. Raziya broke with tradition by discarding female apparel, holding court with her face unveiled, and actively participating in hunting and leading the army. This aroused resentment among the Turkish nobles. In 1240, Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda revolted against her. Raziya personally led an expedition to suppress the revolt but was captured by Altunia, who killed Yakuth and took her prisoner. Meanwhile, the Turkish nobles installed Bahram, another son of Iltutmish, on the throne. However, Raziya managed to win over Altunia, and after marrying him, they proceeded to Delhi together to reclaim her throne. But she was defeated and killed.
- Raziya Sultan married Altuniya, the Governor of Bhatinda, after he initially captured her. However, their alliance was short-lived. They attempted to reclaim her throne but were defeated. Both Raziya and Altuniya were ultimately killed by a coup orchestrated by the Chahalgani, the council of forty Turkic nobles, who opposed her rule. This coup effectively ended her brief and tumultuous reign.
- The fall of Raziya paved the way for the ascendancy of the Forty, the powerful group of nobles. Over the next six years, Bahram and Masud ruled Delhi, during which a struggle for supremacy ensued between the Sultans and the nobles. This period was marked by instability as the Forty sought to consolidate their power at the expense of the central authority. In 1246 Balban succeeded in putting Nasiruddin Mahmud, a younger son of Iltutmish, as Sultan.
- The Corps of Forty, also known as the Chahalgani, was a council of 40 prominent Turkic slave emirs who played a crucial role in the administration of the Delhi Sultanate. These emirs were initially appointed by Sultan Iltutmish and were instrumental in ensuring the efficient governance of the state according to the wishes of the Sultan. The Chahalgani held significant power and influence, often shaping the political landscape of the Sultanate through their collective decisions and actions.
- Abyssinian noble Yaqut Khan, who had been appointed Superintendent of the royal stable, was a favored official of Raziya Sultan. However, Raziya’s close association with Yaqut Khan drew criticism and suspicion from the Turkish nobles. They accused her of violating feminine modesty and of being overly friendly with Yaqut Khan, which they used as a pretext to undermine her authority and legitimacy as a ruler. This animosity among the nobles eventually led to her downfall.
Bahram Shah (1240-1242)
- Muiz-ud-Din Bahram Shah was the third son of Iltutmish. He was put on the throne on the definite understanding that he would give a free hand to the Turkish Maliks and Amirs to administer the country without any interference on his part. The new post of Naib-i-Mamlikat was created and Ikhtiyar-ud-Din Aeitigin was appointed to that post. Although Muhazab-ud-Din continued to be the Wazir he occupied a secondary position. All power was in the hands of the nobles and their nominee.
Ala-ud-Din Masud-Shah (1242-1246)
- Masud Shah ruled for four years. He was the grandson of Iltutmish and the son of Rukn-ud-Din Firuz Shah. During his reign, the Turkish nobles were supreme. The new Sultan was forced to delegated all powers to the Forty. He was merely to enjoy the title of the Sultan.
Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud (1246-1266)
- Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud owed his throne to the Turkish aristocracy, and their influence in the administration was significant. Aware of the fate of those who opposed the powerful aristocracy, Nasir-ud-Din resigned all powers into the hands of the Turkish aristocracy, particularly Balban. Consequently, he reigned only in name for about twenty years. Nasir-ud-Din led a very simple life, spending most of his time copying the Holy Quran.
