A slave of Aibak, Iltamish was the administrator of Gwalior. On his succession at Delhi many subordinate administrator revoled agaist him.
Even the Amirs (courtiers) in Delhi did not accept him as their master. But he suppressed all Amirs into submission and subjected Ayodhya (Avadh), Kashi (Varanasi) and Shivalik to his direct rule. Later he acquired multan and Sindh by his military achievements. The Khalif of Bagdad honoured him with the title Sultan –I- Azam. He introduced Arabic systems of conage. He completed the unfinished Qutb Minar.
Iltamish was a brilliant statesman of the 13 th century. The famous Persian poet Amir Khusro was his contemporary.
After Iltamish, Rukn-ud-Din Ferozeshah ascended the throne, but his luxury loving rule ended and his successor was his sister Razia Sultan. Historian Minaz –Ud-din Sir praises her as an able administrator and dispenser of justice and also a warrior.
She rode on horse and led armies personally. When her courtiers rose in revolt she suppressed them. She appointed an Abyssinian slave Yakut as the Supervisor of the stables. The rebles killed Yakut and also took Razia captive and killed her.