Firuz Shah, Rukn al-Din

(?-1236)

   At the time of Iltutmish's death in 1236, Firuz was his eldest surviving son. He was then hold-ing the prestigious charge of the commandant (muqtV) of Lahore, which had been given to him by his father only three years earlier. Firuz came to Delhi not long before Iltutmish's death and stayed there, which created a wide impression that he was being groomed for succession. Firuz ascended the throne within a few days of Iltut-mish's passing away in 1536. The nobles opted to support Firuz's succession, overlooking Iltutmish's behest favoring Raziya.

   Firuz Shah, a pleasure-loving youth, left the running of the govern-ment in the hands of his mother, Shah Tarkhan, who used her author-ity to ill treat the ladies of Iltutmish's harem. A large number of Iltut-mish's nobles, including the all-powerful wazir Nizam ul-Mulk Junaidi, turned against the new regime, and a state of rebellion pre-vailed at Delhi as well as in many of the provinces, which ended only with the proclamation of Raziya as the new sultan. Rukn al-Din Firuz was captured and put to death in November 1236. A mob of Raziya's supporters stormed the royal palace and seized Shah Tarkhan as well.