The Lady of Gold: Sikandar Lodi’s mother (c. 837/1433–922/1516) and the Tomb Attributed to Her at Dholpur, Rajasthan

Until the Mughal period historians of Muslim India hardly mention ladies, as it was considered discourteous, and even then only a handful of noble women were deemed worthy of mention. A secluded lady was of concern only to the man of the house. There was Sultan Ra iya, Iltutmish's daughter, who succeeded to the throne and enjoyed a degree of freedom during Turkish rule in India, but was killed, accused of an illicit relationship with a black slave. Nevertheless, many women's influence reached beyond the harem and their voices appear between the lines. One such woman was the Sharqi Sultan Mu ammad's mother, Bibi Raji, who played a significant role in the affairs of Jaunpur, but this article concerns another: Sultan Sikandar Lodi's mother, known as Bibi Zarrina (the Lady of Gold) who defied the Lodi nobility to put her son on the throne. Here we explore her story and study her tomb.