GeorgeGirdleston at 10:05, 2 May 2026

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{{Short description|Princess of Deogiri and Khalji Empress}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Jhatyapali
| title =
| image =
| caption =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| reign =
| coronation =
| succession =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Deogiri]], [[Maharashtra]]
| death_date =
| death_place = [[Delhi]]
| consort = yes
| spouse = [[Alauddin Khalji]]
| issue = [[Shihabuddin Omar]]<br>[[Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah]]
| house = [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadava]] (By birth)<br />[[Khalji]] (By marriage)
| father = [[Ramachandra of Devagiri]]
| mother =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| image_size =
| embroidery =
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}}
'''Jhatyapali''' was the princess of [[Deogiri]] and a daughter of [[Ramachandra of Devagiri|Rai Ramchandra Dev]], the ruler of Deogiri. She was later married to [[Alauddin Khalji]] and her son [[Shihabuddin Omar]] was appointed as the successor of Alauddin, after his death.<ref name=Chandra>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5eFzeyjBTQC&q=jhatyapali&pg=PA92|title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One|first=Satish|last=Chandra|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|year=2004|isbn=8124110646|access-date=2020-09-12}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Daulatabad Fort Geography.jpg|thumb|The hill of Devagiri, the capital of Yadavas, the dynasty to which Jhatyapali belonged.]]
In a bid to fulfil his desire of territorial expansion, Alauddin first raided Deogiri in 1296. The Deogiri at the time of his raid was ruled by Rai Ramchandra, the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadava]] ruler, with his son Simhana as the supreme commander of the Yadava army. Simhana was on an expeditionary mission during Alauddin's invasion and Ramchandra was not able to withstand the invading army from Delhi. Though Yadava gave formidable challenge to Alauddin they were not able to cope up with the situation due to absence of Simhana from the battlefield. Ramchandra then sent a message of truce, which was welcomed by Alauddin as he wanted to return Delhi as soon as possible.<ref name=Chandra/>

They came to an agreement in which a large amount of wealth along with precious gifts were given to Alauddin as war indemnity. Ramchandra Dev also promised to pay annual tribute to him, which made the treaty possible. After his return to the Deogiri, Simhana came to know about the derogatory peace treaty with Delhi and he pressed his father to stop paying tribute in a bid to express his independence from the subordination.<ref name=Chandra/>

The failure of Ramchandra to pay the annual tribute dragged Alauddin's attention to the Deogiri once again. After his successful expeditions of [[Chittor]] and [[Malwa]], Alauddin was compelled to send two armies to Deogiri for a second showdown. This time Yadavas were routed; as the combined forces of Delhi, one which was sent to displace Rai Karana Singh Vaghela, the Rajput ruler of [[Gujarat]], who was defeated earlier by Alauddin and was seeking refuge at Baglana on the border of south Gujarat and another particularly for Deogiri campaign under [[Malik Kafur]] pushed their way into Yadava's territory.<ref name=Chandra/>

There was a strict order from the Alauddin to his Generals to not harm the family of [[Rai (title)|Rai]]. Hence, Rai along with his kinsmen were brought to Delhi in an honourable way while Deogiri was left under the charge of Simhana. After keeping him as his guest in Delhi for some time; Rai was honoured with a canopy (the royal insignia) and vast amount of wealth was bestowed upon him. Nausiri, a territory of Gujarat was also awarded to him as gift. During this time, Ramchandra decided to give his daughter Jhatyapali in marriage to Alauddin. The bride was accepted and the relations of Deogiri with Delhi reached new heights.<ref name=Chandra/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Rm9MC4DDrcC&pg=PA110|title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II|first=Satish|last=Chandra|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|year=2005|isbn=8124110662|access-date=2020-09-12}}</ref>

==Life as Empress==
[[Shihabuddin Omar]], the son of Jhatyapali, who was merely six years old was appointed by Malik Kafur, the slave General of Alauddin as his successor while the other sons of Alauddin including [[Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah]] were either blinded or detained. This was done by Kafur to strengthen his holds upon the [[Sultanate]].<ref name=Saxena>{{cite book |author=Banarsi Prasad Saksena |author-link=Banarsi Prasad Saksena |chapter=The Khaljis: Qutubuddin Mubarak Khalji |editor1=Mohammad Habib |editor2=Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |title=A Comprehensive History of India |volume=5: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526) |year=1992 |publisher=The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ|pages=425–428 |oclc=31870180 }}</ref>

According to [[Ferishta]], in order to legitimise his rule Malik Kafur married Jhatyapali and became the step-father of the boy [[Sultan]]. The fate of Alauddin's family engineered by Kafur to fulfill his ambitions was not liked by some of the earlier nobles and bodyguards (''Paiks'') of Alauddin, who plotted and assassinated Kafur, which was followed by freeing of Mubarak Shah, another adult son of Alauddin.<ref name=Saxena/>

Mubarak Shah took over the affairs of state in his hand as the [[regent]] and for some time his younger brother Shihabuddin was restored as the Sultan. After working as regent for some time, Mubarak complained that Jhatyapali, the queen mother had conspired to poison him and taking it as pretext, he sent Shihabuddin as prisoner to [[Gwalior]], where he was blinded but no step was taken against Jhatyapali.<ref name=Habib>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iRJuAAAAMAAJ|title= A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat, A.D. 1206-1526(Volume 5 of A Comprehensive History of India, Indian History Congress)|first=Mohammad Habib|last=Khaliq Ahmad Nizami|publisher=People's Publishing House- Original from the University of Michigan|page=428,446|year=1970|access-date=2020-09-13|quote=Mubarak, after working as regent for some weeks, complained that Jhatyapali, the mother of boy - Sultan and daughter of Rama Deva, had tried to poison him . Shihabuddin Umar was sent as a prisoner to Gwalior and blinded ,}}</ref>

==Death==
In 1320, [[Khusrau Khan]], the General and partner of homosexual Sultan Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah, raised the army of Baradus, a [[Hindu]] military clan. He assassinated the Sultan and in order to eliminate all the possible claimants to the throne, he attacked the royal [[harem]]. All the surviving princes were ordered to be killed. Jhayatapali, the mother of Mubarak Shah was also killed during the [[Coup]].<ref name=Habib/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
5. Maurya Sudheer: Chhitai(Devgiri ki Yadav Rajkumari ki marmik gatha) ISBN: 9395107308

[[Category:Indian female royalty]]
[[Category:People from the Delhi Sultanate]]
[[Category:13th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:14th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:14th-century Indian people]]

Jhatyapali - Revision history

GeorgeGirdleston at 10:05, 2 May 2026