This is an IHeart podcast.

Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosity's, A production of IHeart Radio and grim and mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable. And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

Even now in our modern world, the idea of a monarch is appealing to some people.

Elections are messy and they can lead to corrupt politicians taking power.

But many times throughout history, the biological heir to a throne didn't want the throne itself or refused to do the work to be prepared for it.

And such was the case in the 13th century, in the Indian kingdom of Delhi, where the sultan's

sons all paled in comparison to his highly capable daughter.

Razia spent her days running all over Delhi,

meeting with dozens of people who needed her to solve their problems.

In one morning alone, she arbitrated a dispute between two merchants,

inspected a rickety horse stable, and ordered new armor for the guards.

Meanwhile, her oldest brother, Feroz, spent his days lounging by the river, drinking

wine, and bedding his concubines. Their father, the Sultan, was away at war, and so it fell to

Razia to run things. It was a difficult situation, but she rose to the occasion. She worked

hard as a young woman to learn everything she could about administration and warfare

should she ever need to assist her father. And now, that time had come. Soon, the people grew to love her.

The city was cleaner, safer, and more efficient, with Razia in charge. When her father returned

from his military campaign in the year 1231,

he was greatly impressed by all her work. It astonished Razia when he invited her and the

heads of the noble families to his throne room, or he named Razia, his heir. I have to mention

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