Sultana (title)
Sultana (also written Sultanah) is the female form of the title sultan. It is used for a woman who rules in some Islamic states, and it has also been used for a sultan’s wife or consort.
The word comes from Arabic sulṭāna, meaning strength or authority, with sultan meaning ruler who has power.
Throughout history, some Muslim women became rulers and used the title sultana. In other cases, sultana was mainly used for the sultan’s wife.
Examples and notes:
- Shajar al-Durr was the ruling sultana of Egypt in 1250 and helped found the Mamluk Sultanate; some historians question whether she officially used the title.
- Razia Sultana ruled the Delhi Sultanate (1236–1240) and is often cited as the first female Muslim ruler of northern India; she preferred the title sultan, not sultana.
- There have been several female rulers called sultanas in parts of Southeast Asia and Indonesia, such as in the Maldives and in various Indonesian sultanates.
- In Egypt’s Muhammad Ali Dynasty (early 20th century), the sultan was the title for rulers; their wives were styled sultanas, with Nazli Sabri later becoming queen.
- In Malaysia and Brunei, the chief wife of the sultan has titles like Permaisuri or Seri Baginda Raja Isteri. The Persian title shahbanu means “empress” for the wife of a shah in Iran (since 1967, with Farah Pahlavi crowned as shahbanu).
- The Ottoman Empire used sultan mainly for imperial princesses and other royal women (not ruling queens): the mother of the sultan was Valide sultan, the chief consort was Haseki Sultan, and other consorts were hatun. Western writers sometimes translated these titles as sultana.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:29 (CET).