sultana

Sultana or sultanah is a female royal title, and the feminine form of the word sultan. This term has been officially used for female monarchs in some Islamic states, and historically it was also used for sultan's consorts. Nomenclature The term sultana is the feminine form of the word sultan, an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, sultan came to be used as the title of certain rulers who claimed almost full sovereignty in practical terms, albeit without claiming the overall caliphate, or to refer to a powerful governor of a province within the caliphate. Usage Ruling sultana Some Muslim female monarchs chose to adopt the title of Sultana/Sultanah when they ascended to the throne.