Hurra-yi Khuttali (fl. c. 1006 – c. 1040) was a princess from theGhaznavid dynasty and the daughter ofSabuktigin, ruler ofGhazna (now in Afghanistan); her date and place of birth are unknown. Her intelligence and tactfulness gave her an influential role in governmental matters. She was married to twoMaʽmunid rulers of theKhwarazm region,Abu al-Hasan Ali and, after his death, his brotherMaʽmun II. It is not known if she had children with either of her husbands. Her marriages were a direct cause of theannexation of Khwarazm by her brother,Mahmud of Ghazni. In 1030, upon Mahmud's death, she wrote a letter to her favourite nephew,Masʽud, urging him to claim the throne from his brother,Muhammad. After receiving her missive, Masʽud quickly marched to Ghazna and usurped the throne. Hurra's letter is considered the most prominent political act of a woman during the Ghaznavid era. She is last mentioned in 1040, leaving Ghazna for India; her ultimate fate is unknown. (Full article...)