Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish or Altamash was the third sultan of Slave Dynasty and Delhi Sultanate.

Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish was born in a tribal community of Ilbari in Turkestan. He looked outstandingly handsome as well as intelligent and wise from his young age. His brothers were jealous of him and they deprived him of the share of their paternal home and care. But these adversities could not mutilate his talents and soon he got a career opportunity. His accomplishments brought attention of Qutub-Ud-Din Aybak, then viceroy of Delhi, who bought him as a slave at a very high price. Shams-Ud-Din applied his intelligence and gradually rose in post until he became the Governor of Badaun. He was married to a daughter of Kutub-Ud-Din. Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish was free from slavery as he was recognized for his services during the campaign of Muhammad of Ghur against the Khokhars. He was also elevated by post as Amir-Ul-Umara.

In 1210 AD, Qutab-Ud-Din Aybak, father-in-law of Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish died. The Chihalgani selected Aram Shah as the next Sultan. But eventually Aram Shah turned out to be an incapable ruler and Shams-Ud-Din replaced him. Shams-Ud-Din was given the title Iltmash or Altmush at the time of his enthronement. It meant in the Turkish language sixty as Shams-Ud-Din ascended on throne at the age of sixty. But he had to face several embarrassing situation soon after he was made king. Nasir-Ud-Din-Qabacha announced his independence in Sind and wanted to take Punjab under his rule. Another Khalji noble, Ali Mardan, who was appointed as Governor of Bengal by Qutab-Ud-Din in 1206, came out of the commitment to Delhi after the death of Qutab-Ud-Din and declared himself as Sultan Ala-Ud-din. Also the Hindu Princess and Chiefs had grievance at the loss of their independence. Gwalior and Ranathambore got independence during the waek rule of Aram Shah. Crisis added to Iltutmish`s troubles when some of the Amirs of Delhi revolted against Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish.

But Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish faced all situations with great courage. He first dominated the rebellion of Amir in the plain of Jud near Delhi and then took control of different parts of kingdom and took those under his dependencies like Benaras, Badaun and Sibalik. Qubacha advanced to Lahore and was expelled by Iltutmish. He was completely overcame by Iltutmish on 1228 and later was accidentally drowned in Indus. Sindh was annexed to Delhi sultanate. The Khalji Maliks of Bengal were subdued in the winter of Circa on 1231 and Ala-Ud-Din Jani was appointed Governor of Lakhnauti.

During the reign of Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish the Mongals appeared in the banks of Indus in the year 1221 AD under the most ill famed leader Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan conquered almost most of the central and western Asia. When he attacked Jalal-Ud-Din Mangabarni, the last Shah of Khwazarazm or Khiva, he fled to Punjab and saught the shelter in the dominion of Iltutmish. But sultan of Delhi refused his request. Mangabarni entered with Khokhars and defeated Qabacha of Multan, despoiled Sind and northern Gujrat and then went towards Persia. Mongols also retired from the attack. Thus the main land of India was saved from the disaster of Mongal attack but later Mongal threat of attack has disturbed the Sultans of Delhi for several times.

Iltutmish was a man of brilliant qualities and extended his patronage to literature and arts. He completed the structure of Qutab Minar on 1231-1232 AD, which was started by Qutab-Ud-Din Aybak. The minar was built from the ruins of Hindu temples at Delhi. The column was named after Khwaja Qutub-Ud-Din , a native of Ush near Baghdad, who came to India and was much revered by Sultan Iltutmish. Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish inscribed the name of its patrons, Sultan Qutub-ud-din and Sultan Mu`iz-ud-din on the miner. A beautiful mosque was also built on the Sultan`s order. Iltutmish was very pious and very particular about his prayers. Minhaj-us-Siraj wrote, "so virtuous, kind-hearted and reverent towards the learned and the divine, sat upon the throne". Iltutmish was described in some contemporary writing as "the protector of the lands of God", "the helper of the servants of God", etc.

Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish died on 1236 AD. His eldest son Nasir-Ud-Din-Mahmud had died in 1229 while governing Bengal as his father`s deputy. The rest of the sons were not that much capable of administrative duty. In 1236 AD, on his death bed sultan Iltutmish nominated his daughter Raziya as his successor. But the nobles of the court could not accept the rule of a woman. They went against Sultan Iltutmish`s last wish and Sultan`s eldest surviving son, Rukn-ud-Din Firuz was raised to the throne. After Iltutmish died Delhi`s political situation faced an extreme turmoil as four descendents of Iltutmish were crowned and murdered successively. Then Balban became the Naib or Deputy Sultan and later he became Sultan on 1265 AD and only then the order and peace was reestablished.