Mughal War of Succession(1657 – 1658)
The fratricidal war of 1657-58 in which Aurangzeb defeated all three brothers, imprisoned Shah Jahan, and seized the Mughal throne.
What you need to know
- Triggered by Shah Jahan's near-fatal illness in 1657
- Four princes: Dara Shikoh, Shuja, Aurangzeb, Murad Bakhsh
- Dara Shikoh was Shah Jahan's chosen heir and a liberal Sufi scholar
- Aurangzeb allied with Murad to defeat Dara at Battle of Samugarh (1658)
- Aurangzeb then arrested Murad, defeated Shuja, and captured Dara
- Dara Shikoh executed in Delhi on charges of apostasy (1659)
- Shah Jahan imprisoned in Agra Fort; spent final 8 years gazing at Taj Mahal
Participants
- Shah Jahan
- Reigning Emperor (imprisoned by Aurangzeb)
- Aurangzeb
- Victorious Claimant / Usurper
Theatres
- Agra
Shah Jahan's Imprisonment Site (Agra Fort)
Powers
Facts at a glance
- Start
- End
- Tags
- Aurangzeb, Dara Shikoh, succession war, Shah Jahan, fratricide, Battle of Samugarh