AURANGAZEEB, MOGHUL DYNASTY 1658-1707
AURANGAZEEB, MOGHUL DYNASTY 1658-1707 Emperor Shah Jahan lay sick, confined to his palace. Outside, the armies of his four sons clashed in bloody battle. Although the emperor would recover, his own victorious third son killed off the other brothers and held the emperor under house arrest for the remaining eight years of his life. Emperor Aurangzeb of India's Mughal Dynasty was a completely ruthless and guileful ruler, who evinced few qualms about assassinating his brothers or imprisoning his father. How did this merciless man spring from one of the most celebrated loving marriages in history? Early Life Aurangzeb was born on November 4, 1618, the third son of Prince Khurram (who would become Emperor Shah Jahan) and the Persian princess Arjumand Bano Begam. His mother is more commonly known as Mumtaz Mahal, "Beloved Jewel of the Palace." She later inspired Shah Jahan to build the Taj Mahal. During Aurangzeb's childhood, however, Mughal politics mad...