The Mughal War of Succession (1658-1659) was a fierce and bloody conflict between the sons of Emperor Shah Jahan, each vying for control of the vast Mughal Empire. The war began as Shah Jahan fell seriously ill in 1657, prompting his four sons—Dara Shikoh, Aurangzeb, Murad Baksh, and Shah Shuja—to stake their claims to the throne. Dara Shikoh, the eldest son and Shah Jahan's favored heir, was an intellectual and mystic, but lacked the military acumen of his brothers. Aurangzeb, the third son, was a shrewd and ruthless strategist with a deep commitment to orthodox Islam. The conflict quickly escalated as the brothers formed alliances, raised armies, and engaged in a series of battles across northern India. Aurangzeb, in a calculated move, first allied with his younger brother Murad Baksh, defeating Shah Shuja in the east and then turning against Dara Shikoh. The decisive battles of Samugarh (1658) and Deorai (1659) saw Aurangzeb's forces overwhelm Dara's, leading to Dara's capture and eventual execution. Murad Baksh was imprisoned and later executed by Aurangzeb, who declared himself emperor in 1658. The war concluded with Aurangzeb's triumph, marking the beginning of his long and controversial reign. The conflict not only demonstrated the brutal nature of Mughal politics but also set the stage for the empire's future challenges under Aurangzeb’s rigid and expansionist policies. The war of succession left the empire weakened and deeply scarred, influencing the decline of the Mughal Empire in the following century.