Rivers of Blood for the Throne — When Kings Slaughtered Their Own
History is a book written by human hands — not just with tales of victories and grand constructions, but also inscribed with the vivid ink of blood, betrayal, conspiracies, and cruelty. Among the darkest pages are the stories of kings who murdered their own brothers, sons, fathers, and close kin, all for the sake of claiming a throne. These acts remain a deep stain on the forehead of history.
Aurangzeb Alamgir’s Murder of His Brothers In the Mughal Empire of the Indian subcontinent, one of the most infamous events was Emperor Aurangzeb’s ruthless quest for power. To claim the throne, he eliminated all three of his brothers through war and political maneuvering. Dara Shikoh, the crown prince and the beloved son of Emperor Shah Jahan, was defeated by Aurangzeb, captured, and later executed. The other brothers, Shuja and Murad Baksh, were also removed through calculated strategies. Aurangzeb then imprisoned his ailing father in the Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan spent the remainder of his life as a prisoner.
Sultan Selim I (Ottoman Empire) Sultan Selim I of the Ottoman Empire deposed his own father and killed his brothers to ascend the throne. His son, the great Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, followed a similar path, orchestrating the assassination of his own son Mustafa under suspicion of conspiracy. In fact, fratricide became a formal tradition in the Ottoman Empire — any prince who gained the throne would kill his brothers to eliminate rival claims.
Bahadur Shah Zafar and His Sons Though the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was not himself a bloodthirsty ruler, the tragic events of 1857’s War of Independence saw the British execute his two sons and grandson. Even before this, Mughal history is filled with examples of princes killed simply because they were seen as threats to the throne.
Timur the Lame and His Successors Timur (Tamerlane), the fierce conqueror and founder of a vast empire, was not as bloodthirsty as many of his descendants. Succession wars became the norm in the Timurid dynasty, where Timur’s grandsons and great-grandsons often waged war against each other, killing their own kin to secure power.
The Fatimid and Abbasid Dynasties in Egypt and Baghdad In Islamic history, the Abbasid era saw numerous caliphs blinded or murdered by their own brothers or uncles to prevent them from claiming the caliphate. Blinding became a common method to disqualify rivals, as a blind man was not considered eligible to rule.
European Monarchs Were No Different This trend wasn't confined to the Muslim world. In Europe, fratricide and kin-slaying for the throne were also common. England’s King Richard III allegedly imprisoned and killed his two nephews to claim the crown. Similarly, in France, Russia, and Spain, civil wars and palace conspiracies plagued royal successions.
History bears witness that the thirst for power is a poison so potent that it turns man against his own blood. Fathers, sons, brothers, uncles — no relationship remains sacred when a crown is within reach. These events are not just lessons from the past but mirrors reflecting human nature. Today, even if the thrones are not royal but political, the scheming and betrayal of one’s own continue — only the faces have changed, not the instincts.
Thae writer✍️