Indian History is evident how Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan killed his own brother Khusrau Mirza (The eldest son of Jahangir) to sit on the throne. He met his Karma, when he was later prisoned by his own son Aurangzeb for the throne. Aurangzeb even killed his elder brother Dara Shikoh, the crown prince and apparent heir to Shah Jahan to gain supremacy over the throne.
However, the Muslim rulers are not alone when it comes to killing father and brothers for throne, Hindu kings and Samrats too did the same. Here, we share some of the instances from the past.
Indian History Facts – Bimbisara Was Imprisoned by His Own Son Ajatashatru
The great friend and protector of the Buddha had a very sad ending. The king of the Haryanka dynasty who once ruled Magadh was imprisoned by his own son Ajatashatru. Though both the Jain and Buddhist texts indicate that Bimbisara committed suicide in the prison and was not killed by his son, it is unfortunate to note that the suicide was due to the atrocities done by his son Ajatshatru.
Way before Aurangzeb, it was Ajatashatru who had imprisoned his own father Bimbisara for the throne – The same King Bimbisara who had offered Siddhartha (later Gautam Buddha) the throne when his army men saw the prince leading a life of an ascetic in the kingdom.
Later, according to Buddhist texts, it is known that Ajatashatru’s son Udayabhadra killed his own father Ajatashatru for throne.
Mahapadma Nanda Killed His Brothers to Claim the Throne and Start the Nanda Dynasty
After the Haryanka dynasty of Magadh came the Shishunaga dynasty. The Shishunaga dynasty was ended by Mahapadma Nanda, the son of the last king of the Shishunaga dynasty – Mahanandin.
According to the available Indian history texts, Mahapadma Nanda was Mahanandin’s son from a Shudra wife. Obviously, he was not the apparent heir to the throne. Next, he killed all his brothers to claim his supremacy on the throne. This was not just the end of the Shishunaga sons but also the end of the Shishunaga dynasty as Mahapadma Nanda started his own Nanda dynasty.
Also Read: All About Mahapadma Nanda – The Facts, the History & the Stories!
Fratricide in India – Ashoka, the Great Killed His Brothers to Claim the Magadh Throne
Samrat Bindusara’s third son Ashoka was neither a crown prince nor an apparent heir to the throne. Being a son from a Brahmin mother, he had no chances of sitting on the throne. However, right or wrong, he too killed his brothers to claim the Magadh throne soon after the death of his father Bindusara.
Also Read: Real Reasons & Facts Why Samrat Ashoka Wanted to Conquer Kalinga!
Yes, not just Muslim rulers, even Hindu Kings imprisoned father & killed brothers for the throne in Indian history!
