Emperor Akbar, one of the greatest rulers of the Mughal empire in India, was born in which year?

Introduction / Context:
Akbar is one of the central figures of Indian medieval history, known for his policy of tolerance, administrative reforms, and large scale expansion of the Mughal empire. Questions about his birth year help students anchor his long reign chronologically and relate it to other events, such as European exploration and regional developments in India. Memorising key dates for major rulers is a basic requirement in many competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks specifically for the year of Akbar's birth.
• Options given are 1542, 1642, 1742, and 1842.
• We know that Akbar ruled in the sixteenth century.
• We assume we are referring to Jalal ud din Muhammad Akbar, the third Mughal emperor.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to match Akbar's known reign and historical context with the correct century. Akbar ruled from 1556 to 1605. Therefore his birth must have occurred before 1556 and within the sixteenth century. Among the options, 1542 is the only date that fits this requirement. The other dates lie in later centuries and cannot be associated with a ruler whose reign ended in 1605. Historically Akbar was born at Amarkot in 1542 when his father Humayun was in exile.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Akbar ruled the Mughal empire from 1556 to 1605. Step 2: Recognise that his birth year must fall before 1556 and around the middle of the sixteenth century. Step 3: Examine the options: 1542 fits the sixteenth century, while 1642, 1742, and 1842 are in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Step 4: Note that it is impossible for a ruler who died in 1605 to have been born as late as 1642 or later. Step 5: Choose 1542 as the only historically correct year.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick check is to remember that Akbar came to the throne as a teenager after the death of Humayun. Since he became emperor in 1556, a birth around 1542 makes him about 14 years old at accession, which matches historical accounts. Any date a century later would make his reign impossible, confirming 1542 as correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1642: This is a later century and would place his birth after his recorded reign and death.
1742: Far too late, long after the decline of Mughal power.
1842: Belongs to the nineteenth century, completely inconsistent with the sixteenth century Mughal era.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse Akbar's birth year with the birth year of other famous leaders such as Shivaji or later Mughal rulers. Another error is to pick a date ending with 42 without checking the century. Always connect the date to the century in which the ruler's major activities took place.

Final Answer:
Akbar was born in the year 1542.