The Mughal emperor Humayun, the son of Babur, was born in which of the following years?

Introduction / Context:
Humayun was the second ruler of the Mughal dynasty in India and the son of its founder Babur. His life included both the loss and recovery of the empire. Questions about his birth year test factual knowledge of Mughal chronology, which is a frequent topic in Indian medieval history sections of competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question is about the year of birth of the Mughal emperor Humayun.
- The options provide years that span several centuries.
- Only one of these years matches the accepted date of his birth.

Concept / Approach:
Standard historical references place Humayuns birth in 1508 CE. He later ascended the throne after Babur and ruled in phases before and after a period of exile. The method is simple factual recall, linking Humayun with the early sixteenth century and specifically 1508.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Babur established Mughal rule in India in the 1520s.
Step 2: As Babur son and successor, Humayun had to be born earlier, in the early sixteenth century.
Step 3: Standard textbooks give the year 1508 CE as the birth year of Humayun.
Step 4: Among the given options, 1508 is the only year that fits this date and time frame.
Step 5: Therefore, 1508 is selected as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling that Humayun died in 1556 and had a middle aged rule that included exile. A birth year in 1508 makes his age at death around the late forties, which fits the narrative. The other listed years move him far away from the actual sixteenth century context and can be rejected on this basis.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b is wrong because 1608 falls in the seventeenth century, long after Humayuns reign and close to the time of Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
Option c is wrong since 1708 belongs to the early eighteenth century, which is associated with much later Mughal rulers.
Option d is wrong as 1808 is in the nineteenth century when Mughal power was already much diminished and of a different historical period.
Option e is wrong because 1526 is famous as the year of the first battle of Panipat and the establishment of Mughal rule, not Humayuns birth year.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the dates of important battles, accession years, and birth years. Another error is to place Humayun too late in the Mughal sequence, overlapping with emperors like Akbar or Jahangir. Keeping a simple timeline that lists Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb with approximate dates helps to anchor such facts.

Final Answer:
Humayun was born in the year 1508.