Which Mughal emperor is known for imprisoning his own father and ordering the execution of his elder brother in the internal war of succession?

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on internal conflicts within the Mughal dynasty. The Mughal emperors often faced bitter wars of succession, where princes fought against their own family members. The question asks which emperor imprisoned his father and executed his brother, events that are central to the history of the Mughal Empire in the seventeenth century. Knowing these relationships helps you keep track of the Mughal family tree and major turning points in their rule.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question is about a Mughal emperor.
- It specifically states that he imprisoned his father and executed his elder brother.
- The options list well known Mughal rulers from different periods.
- We assume the context is the war of succession among the sons of Shah Jahan.

Concept / Approach:
After Shah Jahan fell ill, his sons Dara Shukoh, Aurangzeb, Shah Shuja and Murad Baksh fought for the throne. Aurangzeb emerged victorious after a series of battles. He then imprisoned his father Shah Jahan in the Agra Fort and arranged the execution of his elder brother Dara Shukoh, who had been Shah Jahans chosen successor. The approach is to match this well known sequence of events with the correct emperor. Other Mughal rulers such as Babur, Humayun and Shah Alam II did not imprison their own father and execute an elder brother in this way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Shah Jahan was the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and that he had several sons, including Dara Shukoh and Aurangzeb. Step 2: Remember that after Shah Jahan fell ill, a war of succession broke out between his sons. Step 3: Aurangzeb defeated his brothers, captured Shah Jahan and kept him imprisoned in the Agra Fort for the rest of his life. Step 4: Dara Shukoh, the elder brother and original heir apparent, was captured and executed on Aurangzebs orders. Step 5: Match this description with the options and identify Aurangzeb as the emperor who did both of these actions.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple verification method is to place the rulers in chronological order: Babur founded the empire, Humayun was his son, Akbar followed, then Jahangir, Shah Jahan and finally Aurangzeb. Only in the time of Aurangzeb do we find a documented case where the emperor imprisoned his father and eliminated an elder brother. Shah Alam II ruled much later during the declining phase of the Mughal Empire and did not perform these specific actions. This chronological check confirms Aurangzeb as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Babur: Founder of the Mughal Empire who did not imprison his father or execute his elder brother in this context.
Humayun: Faced many difficulties and exile, but he did not imprison his father Babur or execute a brother to seize the throne.
Shah Alam II: A later Mughal ruler during the time of British ascendancy, not associated with this war of succession story.
Jahangir: Son of Akbar, who revolted at one stage, but the dramatic imprisonment of a father and execution of an elder brother is not attributed to him.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the relationships between different Mughal rulers, especially Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, or mix events of different successions. Another error is to assume that all Mughal wars of succession involved similar actions, which is not accurate. Remembering the specific story of Aurangzeb taking power by defeating Dara Shukoh and confining Shah Jahan makes it easier to tie this question to the correct emperor.

Final Answer:
The Mughal emperor who imprisoned his father and had his elder brother executed was Aurangzeb.