Aurangzeb was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India. His reign lasted for almost half a century (from 1658 to 1707) and was marked by several conquests and the vast expansion of the Mughal Empire. The empire reached its greatest territorial extent under him, though this expansion was temporary, covering an estimated area of over 3.2 million square kilometers. The third son of Emperor Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb was appointed viceroy of the Deccan at the age of 18, where he aided his father in expanding the empire through various military campaigns. An ambitious ruler, he imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan, after the latter fell ill. He defeated his brothers in a power struggle to claim the throne, crowning himself emperor of India and assuming the title Alamgir (Conqueror of the World). He was an authoritarian ruler and a highly capable warrior, though his policies were often seen as harsh and intolerant. His policies, particularly those perceived as discriminatory, led to rebellions by the Marathas, Jats, Sikhs, and Rajputs. Even though he was able to quell the revolts, the victories came at a great price—these rebellions and wars led to the exhaustion of the imperial Mughal treasury and army. Following his death, the Mughal Empire entered a period of rapid decline and disintegration, eventually becoming a shadow of its former self by the mid-18th century.