Mahabharat

Kauravas

In battle of Mahabharat, Kauravas were son of Dhritarastra.
In actual sense Kauravas meant of Kuru dynasty.

Shantanu married Ganga and had a son Devavrut alias Bhism (8th son).
Shantanu married Satyavati and had Vichitravirya and Chitrangada.
Vichitravirya married Amba and Ambalika but died before having any kids.
Satyvati's son (from sage Parasara) Vyas was called upon to help in keeping the Kuru Vamsa from stopping.
Vyas and Ambika had a son Dhritarastra who was blind by birth as Ambika closed her afraid out of fear when she saw Vyas.
Vyas and Ambalika had a son Pandu but his life would not see old age as she too trembled upon seeing Vyas.
Satyavati sent her daughter in laws again to Vyas but they were so afraid that they sent their maid Parishrami.
Vyas and Parishrami had a healthy son Vidur.

Bhism was now a fatherly figure and eldest Kuru.
He trained Dhritarastra, Pandu and Vidur and wanted to make Dhritarastra the king.
But Vidur suggested Pandu to be the king.

Dhritarastra married Gandhari and had 100 sons (Duryodhan, Dussasan, Vikarna, etc) and a daughter Dussala. Dussala was married to Jayadrath.

Dhritarastra married Sukadha and had Yuyutsu. Yuyutsu was just and opposed Duryodhan when he was wrong, and fought the great war on Yudhistrs side.

Vikarna opposed Duryodhan too when he was wrong, but dint leave his brother's side during the great war.

Since Dhritarastra was blind he didn't participate in war, but his blind love for his son was an important factor of paving the path to war.

Duryodhan had tried all possible ways to kill or defeat the Pandavas with his maternal uncle Shakunis help but eventually war was unavoidable.

Bhism was tied to his oaths and led the army against his beloved Pandavas and fought with his favourite grand son Arjuna and his son Abhimanyu.