GUPTAS
India Before the Guptas
After the downfall of the Kushans in the north and the Satavanahas in the
south, no great power rose in India. For nearly a hundred years,India was
divided into many independent states and there was continuous struggle
among themselves. There were kingdoms and republics, where the republics
were ruled by the elected chiefs.In the south, Malwa and Khatiawar were
ruled by Rudradaman.In Magadha the Lichhavis rose to prominence.The Nagas
established their kingdoms in the northern India whereas the Pallavas in the
southern part of India on the ruins of the Satvanaha empire.
Gupta Dynasty After the Kushans,was the most important dynasty.The
information about Guptas is known from the archaeological remains,inscriptions
and coins.Early in the beginning of the fourth century,a chief called Sri Gupta
ruled a small kingdom in Magadha. He was then succeeded by his son Ghatokacha.
They were mostly minor rulers in east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Reign of Chandragupta I (AD 320-335)
The first famous king of the Gupta dynasty was Ghatokacha's son Chandragupta I.
He married Kumaradevi, the daughter of the chief of the Lichhavis.This marriage
was a turning point to Chandragupta I.He got Patliputra in dowry from the
Lichhavis. From Patliputra,he laid the foundation of his empire and started
conquering many neighbouring states with the help of the Lichhavis.He ruled
over Magadha (Bihar),Prayaga and Saketa (east Uttar Pradesh).His kingdom
extended from the river Ganges to Allahabad.Chandragupta I also got the title
of Maharajadhiraja (King of Kings) and ruled for about fifteen years.An
important act of Chandragupta I was the holding of an assembly of councillors
and members of the royal family at which Prince Samudragupta was formally
nominated as the successor of the Gupta empire.
The Reign of Samudragupta (AD 335-380)
Samudragupta was the son of Chandragupta I and though the exact date of his
birth is not known,it seems he must have ascended the throne after the death
of his father Chandragupta I in AD 335.The information about his reign is on
an inscription engraved on a pillar at Allahabad.The text of this inscription was
recorded by Harishena,the court poet of Samudragupta.Part of the inscription
was lost in the course of time. Harishena's inscription tells us about
Samudragupta's various conquests and small kingdoms existing at that time.
Samudragupta also left an extensive coinage which supports the information
of the inscription.
Samudragupta's Conquest
Samudragupta was a great warrior. His passion of conquest was so great that he
did not rest till he captured almost whole of India.It seems Samudragupta first
waged wars against the neighbouring kingdoms of Shichchhatra (Rohilkhand) and
Padmavati (in Central India),then ruled by Achyuta and Nagasena.Then he
incorporated in the Gupta empire the kingdom of Kota kings by defeating him.He
also waged wars against tribal states like those of Malvas,the Yaudheyas,the
Arjunayanas, the Maduras and the Abhiras.The descendants of Kushanas,many
chieftains of Sakas,the Ceylonese hastened to propitiate the great Gupta by
offering homage and tribute or presents.Samudragupta's daring adventure was his
military expedition to the south along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.He defeated
Mahendra of Khosla,Mantaraja of Kurala,Mahendragiri of Pithapuram,Svamidatta of
Kottura, Damana of Erandapalla,Vishnugupta-the Pallava king of Kanchi,Kubera of
Devarashtrain the Vizagapatam district and Dhananjaya of Kushthalapur possible in
North Arcot.Samudragupta did not go beyond the river Krishna.Towards the west,
Samudragupta subdued Palaghat, Maharashtra and Khandesh.He did not annex any part
of the Deccan to his empire as he knew that it would be difficult to control those
territories situated so far from Patliputra.Samudragupta's territories extended
from the Himalayas in the north to the river Narbada in the south and from the
Brahamaputra river in the east to the Yamuna river in the west.Then there were
other kingdoms like Assam, Nepal, Devaka,Kartipura.
Samudragupta's Reign
Samudragupta is considered as one of the greatest rulers in Indian history.He is
also compared to Alexander or Napoleon as a conqueror.He performed Ashwamedha
Yajna (horse sacrifice) after defeating nine kings in the north and twelve kings in
the south to underline the importance of his conquest of almost the whole of India.
He also assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja (King of Kings) and Chakravartin
Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (AD 380-413)
Empire of Chandragupta II Chandragupta succeeded his father Samudragupta. He
got the title of Vikramaditya (son of power),so he is also known as Chandragupta
Vikramaditya. Chandragupta II proved to be of the same military mettle of his
father and brought large amounts of territory in Western India under the Gupta
empire.
From the inscription of the Mehrauli Iron Pillar of Chandragupta II situated in Delhi,
it is learnt that he waged successful wars against several chiefs of Vanga
(Bengal). However Chandragupta II's greatest achievement was the victory over
the Saka Satraps of Malwa,Gujarat and Saurashtra.
Chandragupta's Biggest Achievement
Chandragupta marched against the Saka Satraps about AD 389.After six years
of courageous fighting,he killed the Sakas chieftains.He killed Rudrasena III,a
Saka king of West India.He annexed all the three kingdoms of Satraps under
Gupta empire and made Ujjain a second capital,and called himself Vikramaditya
a combination of words valour and sun.Chandragupta's empire had both the
Arabian Sea coast and that of the Bay of Bengal under its control.He also
captured Bactria and concluded marital alliances with the Nagas,Vakatakas and
Kadamba dynasties.Like his grandfather,Chandragupta married the Lichhavi
princess Kumaradevi.He gave his daughter Prabhavati in marriage to Rudrasena
II,the Venkata king of Central India. Rudrasena had helped him in his campaign
against the Saka Satraps.
Administrations and Coins
The account of administration of Chandragupta's reign is known from the Chinese
pilgrim Fa Hein who came to India during that period.The administration was very
well organised with very light taxes.The empire was divided into many provinces
which were ruled by independent governors.The provinces were further divided
into districts.Land revenue was the main source of income of the state and was
normally one-sixth of the produce of the land.The emperor also issued a host of
gold, silver and copper coins to celebrate his reign.His coins featured Vishnu and
his garuda, as well as images of himself killing a lion, among others.Experts say
that Chandragupta II's coin are of a finer quality than had been seen thus far.
Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumargupta who was also a great ruler.
The Later Guptas and Decline of the Gupta Empire Reign of
Kumaragupta (AD 415-455)
Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta.Like his
father,Kumaragupta was also a very great and able ruler.He was able to keep
the vast empire,which extended from North Bengal to Kathiawar and from the
Himalayas to the Nerbudda,intact.He ruled efficiently for nearly forty years.
However,the last days of his reign were not good.The Gupta empire was
threatened by the invasions of Pushyamitras. The Pushyamitras were a tribe of
foreigners who were settled in Central India. However,Kumaragupta was
successful in defeating the invaders and performed Ashvamedha Yajna
(horse sacrifice) to celebrate his victory.He issued new coins with images of
Lord Kartikeya.Kumaragupta died in AD 455 and was succeeded by his son
Skandagupta.During his reign,the invasions of the Huns became more frequent.
Skandagupta repelled their early invasions and recovered most of the imperial
provinces.In one of the inscription the goddess of royal fortune is said to have
chosen him as her lord,having discarded the other princes.The full import of this
passage is obscure.It is, however, certain that the superior ability and prowess
of Skandagupta in a time of crisis led to his choice as ruler in preference to other
possible claimants.Proud of his success against the barbarians,Skandagupta
assumed the title of Vikramaditya.But the continuous attack of the Huns
weakened the Gupta empire.Skandagupta died in AD 467.After his death, the
Gupta empire began to decline.Decline of the Gupta Empire Inscriptions prove
that the Gupta sovereignty was acknowledged in the Jabbalpur region in the
Nebudda valley as late as AD 528,and in North Bengal till AD 543-544.
Kumaragupta is known to have been ruling in AD 473-474,Buddhagupta from AD
476-495, Vainyagupta in AD 508 and Bhanugupta in AD 510-511.The Gupta
empire became to disintegrate and till the middle of the sixth century AD, they
became petty kings.
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