GUPTA EMPIRE
Sources:
•The Puranas throw light on the royal genealogy of the Gupta kings.
•Contemporary literary works like the Devichandraguptam and the Mudhrakshasam written by Visakadatta provide information regarding the rise of the Guptas.
•The Chinese traveler Fahien, who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II, has left a valuable account of the social, economic and religious conditions of the Gupta empire.
•Apart from these literary sources, there are inscriptions like the Meherauli Iron Pillar Inscription and the Allahabad Pillar inscription.
•The coins issued by Gupta kings contain legends and figures. These coins provide interesting details about the titles and sacrifices performed by the Gupta monarchs.
Gupta monarchs
Sri Gupta:
•The founder of the Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta.
•He was succeeded by Ghatotkacha.
•These two were called Maharajas.
Chandragupta I (320 – 330 A.D.):
•Chandragupta I and he was the first to be called Maharajadhiraja (the great king of kings).
•He strengthened his position by a matrimonial alliance with the Licchavis.
•He married Kumaradevi, a princess of that family.
•The Meherauli Iron Pillar inscription mentions his extensive conquests.
•Chandragupta I is considered to be the founder of the Gupta era which starts with his accession in A.D. 320.
Samudragupta (330-380 A.D.):
•Samudragupta was the greatest of the rulers of the Gupta dynasty.
•The Allahabad Pillar inscription provides a detailed account of his reign.
•Samudragupta marched against the South Indian monarchs.
•Samudragupta performed the asvamedha sacrifice.
•He issued gold and silver coins with the legend ‘restorer of the asvamedha’.
•It is because of his military achievements Samudragupta was hailed as ‘Indian Napoleon’.
Chandragupta II (380-415 A.D.):
•Samudragupta was succeeded by his son Chandragupta II Vikramaditya.
•Through matrimonial alliances he strengthened his political power.
•He married Kuberanaga, a Naga princess of central India.
•The greatest of the military achievements of Chandragupta II was his war against the Saka satraps of western India.
•After this victory he performed the horse sacrifice and assumed the title Sakari, meaning, ‘destroyer of Sakas’. He also called himself 'Vikramaditya'.
•Ujjain became an important commercial city and soon became the alternative capital of the Guptas.
•The great wealth of the Gupta Empire was manifest in the variety of gold coins issued by Chandragupta II.
Fahien’s Visit:
•The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.
•Out of his nine years stay in India, he spent six years in the Gupta empire.
•He stayed in Pataliputra for three years studying Sanskrit and copying Buddhist texts.
•Fahien provides valuable information on the religious, social and economic condition of the Gupta empire.
Kumaragupta:
•Kumaragupta was the son and successor of Chandragupta II.
•He issued a number of coins and his inscriptions are found all over the Gupta empire.
•He also performed an asvamedha sacrifice.
•He laid the foundation of the Nalanda University which emerged an institution of international reputation.
•At the end of his reign, a powerful wealthy tribe called the ‘Pushyamitras’ defeated the Gupta army.
Skandagupta:
•A branch of the Huns from Central Asia made attempts to cross the Hindukush mountains and invade India.
•Skandagupta who really faced the Hun invasion.
•He fought successfully against the Huns and saved the empire.
Hun Invasion:
•After Skandagupta’s death, many of his successors like Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta and Baladitya could not save the Gupta empire from the Huns.
•The Gupta power totally disappeared due to the Hun invasions and later by the rise of Yasodharman in Malwa.
