THE GUPTAS (320-550 A.D.)
➮ Sri Gupta was the founder of the Gupta rule.
➮ He was succeeded by Ghatotkacha.
➮ The real founder of the Gupta power was Chandragupta I (319- 355 A.D.)
➮ He was the first independent king with the title of Maharajadhiraja.
➮ He started the Gupta era in 319-320 A.D.
➮ He married a Lichchavi Princess.
➮ His empire included Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengal.
➮ Samudragupta (355-380 A.D.) enlarged enormously the Gupta kingdom.
➮ His achievements are mentioned in the Prayag-Prasasti composed by Harisena.
➮ He defeated 12 rulers of Dakshinapatha.
➮ Harisena and Vasubandhu adorned his court.
➮ He was a great patron of art and adopted the title of Kaviraja.
➮ On some coins, he is shown playing the Veena.
➮ V.A. Smith calls Samudragupta the ‘Napoleon of India’.
➮ Samudragupta had a disputed accession to the throne.
➮ Virasena was the commander of Samdragupta during his southern campaign.
➮ Samudragupta performed the Aswamedha Yajna and struck gold coins of the Yupa type.
➮ He granted permission to the Buddhist king of Ceylon Meghavarman to build a Monastery at Bodh Gaya.
➮ Samudragupta was succeeded by Ramgupta but Chandragupta II killed him and married his queen Dhruvadevi.
➮ He entered into a matrimonial alliance with the Nagas by marrying princess Kubernaga.
➮ He defeated the Saka king Rudrasimha III and annexed his kingdom.
➮ He adopted the title of Vikramaditya. Mehrauli’s iron pillar inscription mentions his authority over Northwestern India and a portion of Bengal.
➮ Virasena’s Udaigiri cave inscription refers to his conquest of the whole world.
➮ He made Ujjain his second capital.
➮ His court contained 9 gems including Kalidasa, Amarsimha, Fa-Hien, Acharya Dignaga, etc.
➮ Veerasena Saba was the court poet and minister of Chandragupta II. Amarkhaddava was his army general.
➮ Fa-Hien, the Chinese traveler came during the time of Chandragupta II.
➮ He issued silver and copper coins.
Taxes Levied during the Gupta Dynasty
Bhag King’s share of produce
Bhoga General tribute
Hiranya Tax on special produce taken in cash
Bedakbhog Irrigation tax
Bhatta Police tax
Charasana Grazing tax
Chat Security tax
Gupta Temples: Places
Vishnu temple : Tigawa (Jabalpur)
Dasavtar temple : Deogarh (Jhansi)
Bhitargaon temple: Bhitargaon
➮ His predecessors had issued only gold coins.
➮ The gold coins were called ‘Dinara’.
➮ Chandragupta II was succeeded by Kumargupta I.
➮ His inscriptions are the Bilsad inscription, the Karandanda inscription, the Mandsor inscription, the Damodarpur copper plate inscription.
➮ He founded Nalanda University.
➮ Towards the last year of his reign, the Gupta empire faced foreign invasions.
➮ Skandagupta had to fight the Pushyamitras and the Hunas.
➮ He was successful in throwing the Hunas back.
➮ The Junagarh inscription of his reign tells that his governor Parnadatta got the Sudarshan lake repaired.
➮ He adopted the title of Vikramaditya.
