The Gupta

Period
By- Manish Shrivastava
 Introduction

In Ancient India, the Gupta Dynasty ruled the

mid-to-late 3rd century (approximately) to 543 AD.
Founded by Sri Gupta, the dynasty rose to fame with
rulers like Chandragupta-I, Samudragupta, etc.

I-tsing who visited India during 671 to 695 AD refers

to Srigupta as the builder of a temple for Chinese
pilgrims (Chini Mandir) at Gaya (Shikhavana).
Origin of Gupta Empire
❏ The Gupta Empire rose to prominence in 320
AD and spread to large parts of northern
India, central and small parts of southern
India.
❏ The founder of the Gupta dynasty is Sri
Gupta.
❏ The original homeland of the Guptas is not
known for certain. But they might have
originated from Bengal. Some scholars think
they are from Prayaga (Allahabad in UP).
❏ They are thought to be either Brahmins or
Vaishyas
 Gupta Dynasty Kings Facts about Gupta Kings

Sri Gupta ● Founder of Gupta Dynasty

● Reign from 240 AD to 280 AD
● Used the title of ‘Maharaja

Ghatotkacha ● Son of Sri Gupta

● Took the title of ‘Maharaja‘

Chandragupta I ● Reigned from 319 AD to 334 AD

● Started the Gupta Era
● He assumed the title of ‘Maharajadhiraja‘
● Married Lichchavi princess Kumaradevi

Samudragupta ● Reigned from 335 AD to 380 AD

● Called ‘Napolean of India’ by V.A. Smith (Irish Indologist and
Art Historian)
● His campaigns are mentioned in Eran inscription (Madhya
Pradesh)
 Gupta Dynasty Kings Facts about Gupta Kings

Chandragupta II ● Reigned from 380-412 AD

● Navratnas (9 Gems in his Court)
● Took the title ‘Vikramaditya’

Kumaragupta I ● Reigned from 413 AD to 455 AD

● Founded Nalanda University
● He was also called Shakraditya

Skandagupta ● Reigned from 455 AD – 467 AD

● Took the title of ‘Vikramaditya‘
● Was a ‘Vaishnavite‘
● Son of Kumaragupta
● Repulsed an attack by the Hunas but this strained his empire’s
coffers
Gupta Dynasty Kings Facts about Gupta Kings

Purugupta ● Reigned from 467 – 473 AD

● Purugupta was a son of the Gupta emperor Kumaragupta I by
his queen Anantadevi.
● He succeeded his half-brother Skandagupta.
● No inscription of Purugupta has been found so far.

Kumaragupta I I ● Reigned from 473 AD to 476AD

● An image of Gautama Buddha at Sarnath notes that he
succeeded Purugupta who was most likely his father.
● He was succeeded by Budhagupta.

Budhagupta ● Reigned from 476 AD – 495 AD

● He was the successor of Kumaragupta II. He was the son of
Purugupta

Vishnugupta ● Last known ruler of the Gupta Dynasty (540 AD – 550 AD)
Chandragupta-I (319/20 AD-335 AD)
❏ The Chandragupta-I succeeded his father
Ghatotkacha in 320 AD. He is regarded as
the true/real founder of Gupta empire.
❏ Acquired the strategically important
Magadha kingdom on marriage to a
Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi
❏ He extended his kingdom through
conquests. His territory extended from the
Ganges River to Prayaga by 321 AD.
❏ He issued coins in the joint names of his
queen and himself..
 Chandragupta-I (319/20 AD-335 AD

❏ Samudragupta, son of Chandragupta-I and Kumaradevi in the

Prayagraj inscription proudly called himself
Lichchhavis-dauhitra I.e. son of the daughter of Lichchhavis.
❏ Chandragupta-I, introduced the Gupta Era beginning with
320 AD. He was the first Gupta king to adopt the title of
Maharajadhiraja. He issued gold coins.
❏ He was successful in building a small principality into a great
kingdom.
❏ He is considered the first great king of the Gupta Empire
Samudragupta (335 – 380 AD)
❏ Samudragupta succeeded his father
Chandragupta-I
❏ Was a military genius and was successful in
adding many territories into the Gupta Empire.
❏ The Allahabad inscription describes his bravery
as composed by his court poet, Harisena.
There it is said that he defeated nine kings of the
Ganges Valley, twelve kings from the southern
region, and eighteen forest tribes.
❏ He issued archer type, tiger type & battle type
coins. On some of his gold coins he is
represented playing the Veena.
 Samudragupta (335 – 380 AD)
● His region extended from the Himalayas in the north to the Krishna and
Godavari Rivers in the south; and from Balkh (Afghanistan) in the west to
Brahmaputra River in the east.
● He was a follower of Vaishnavite Hinduism but was tolerant of other
faiths. He gave permission to the king of Sri Lanka, Meghavarna to build
a monastery in Bodh Gaya.
● He was also called “Indian Napoleon” by art historian Vincent Smith.
● He also performed Ashvamedha sacrifice. Hence, one of his coins refers
to him as “the restorer of Ashvamedha.”
● He was also called “Kaviraja” since he composed verses.
Chandragupta-II (380 AD-415 AD)

❏ Under his reign, the Gupta empire reached

to its highest glory.
❏ Dattadevi was his mother.
❏ He was also known as ‘Vikramaditya’.
❏ He further annexed territories including
Saurashtra which gave him the western
coastline.
❏ Like his father, he was a Vaishnavite but
was tolerant of other religions.
 Chandragupta-II (380 AD-415 AD)
❏ He used matrimonial alliances to expand his kingdom. He established
matrimonial alliances with the Nagas and the Vakatakas. He gave his
daughter Prabhavati gupta in marriage to Vakataka ruler of
Maharashtra Rudrasena II.
❏ He also annexed three Satrapa kingdoms and assumed the title
Sakari (destroyer of the Sakas). He defeated the Saka king
Rudrasimha III thus acquiring Saurashtra and Kathiawar.
❏ Through the western ports, the kingdom’s prosperity grew through
trade links with Roman Empires.
❏ After East and West India, Chandragupta II defeated northern rulers
also like the Hunas, Kambojas, Kiratas, etc.
 Chandragupta-II (380 AD-415 AD)

❏ He was a brilliant conqueror and an able administrator as well.

❏ His other names (as mentioned in coins) include Vikrama, Devagupta,
Devaraja, Simhavikrama, Vikramaditya Sakari, etc.
❏ His court had nine jewels or Navaratnas, nine people eminent in
various fields of art, literature and science. This included the great
Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, Harisena, Amarasimha (lexicographer)
and Dhanvantari (physician).
❏ Fa-Hien, a Buddhist from China visited India during his reign. He
records the prosperity of the Gupta Empire.
Kumaragupta-I (415 AD-455 AD)
❏ He succeeded his father
Chandragupta-II.
❏ He adopted the title of
Mahendraditya.
❏ He introduced worship of God
Kartikeya.
❏ He founded the Monastery of
Nalanda.
❏ Kalidasa flourished in the reign of
both Chandragupta-II and
Kumaragupta-I.
Skandagupta (455 AD-467 AD)
❏ He succeeded his father Kumargupta-I.
❏ He repaired the dam of Sudarshana Lake.
❏ His greatest enemies were Hunas, a ferocious barbarian
tribe which lived in Central Asia.
❏ Bhitari stone inscription in Ghazipur district (UP) describes
Skandagupta’s powers.
❏ He assumed the titles Vikramaditya, Devraj & Sakapan.
❏ Skandagupta was succeeded by his brother Purugupta after
his death in 467 AD.
❏ Although the Gupta dynasty continued to be in existence for
more than 100 years after the death of Skandagupta, but
the glory of the Gupta empire faded with a rapid pace,
Thank You