Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire on the Indian subcontinent which existed from the
mid 3rd century CE to mid 6th century CE. It was the seventh ruling dynasty of Magadh. At its zenith,
from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent.[6] This period has
been considered as the Golden Age of India by historians,[7] although this characterisation has been
disputed by some other historians.[note 1][note 2][10] According to Puranic chronology the Imperial
Gupta dynasty ruled for 245 years from 327 B.C.-82 B.C., while according to the currently accepted
chronology the regnal period of this dynasty is 209 years from 319 A.D.-528 A D.[11] The ruling
dynasty of the empire was founded by Gupta and the most notable rulers of the dynasty were
Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta.
The high points of this period are the great cultural developments which took place primarily during
the reigns of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II and Kumaragupta I. Many Hindu epics and literary
sources, such as Mahabharata and Ramayana, were canonised during this period.[12] The Gupta
period produced scholars such as Kalidasa,[13] Aryabhata, Varahamihira and Vatsyayana, who made
great advancements in many academic fields.[14][15][16] Science and political administration reached
new heights during the Gupta era.[15] The period, sometimes described as Pax Gupta, gave rise to
achievements in architecture, sculpture, and painting that "set standards of form and taste [that]
determined the whole subsequent course of art, not only in India but far beyond her borders".[17]
Strong trade ties also made the region an important cultural centre and established the region as a
base that would influence nearby kingdoms and regions in India and Southeast Asia.[18] The
Puranas, earlier long poems on a variety of subjects, are also thought to have been committed to
written texts around this period.[17][19] Hinduism was followed by the rulers and the Brahmins
flourished in the Gupta empire but the Guptas were tolerant towards people of other faiths as
well.[20]
The empire eventually died out because of factors such as substantial loss of territory and imperial
authority caused by their own erstwhile feudatories, as well as the invasion by the Huna peoples
(Kidarites and Alchon Huns) from Central Asia.[21][22] After the collapse of the Gupta Empire in the
6th century, India was again ruled by numerous regional kingdoms.
Origin
The homeland of the Guptas is uncertain.[23] According to one theory, they originated in the present-
day lower-Doab region of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh,[24] where most of the inscriptions and coin
,hoards of the early Gupta emperors have been
Gupta Empire
discovered.[25][26] This theory is also supported by
the Purana, as argued by the proponents, that c. 240 CE–c. 550 CE
mention the territory of the early Gupta emperors ALCHON HUNS TOCHARIANS
South Asia
KIDARITES c. 420 CE
as Prayaga, Saketa, and Magadha areas in the
SASANIAN
Ganges basin.[27][28]
ZHANGZHUNG
EMPIRE MADRAKAS
SASANIAN
ARJUNAYANAS
HIND
YAUDHEYAS
LICCHAVIS
KAMARUPAS
Another prominent theory locates the Gupta
MALAVAS GAUDA
homeland in the present-day Bengal region in SAMATATAS
ABHIRAS
Ganges basin, based on the account of the 7th- TRAITAKUTAS
VAKATAKAS
century Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing. According KADAMBAS
WESTERN
to Yijing, king Che-li-ki-to (identified with the
GANGAS
KALABHRAS
dynasty's founder Shri Gupta) built a temple for
Chinese pilgrims near Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no ◁▷
Map of the Gupta Empire c. 420 CE, according
(apparently a transcription of Mriga-shikha-vana).
to Joseph E. Schwartzberg, with contemporary
Yijing states that this temple was located more polities[1]
than 40 yojanas east of Nalanda, which would Status Empire
mean it was situated somewhere in the modern
Capital Pataliputra
Bengal region.[29] Another proposal is that the Ujjain
Ayodhya[2][3]
early Gupta kingdom extended from Prayaga in
the west to northern Bengal in the east.[30] Common languages Sanskrit (literary and
academic); Prakrit
(vernacular)
The Gupta records do not mention the dynasty's
varna (social class).[31] Some historians, such as Religion Hinduism
Buddhism
A.S. Altekar, have theorised that they were of Jainism
Vaishya origin, as certain ancient Indian texts
Government Monarchy
prescribe the name "Gupta" for the members of
Maharajadhiraja
the Vaishya varna.[32][33] According to historian R.
S. Sharma, the Vaishyas – who were traditionally
• c. 240-280 CE Gupta (first)
associated with trade – may have become rulers
• c. 280-319 CE Ghatotkacha
after resisting oppressive taxation by the previous
rulers.[34] Critics of the Vaishya-origin theory point • c. 319-335 CE Chandragupta I
out that the suffix Gupta features in the names of • c. 335-375 CE Samudragupta
several non-Vaishyas before as well as during the • c. 375-415 CE Chandragupta II
Gupta period,[35] and the dynastic name "Gupta"
• c. 415-455 CE Kumaragupta I
may have simply derived from the name of the
• c. 455-467 CE Skandagupta
dynasty's first king Gupta.[36] Some scholars, such
,as S. R. Goyal, theorise that the Guptas were • c. 540-550 CE Vishnugupta (last)
Brahmins, because they had matrimonial
Historical era Ancient India
relations with Brahmins, but others reject this
evidence as inconclusive.[37] Based on the Pune • Established c. 240 CE
and Riddhapur inscriptions of the Gupta princess
• Disestablished c. 550 CE
Prabhavatigupta, some scholars believe that the
Area
name of her paternal gotra (clan) was "Dharana",
but an alternative reading of these inscriptions 400 est.[4] 3,500,000 km2
(high-end estimate of (1,400,000 sq mi)
suggests that Dharana was the gotra of her peak area)
mother Kuberanaga.[38]
440 est.[5] 1,700,000 km2
(low-end estimate of (660,000 sq mi)
History peak area)
Currency Dinars, Cowries
Early rulers Preceded by Succeeded
by
Western Satraps Later
Nagas of Padmavati Guptas
Mahameghavahana Chaulukya
dynasty dynasty
Murunda dynasty Paramara
Gupta script inscription Maharaja Sri Gupta
dynasty
("Great King, Lord Gupta"),
Vardhana
mentioning the first ruler of the dynasty, king dynasty
Gupta. Inscription by Samudragupta on the Maukhari
Allahabad pillar, where Samudragupta presents Gurjara
king Gupta as his great-grandfather. Dated circa kingdoms
350 CE.[39]
Today part of India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Nepal
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Queen Kumaradevi and King
Chandragupta I, depicted on a gold
coin
, Gupta (Gupta script: gu-pta, fl. late 3rd century CE) is the earliest known king of the dynasty:
different historians variously date the beginning of his reign from mid-to-late 3rd century CE.[40][41]
Gupta founded the Gupta Empire c. 240-280 CE, and was succeeded by his son, Ghatotkacha,
c. 280-319 CE, followed by Ghatotkacha's son, Chandragupta I, c. 319-335 CE.[42] "Che-li-ki-to", the
name of a king mentioned by the 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing, is believed to be a
transcription of "Shri-Gupta" (IAST: Śrigupta), "Shri" being an honorific prefix.[43] According to Yijing,
this king built a temple for Chinese Buddhist pilgrims near "Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no" (believed to be a
transcription of Mṛgaśikhāvana).[44]
In the Allahabad Pillar inscription, Gupta and his successor Ghatotkacha are described as Maharaja
("Great King"), while the next king Chandragupta I is called a Maharajadhiraja ("King of Great Kings").
In the later period, the title Maharaja was used by feudatory rulers, which has led to suggestions that
Gupta and Ghatotkacha were vassals (possibly of Kushan Empire).[45] However, there are several
instances of paramount sovereigns using the title Maharaja, in both pre-Gupta and post-Gupta
periods, so this cannot be said with certainty. That said, there is no doubt that Gupta and
Ghatotkacha held a lower status and were less powerful than Chandragupta I.[46]
Chandragupta I married the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi, which may have helped him extend his
political power and dominions, enabling him to adopt the prestigious title Maharajadhiraja.[47]
According to the dynasty's official records, he was succeeded by his son Samudragupta. However,
the discovery of the coins issued by a Gupta emperor named Kacha have led to some debate on this
topic: according to one theory, Kacha was another name for Samudragupta; another possibility is
that Kacha was a rival claimant to the throne.[48]
Samudragupta
Samudragupta succeeded his father around 335 or 350 CE, and ruled until c. 375 CE.[49] The
Allahabad Pillar inscription, composed by his courtier Harisena, credits him with extensive
conquests.[50] The inscription asserts that Samudragupta uprooted 8 kings of Āryāvarta, the
northern region, including the Nagas.[51] It further claims that he subjugated all the kings of the
forest region, which was most probably located in central India.[52] It also credits him with defeating
12 rulers of Dakshinapatha, the southern region: the exact identification of several of these kings is
debated among modern scholars,[53] but it is clear that these kings ruled areas located on the
eastern coast of India.[54] The inscription suggests that Samudragupta advanced as far as the
Pallava kingdom in the south, and defeated Vishnugopa, the Pallava regent of Kanchi.[55] During this
southern campaign, Samudragupta most probably passed through the forest tract of central India,
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire on the Indian subcontinent which existed from the
mid 3rd century CE to mid 6th century CE. It was the seventh ruling dynasty of Magadh. At its zenith,
from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent.[6] This period has
been considered as the Golden Age of India by historians,[7] although this characterisation has been
disputed by some other historians.[note 1][note 2][10] According to Puranic chronology the Imperial
Gupta dynasty ruled for 245 years from 327 B.C.-82 B.C., while according to the currently accepted
chronology the regnal period of this dynasty is 209 years from 319 A.D.-528 A D.[11] The ruling
dynasty of the empire was founded by Gupta and the most notable rulers of the dynasty were
Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta.
The high points of this period are the great cultural developments which took place primarily during
the reigns of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II and Kumaragupta I. Many Hindu epics and literary
sources, such as Mahabharata and Ramayana, were canonised during this period.[12] The Gupta
period produced scholars such as Kalidasa,[13] Aryabhata, Varahamihira and Vatsyayana, who made
great advancements in many academic fields.[14][15][16] Science and political administration reached
new heights during the Gupta era.[15] The period, sometimes described as Pax Gupta, gave rise to
achievements in architecture, sculpture, and painting that "set standards of form and taste [that]
determined the whole subsequent course of art, not only in India but far beyond her borders".[17]
Strong trade ties also made the region an important cultural centre and established the region as a
base that would influence nearby kingdoms and regions in India and Southeast Asia.[18] The
Puranas, earlier long poems on a variety of subjects, are also thought to have been committed to
written texts around this period.[17][19] Hinduism was followed by the rulers and the Brahmins
flourished in the Gupta empire but the Guptas were tolerant towards people of other faiths as
well.[20]
The empire eventually died out because of factors such as substantial loss of territory and imperial
authority caused by their own erstwhile feudatories, as well as the invasion by the Huna peoples
(Kidarites and Alchon Huns) from Central Asia.[21][22] After the collapse of the Gupta Empire in the
6th century, India was again ruled by numerous regional kingdoms.
Origin
The homeland of the Guptas is uncertain.[23] According to one theory, they originated in the present-
day lower-Doab region of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh,[24] where most of the inscriptions and coin
,hoards of the early Gupta emperors have been
Gupta Empire
discovered.[25][26] This theory is also supported by
the Purana, as argued by the proponents, that c. 240 CE–c. 550 CE
mention the territory of the early Gupta emperors ALCHON HUNS TOCHARIANS
South Asia
KIDARITES c. 420 CE
as Prayaga, Saketa, and Magadha areas in the
SASANIAN
Ganges basin.[27][28]
ZHANGZHUNG
EMPIRE MADRAKAS
SASANIAN
ARJUNAYANAS
HIND
YAUDHEYAS
LICCHAVIS
KAMARUPAS
Another prominent theory locates the Gupta
MALAVAS GAUDA
homeland in the present-day Bengal region in SAMATATAS
ABHIRAS
Ganges basin, based on the account of the 7th- TRAITAKUTAS
VAKATAKAS
century Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing. According KADAMBAS
WESTERN
to Yijing, king Che-li-ki-to (identified with the
GANGAS
KALABHRAS
dynasty's founder Shri Gupta) built a temple for
Chinese pilgrims near Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no ◁▷
Map of the Gupta Empire c. 420 CE, according
(apparently a transcription of Mriga-shikha-vana).
to Joseph E. Schwartzberg, with contemporary
Yijing states that this temple was located more polities[1]
than 40 yojanas east of Nalanda, which would Status Empire
mean it was situated somewhere in the modern
Capital Pataliputra
Bengal region.[29] Another proposal is that the Ujjain
Ayodhya[2][3]
early Gupta kingdom extended from Prayaga in
the west to northern Bengal in the east.[30] Common languages Sanskrit (literary and
academic); Prakrit
(vernacular)
The Gupta records do not mention the dynasty's
varna (social class).[31] Some historians, such as Religion Hinduism
Buddhism
A.S. Altekar, have theorised that they were of Jainism
Vaishya origin, as certain ancient Indian texts
Government Monarchy
prescribe the name "Gupta" for the members of
Maharajadhiraja
the Vaishya varna.[32][33] According to historian R.
S. Sharma, the Vaishyas – who were traditionally
• c. 240-280 CE Gupta (first)
associated with trade – may have become rulers
• c. 280-319 CE Ghatotkacha
after resisting oppressive taxation by the previous
rulers.[34] Critics of the Vaishya-origin theory point • c. 319-335 CE Chandragupta I
out that the suffix Gupta features in the names of • c. 335-375 CE Samudragupta
several non-Vaishyas before as well as during the • c. 375-415 CE Chandragupta II
Gupta period,[35] and the dynastic name "Gupta"
• c. 415-455 CE Kumaragupta I
may have simply derived from the name of the
• c. 455-467 CE Skandagupta
dynasty's first king Gupta.[36] Some scholars, such
,as S. R. Goyal, theorise that the Guptas were • c. 540-550 CE Vishnugupta (last)
Brahmins, because they had matrimonial
Historical era Ancient India
relations with Brahmins, but others reject this
evidence as inconclusive.[37] Based on the Pune • Established c. 240 CE
and Riddhapur inscriptions of the Gupta princess
• Disestablished c. 550 CE
Prabhavatigupta, some scholars believe that the
Area
name of her paternal gotra (clan) was "Dharana",
but an alternative reading of these inscriptions 400 est.[4] 3,500,000 km2
(high-end estimate of (1,400,000 sq mi)
suggests that Dharana was the gotra of her peak area)
mother Kuberanaga.[38]
440 est.[5] 1,700,000 km2
(low-end estimate of (660,000 sq mi)
History peak area)
Currency Dinars, Cowries
Early rulers Preceded by Succeeded
by
Western Satraps Later
Nagas of Padmavati Guptas
Mahameghavahana Chaulukya
dynasty dynasty
Murunda dynasty Paramara
Gupta script inscription Maharaja Sri Gupta
dynasty
("Great King, Lord Gupta"),
Vardhana
mentioning the first ruler of the dynasty, king dynasty
Gupta. Inscription by Samudragupta on the Maukhari
Allahabad pillar, where Samudragupta presents Gurjara
king Gupta as his great-grandfather. Dated circa kingdoms
350 CE.[39]
Today part of India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Nepal
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Queen Kumaradevi and King
Chandragupta I, depicted on a gold
coin
, Gupta (Gupta script: gu-pta, fl. late 3rd century CE) is the earliest known king of the dynasty:
different historians variously date the beginning of his reign from mid-to-late 3rd century CE.[40][41]
Gupta founded the Gupta Empire c. 240-280 CE, and was succeeded by his son, Ghatotkacha,
c. 280-319 CE, followed by Ghatotkacha's son, Chandragupta I, c. 319-335 CE.[42] "Che-li-ki-to", the
name of a king mentioned by the 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing, is believed to be a
transcription of "Shri-Gupta" (IAST: Śrigupta), "Shri" being an honorific prefix.[43] According to Yijing,
this king built a temple for Chinese Buddhist pilgrims near "Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no" (believed to be a
transcription of Mṛgaśikhāvana).[44]
In the Allahabad Pillar inscription, Gupta and his successor Ghatotkacha are described as Maharaja
("Great King"), while the next king Chandragupta I is called a Maharajadhiraja ("King of Great Kings").
In the later period, the title Maharaja was used by feudatory rulers, which has led to suggestions that
Gupta and Ghatotkacha were vassals (possibly of Kushan Empire).[45] However, there are several
instances of paramount sovereigns using the title Maharaja, in both pre-Gupta and post-Gupta
periods, so this cannot be said with certainty. That said, there is no doubt that Gupta and
Ghatotkacha held a lower status and were less powerful than Chandragupta I.[46]
Chandragupta I married the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi, which may have helped him extend his
political power and dominions, enabling him to adopt the prestigious title Maharajadhiraja.[47]
According to the dynasty's official records, he was succeeded by his son Samudragupta. However,
the discovery of the coins issued by a Gupta emperor named Kacha have led to some debate on this
topic: according to one theory, Kacha was another name for Samudragupta; another possibility is
that Kacha was a rival claimant to the throne.[48]
Samudragupta
Samudragupta succeeded his father around 335 or 350 CE, and ruled until c. 375 CE.[49] The
Allahabad Pillar inscription, composed by his courtier Harisena, credits him with extensive
conquests.[50] The inscription asserts that Samudragupta uprooted 8 kings of Āryāvarta, the
northern region, including the Nagas.[51] It further claims that he subjugated all the kings of the
forest region, which was most probably located in central India.[52] It also credits him with defeating
12 rulers of Dakshinapatha, the southern region: the exact identification of several of these kings is
debated among modern scholars,[53] but it is clear that these kings ruled areas located on the
eastern coast of India.[54] The inscription suggests that Samudragupta advanced as far as the
Pallava kingdom in the south, and defeated Vishnugopa, the Pallava regent of Kanchi.[55] During this
southern campaign, Samudragupta most probably passed through the forest tract of central India,
