Gupta Dynasty Re-Unites India

(Classical India)
375-550 CE
• OVERVIEW:
• Sri Gupta founded
it
• Chandra Gupta I,
real founder
• Peaceful
• great traders
• strong art, science
and mathematics
• Hinduism
dominated
• The Gupta have
strong central govt
which allowed a
degree of local
control
 Political Condition
Main Monarchical States: Naga, Ahichatra,
Mathura, Ayodhya, Kaushanbhi,
Padmavati and Vakataka etc.
Main Republican States: Arjunayana,
Prarjun, Maalav, Yadav, Yaudheya,
Madrak, Shivis, Kuninda, Kuluta, Kaak,
Kharparik and Sankanik etc.
Genealogical table of the Gupta
Emperors
Sri Gupta- 240-280 BC
Ghatotkach- 280-319 BC
Chandra Gupta I- 319-335 BC
Samudra Gupta (Prakramanka, Sri Vikram)-
335-375 BC
Chandra Gupta II (Vikramaditya, Devgupta)-
375-414 BC
Kumar Gupta I- 414-455 BC
Skanda Gupta- 455-467
 Politics
• Chandra Gupta (319-335 AD)
• Marriage with Lichchvi princess
Kumar Devi
• Introduction of Gupta Era-319
AD
• Appointment of the successor
 Samudra Gupta (335-375 AD)
• Conquests of Samudra Gupta- Allahabad Pillar
Inscription, Eran Rock inscription, Nalanda
records and Coins
• conquest of North India, policy of Digvijay,
confederacies of 9 rulers: Nagasena, Achyut,
Ganapati, Rudradev Matil, Naga Datta, Chandra
Varman, Bal Varman
• Conquest of South India- Chera, Maharashtra,
Khandesh, policy of Dharam Vijay, King
Mahendra of Kaushal, Mahendragiri of Pishtpur,
Swami Datta of Kottur, Vishnu Gopa of Kanchi,
Hastivarman of Vengi, Kuber of Devrashtra.
Conquest of Border State- Samtata (Modern
Bangladesh)
Dawaak- Modern Dhaka and Navgaaon
Distt. Of Assam
Kaamroopa- Modern Assam
Nepal
Kartaripur- Near Jalandhar Kartarpur Area
and Kumaaon Gharhwal area
Republican states- Maalav (Rajasthan and
Malva)
Arjunayana (Jaipur, Alvaar)
Yaudheya (Eastern Punjab and Uttar
Pradesh)
Madrak (Sialkot now in Pakistaan)
Abhir (Western Rajputana)
Prajuna (Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh)
Sankanik (Bhilsa)
Kaka (Sanchi near Bihar)
Kharparik (Damoh distt. Of madhya
Relations with foreign power: Meghavarman king
of Ceylon
North western province Daiva Putra-Shahi-
Shahanushahi, Shaka, Murunda, Simhal, java
Aatvik tribes- forest tribes
Ashvamedha Yajna
Extention of Empire: Except Kashmir, Western
Punjab, Western Rajasthan, Sindh, Gujarat all
the Northern India, In East upto Assam, west
Punjab and rajputana, North from Himalaya upto
South and Orissa
Brave soldier and a successful general: Vyaghra Prakram,
Parakramank, Sarvrajocheta, Ajit
Poet, scholar, musician and patron of Art: Harisen, Vasubandhu, good
musician
Far sighted statesman: Digvijay V/S Dharamvijay
Capable ruler: Indianised the administration, known as Prachanda
Shasan, Four main officers: Khadyatpakik- Royal Kitchen,
Sandhivigrahak- War-peace minister, Mahadandanayak- Police and
judicial, Kumaramatya- Provincial governor
Religious minded ruler: Hinduism, Ashvamedha yajna, Sanskrit
language, tolerant (Ceylon ruler meghvarman)
Kind hearted ruler
Known as Indian Napoleon
 Chandra Gupta II
Names and Titles- Vikramaditya, devaraj,
Devagupta, Dev Sri, Singh Chandra,
Narendra Chandra
Early life and family backgrund- Mother-
Datta Devi,
Wives- Dhruva Devi (Kumara Gupta and
Gobinda Gupta) and Kubera Naga
(Prabhavati Gupta Who got married with
Vakataka ruler Rudra Sena)
Prevailing political condition- Shaka
Kshatrapas, Vakataka and Naga dynasty
1. Consolidate the extended Empire and
save from enemies
2. Expansion of empire
Matrimonial Alliances of Chandra Gupta II-
adopted two policies: War with the weak
rulers and matrimonial alliances with the
strong Indian rulers like Naga and
Vakataka dynasty
Conquests of Chandra Gupta II
Conquest of Shaka-Kshatrapas- Swami
Rudra Singh III, title Shakari and
Vikramaditya, 388-409 AD
Extended upto Arabian sea, sea ports like
Bharoch, kambay, Sopara, sea trade
flourished, Ujjain became center of trade
and cultural activities, second capital,
some other conquests
Mahrauli Iron-Pillar Inscription
Extent of Empire- Bengal (East) to across
Indus river (North0West), Arabian Sea
(West) to himalayas (North) and upto river
narmada (South). Bengal, Bihar, UP,
Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Malva, Gujarat,
Kathiywaar, Kachch, Verawal, Porbandar
and dwarka. Vakatak, Naga and Kadamba
rulers accepted his sovereignty.
 Administration
Efficient, Well organised, people enjoyed the
blessings of peace.
Five main officers: Sankanik- Feudal Lord
Amrikaardava- commander in chief of army,
buddhist
Virsena Shaava- war and peace minister,
Shiva devotee
Shikhar samant- Kumaramatya
Maharaja Gobind gupta- son and governor
of Tirhut
Ashwamedh yajna
Coins
Great ruler
Peace, law and order
Patron of Hindu Culture
Lover of art and learning
 Fahien
Early life
Route of travelling- By road from Chinese
south-west part of Gobi Desert, Khotan,
Tashkand, Pameer Valley, Swat and
reached Gandhar. Started 399 AD, then
came to Peshawar, Mathura, Patliputra,
kannauj, Kashi, Kaushambi, Nalanda,
Kapilvastu, gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar etc.
Spent 3 years in patliputra
Went back via sea route from Bengal port
tamralipti
Via Lanka, java, Sumatra reached China in
414 AD, spent 6-7 years (405-411) in India
Historical significance of his account:
description of Patliputra, political condition,
social and financial condition, religious
condition
 Kumar Gupta 414-455 AD
Known as mahendraditya, son of queen Dhruva
Devi and chandra Gupta II, performed
Ashvamedha Yajna
Struggle with Pushyamitra
Administration: Desh (rajya), Bhukti (Province),
Vishya (distt), Vithi (tehsil). Four members in
Vish (distt)- advisoty council of 4 members1.
nagarshreshthi, Sarthvaah, Pratham Kulik,
Pratham Kayastha, Record keeper, clerk, Kulik
(karigar),
Religious condition and Coins- Kartikeya, various
types of coins
 Skanda Gupta 455-467 AD
Accession- civil war between puru gupta and
Skanda Gupta
Conquest over the Hunas
Other conquests- Mlechcha, Pushyamitra,
local rulers
Other achievements- Sudershan lake
Religion- Tolerant, Lord Vishnu follower,
Sun and Jain temple
Coins- Silver and Gold coins (4 types) but
not pure Gold coins
 Weak Successors
Purugupta
Kumar Gupta II
Budh Gupta
Vainya Gupta
Bhanu Gupta
Narsimhs Gupta
Baladitya
Kumar Gupta III
Vishnu Gupta
 Chandra Gupta I (reigned AD 320-c. 330),
• Pataliputra : Mauryan capital: magnificent palaces,
temples, parks
• Path to Power
– Increased the power and territory of his regional kingdom
by marrying Princess Kumaradevi whose family
controlled northern India/Nepal.
• Other N. Indian territories joined this alliance for protection
and trade as his power grew

Kumardevi and Chandragupta I

335-370 ce
Gold Dinar
 Samudra Gupta (son of Chandra)
• launched wars of
conquest across
N. India
• Built a larger
Gupta empire
• Wealth came
from many mines
owned by govt
 Gupta Economy
• owned gold mines, silver mines, and vast lands.
• rent money from farmers funded government (govt
owned the land)
• Silk Road served Gupta, Han, Rome and Persia Dynasties
• Indian merchants shipped ivory, jewels, and textiles, salt
and iron
• The Romans traded glass, jewels, and clothes.
• Chinese merchants traded silk, spices, tea, and porcelain.
• The Gupta Empire profited greatly from religious trade
and religious pilgrims.
 Gupta social life
• VERY wealthy civilization
• enjoyed gardens, music,
and daily bathing
• ate lots of variety; rice,
bread, fish, milk, fruits and
juices.
• slave labor
• Hinduism became more
organized & temples
became more important.
• Women lost rights compared
to under Buddhism
• Child marriage became
common for girls
• HINDUSIM returns as
dominant religion
 Gupta Math/Science
• Invented numbers 1-9, decimal system, pi
• Zero invented by Aryabata
• Charted planets and star movements
• recognized the Earth is round and rotates
on its axis and revolves around sun.
• Indian physicians excelled in medicines,
caesarean section, bone setting, and skin
grafting, smallpox vaccination
 Gupta Buddhist Art

• AJANTA CAVES
• depict the stories of
Buddhism spanning from
the period from 200 bce
to 650 ce.
 AJANTA
CAVES
.

• During the 4th century

c.e.
• Buddhist monasteries
and prayer halls.
• twenty-nine caves
• adorned with elaborate
painting and sculptures
 Ajanta Caves
• The Ajanta caves depict the stories of
Buddhism spanning from the period from
200 bce to 650 ce.
• The 29 caves were built by Buddhist
monks using simple tools like hammer &
chisel.
• The elaborate and exquisite sculptures
and paintings depict stories from Jataka
tales.
• The caves also house images of nymphs
and princesses.
the Sarnath Buddha
 Gupta Decline
Later Gupta rulers lived extravagantly,
which weakened the people’s loyalty.
– Guptas weakened by the expense of
the War with White Huns and
competing India kingdoms
 White Huns c. 500ce invade
through Kyber Pass and Ganges Valley
• destroyed cities and reduced Hindu
temples to rubble.
• Feudal provinces declare
independence when Gupta are
destroyed
• India seperates into independent
kingdoms.
• not unified again until the Muslims
in the 11th century