Indian History

Not much is known about the events in North India after the downfall of the Kushana dynasty but it seems probable that by the 3nd century AD the Indian territories east of the Punjab and Malwa were ruled by small Indian kings.  Chandra Gupta I In this backdrop, in 320 AD there emerged a king named Chandra Gupta whose successors were instrumental in restoring the glory of the Mauryan dynasty (322 BCE - 185 BCE) to a great degree. He was the son of 2nd Gupta king Ghatotkacha whose father Srigupta I is considered the founder of the Gupta kingdom. It was, however, Chandra Gupta who was responsible for elevating the kingdom to the imperial status.  Chandra Gupta I strengthened his position by matrimonial alliance with the tribe of Lichchhavi whose princess Kumaradevi was married to him. (The Licchhavi clan made its reappearance, eight centuries after their defeat by Magadhan emperor Ajatashatru.)  Special coins were issued to commemorate this marriage which has been described by eminent

Chandragupta II succeeded to the Gupta throne after his father Samudra Gupta from whom he inherited a large empire. It is believed that before Chandragupta II his elder brother Ram Gupta ruled the Gupta empire and was forced to conclude dishonourable peace treaty with the Sakas who had ruled in the parts of western India for over 200 years.   According to the drama Devichandraguptam of Vishakhadatta, Ram Gupta was badly defeated by a Saka chieftain and forced him to agree  to surrender his queen Druvadevi to the Sakas. This angered Chandragupta II who killed his brother and married his widow.   However, Ram Gupta’s historicity is in the realm of doubt.  Vikramaditya (“Sun of Valour”) was one of the titles of Chandragupta II. He is probably the king eulogized in the inscription on the iron pillar in the Qūwat al-Islām mosque of Meharauli in Delhi . It was Chandra Gupta II who soon after AD 388 finally subjugated the Shakas. This made him the lord of all Northern India. His control over

Though third in the line of the Gupta rulers, Chandra Gupta I is considered to be the real founder of the Gupta dynasty. Ascending the throne in 320 AD, he was the first Gupta ruler who assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja, "supreme King of great Kings". His marriage with a Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi went a long way in increasing his power and position. It seems that Lichchhavis of Vaishali was once again a powerful force by now since its defeat by Ajatashatru some eight centuries before. This marriage found prominence in the genealogies of the later Gupta rulers and was commemorated by minting of special coins by them. After a rule of some fifteen years, Chandra Gupta I died. At that time Gupta empire held sway over large territories including Magadha, Allahabad, Oudh and South Bihar. Chandra Gupta I held an assembly to nominate his son Prince Samudra Gupta , against other claimants, to succeed the Gupta throne. The assembly was participated in by councilors and members

Samudragupta, was greatest ruler of the Gupta dynasty. He was son and successor of Chadragupta I. He succeeded to the throne in c. 350 AD. He ruled for about 25 years. A skillful military leader and administrator as well as a patron of learning, Samudragupta is called Indian Napolean . His court poet Harishena composed an eloquent eulogy of him which is contained in the Allahabad pillar inscription (API). Samudragupta is credited to have uprooted Nagasena, Achyuta and Ganapatinaga, (identified with the rulers of Padmavati, Ahichchhatra and Mathura respectively). He is said to have captured the prince of the Kota family (Bulandshahr region) and besieged the city of ‘Pushpa’(probably Kanyakubja). Apart from these conquests, Samudragupta brought under his control a large number of kings and vassals. According to eminent historian K. P. Jaiswal, Samudragupta forced Rudrasena I of the Vakatava dynasty to cede his North Indian possession to the Gupta Empire. To commemorate this vict