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The Gupta Dynasty
After the end of the Satavahanas dynasty
in the South India and the Kushana
dynasty in the North India around 3th
Century A.D a new dynasty emerged in
the North India which was known as the
Gupta dynasty. The origins of the Gupta
dynasty is not clear in the history but
according to the Allahabad inscription of
Samundragupta it mentioned that
Sirigupta and Ghatotkacha was the
founder of the Gupta dynasty.
Ghaotkacha was succeeded by his son
Chandragupta I in the year 319 A.D who
is considered as the great ruler of the
Gupta dynasty and by many historians
considered as the founder of the Gupta
dynasty.
Chandragupta I assumed the title of
Maharajadhiraj. He was married with
Kumaradevi the princess of the Lichavi
family and sister of Prince Chetak of Nepal
According to the matrimonial alliance
Chandragupta I started the coins in India
which has the joint names of the king and
the queen both
Chandragupta I died in the year 335 A.D.
Chandragupta I was succeeded by his son
Samundragupta
Samundragupta was very brave and due
to his bravery he was given the tiltle of
Napolean of India by the historian V.A.
Smith
Samundragupta assumed the title of
Kaviraj and Vikramanka
A famous Buddhist scholar Vasubandhu
was important minister in the court of
Samundragupta
Although Smaundragupta was the follower
of brahmanical religion he allowed to built
the Buddhist temple at Gaya on the
request of the king of Sri Lanka
Meghavarman
Samundragupta died in the year 375 A.D.
Samundragupta was succeeded by his son
Ramgupta but he was killed by his brother
Chandragupta II who also married his
queen Dhruvadevi
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Chandrahupta II became the king in the
year 380 A.D
There were nine gems or Navratna in the
court of Chandragupta II which includes
Kalidas
Amar Singh
Varahmihir
Dhanvantari
Betal Bhatta
Sanku
Ghatt- Karpar
Var- ruchi
Kshapanak
Chandragupta II expanded the Gupta
Empire and it is during his period the
Gupta Empire reached its highest glory
Chandragupta II assumed the title of
Vikramaditya by defeating the Kshatrapa
king of Ujjain Rudrasimha III
Chandragupta II built the famous rustless
iron pillar near Qutub Minar in Delhi
Famous Chinese traveler Fahien came
during the period of Chandragupta II
Chandragupta II entered into the
matrimonial alliance with the Vakatakas
by marrying his daughter Prabhavatigupta
to the Rudrasena II. After the death of
Rudrasena II the Vakatakas empire came
under the rule of her daughter.
Chandragupta II highly respect Dignaga
who was known as the father of justice
and written the book Nyaya Prakash
Chandragupta II died in the year 413 A.D
Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son
Kumaragupta I
Kumaragupta I built the famous ancient
university of Nalanda in Bihar
Kumaragupta I assumed the title of
Mahendraditya
Kumaragupta controlled the empire for
forty year by maintaining the prosperity
and security in the last days of his rule he
was attacked by the Turkish- Mongol tribe
known as Hunas and he died while fighting
with them in the year 455 A.D
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Kumaragupta I was succeeded by his son
Skandgupta
Skandgupta was able to face the Hunas
effectively but he could not live long and
died in the year 467 A.D After the death
of Skandgupta all the successors of the
Gupta dynasty were very weak. The last
ruler of the Gupta dynasty was Vishnu
Gupta and after his death in 550 A.D the
Gupta Dynasty came to an end
Administrative Setup of the Gupta’s
Country- Bhukti
District- Vishay
Sub- district- Vithi
Village- Gram
Group of Village- Pethak
Gupta Administration
The head of the administration and the
judiciary was the king. Apart from the
king the important people of the Gupta
administration was
Mahabaladhikrita- Head of Army
Dandapasika- Head of police
Mahadandanayak- Head of judiciary
Tikina- Head of Roadways
Gupta Coins
The Gupta rulers issued three types of
coins
Gold Coins- Nishka, Pala
Silver Coin- Rupak, Satmana, Panna
Copper Coin- Kakini
Taxes levied by the Gupta’s
Udranga- It was the tax levied on the
permanent farmers
Uparikara- It was the tax levied on the
temporary farmers
Hiranya- It was the tax which was
collected in the form of gold
Purastha- It was the land tax
Gupta Literature
Kalidas wrote many famous literatures
such as Abhigyanam Sakuntalam,
Meghdoot, Kumarasambhava, Vikram-
Urvashi etc
Sudraka wrote Mrichchakatikam
Vishakadatta wrote Mudrarakshasa and
Devichandraguptam
Vishnu Sharma wrote Panchatantra and
Hitopdesh
Development of Sanskrit based on Panini
and Patanjali
Some historians believe that Mahabharat
was written during the period of Gupta’s
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