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The
Gupta Empire 280
- 550
AD
growth
of the Gupta Empire, arrows on top show invasion routes of the Hephthalites
or Huns
In the 4th and 5th centuries, the Gupta Dynasty unified northern India. The most accepted theory about the origins of the Guptas is that the Guptas
originated from Bengal.During this
period, known as India's Golden Age, Hindu culture, science and
political administration reached new heights. Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II were the most notable rulers of
the Gupta dynasty. The Vedic Puranas
are also thought to have been written around this period. The decimal numeral system, including the concept of zero, was invented in India during the reign of
the Guptas. The most likely date for the reign of Sri-Gupta is c. 240-280 CE. His successor
Ghatotkacha ruled probably from
c. 280-319
CE. In contrast to his successor, he is also referred to in inscriptions as
'Maharaja'. At the beginning of the 4th
century the Guptas established and ruled a few small Hindu kingdoms in Magadha and around modern-day Uttar Pradesh.
The Gupta dynasty ruled India north of the Vindhya Range during the 4th and 5th centuries. Though not as vast as Mauryan empire, The Gupta
era left a deep and wide cultural impact not only in the subcontinent but on the
adjacent Asian countries as well . Like Indian kings before them, and The Guptas seem to have relied heavily on
infantry archers, and the bow was one of the dominant weapons of their army. The
Hindu version of the longbow was composed of metal, or more typically bamboo,
and fired a long bamboo cane arrow with a metal head. Unlike the composite bows of Western
and Central Asian foes, bows of this design would be less prone to warping in
the damp and moist conditions often prevalent to the region
coin of Samudragupta
Samudragupta (c.AD 335 -
380), took the
kingdoms of Shichchhatra and Padmavati early in his reign. He then
attacked the Malwas, the Yaudheyas, the Arjunayanas, the Maduras and the Abhiras, all of which were tribes in the area. By his
death in 380, he had incorporated over twenty
kingdoms into his realm, his rule extended from the Himalayas to the river Narmada and from the Brahmaputra to the Yamuna. He gave himself the titles King of
Kings . He is considered the Napoleon of
India. Samudragupta was not only a talented military leader but also a great patron
of art and literature. The important scholars present in his court were
Harishena, Vasubandhu and Asanga. He was
a poet and musician himself. He was a firm believer in Hinduism and is known to have worshipped Lord Vishnu. He was considerate of other
religions and allowed Sri
Lanka's buddhist king to build a monastery at Bodh Gaya.
Example
of Gupta art , Standing
Buddha
The
end of the Gupta Empire
Hephthalite
coin
In the 480's the Hephthalite king Toramana broke through
the Gupta defenses in the northwest, and much of the empire was overrun by the
Huna by 500. The empire disintegrated under the attacks
of Toramana and his successor, Mihirakula; the Huna conquered several
provinces of the empire, including Malwa,
Gujarat, and Thanesar, broke away under the rule of local
dynasties. It appears from inscriptions that the Guptas, although their power
was much diminished, continued to resist the Huna, and allied with the
independent kingdoms to drive the Huna from most of northern India by the
530's. The succession of the sixth-century Guptas is not entirely clear, but the
last recognized ruler of the dynasty's main line was Vishnugupta, reigning from 540 to 550.
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