THE GUPTA EMPIRECHAPTER 15

INTRODUCTION• Decline of the Kushans in

the North, Satavahanas in the Deccan and a period of political instability for a hundred years was followed by the imperial rule of the Gupta dynasty in the 4th century CE.

• Next 200 years of Indian History – Golden Age – Gupta dynasty

POLITICAL HISTORY – CHANDRAGUPTA I• First important ruler• 320CE – Ascended the throne of

Magadha• Married Kumaradevi – a princess of

the powerful Lichchhavi tribe of Vaishali – got Pataliputra as dowry

• Laid foundation of Gupta empire by conquering many more territories with the help of the Lichchhavi tribe.

• Expanded his empire upto Allahabad• Ruled for 15 years• Took the title of ‘Maharajadhiraja’

SAMUDRAGUPTA• Son of Chandragupta I• One of the greatest rulers on Indian history• Allahabad Pillar inscription by court poet Harisena tells

about his conquests.• Defeated nine kings in the north and twelve kings in the

South.• Policy of conquest, expansion• NORTH – Occupied western Uttar Pradesh, regions around

Delhi – ruled them directly.• SOUTH – Deccan/South India expedition till Kanchi (the

Pallava capital in Tamil Nadu) – Pallava king took help of all the other kings of South India and ultimately Samudragupta was accepted

as their overlord and they paid him tribute. Did not annex these territories – difficult to control – not good transport, communication facilities.

SAMUDRAGUPTA• EAST, WEST – Frontier states accepted Samudragupta

as their King without a fight – Assam, Nepal, Ganga delta in the east, tribal republics of Rajasthan in the west – Samudragupta accepted as overlord and he was paid large sums of tribute.

• Victory celebrated through Ashvamedha yagna, took the title of ‘Maharajadhiraja’

• Direct rule – Bengal in the East, Delhi in the West, Himalayas in the North, Narmada in the South

• Indirect control – vassal stares – larger area• Talented musician, poet• Encouraged Sanskrit literature, Ptronized scholars like

Harisena• Staunch follower of Hinduism, respected other

religions too• Patronized Buddhist scholars

CHANDRAGUPTA II (VIKRAMADITYA)• Son of Samudragupta• Powerful king like father, dynasty - height of glory• Strengthened his position – matrimonial alliances• Married daughter of powerful Naga ruler• Gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to a Vakataka ruler – helped him to fight the Sakas• Extended empire to Arabian sea by defeating Saka ruler – control of 3 seaports – Ujjain became capital• Patron of art, literature• Navratnas – Kalidasa• Follower of Vishnu• Fa Hien – account of India during the Gupta rule

LATER GUPTAS• Kumaragupta – Vikramaditya’s

son• Skandagupta – defeated the

barbaric Huns• Skandagupta’s successors –

weak and could not protect empire from the Huns

• Huns destroyed Gupta Empire in 6th century CE

• Numerous small kingdoms emerged – war

• 7th century CE – King Harshavardhana of Thaneswar – controlled the situation – peace and political stability

THE GOLDEN AGE • Visit of Fa Hien – reign of

Chandragupta Vikamaditya• His accounts – valuable source• Golden Period of Ancient Indian

History• Fa Hien – people were honest, secure,

prosperous, happy• No attacks• Houses not locked• Crime rare – no capital punishment• Criminals fined• Treason, rebellion – right hand cut off• Light taxes• No spy system

ADMINISTRATION

• Provinces – Districts – groups of villages

• Officials at every level• Princes – Governors of provinces –

assisted by group of officials – ‘kumaramatyas’

• Districts (vishyas) – looked after by ‘vishyapatis’

• Each District – Council for administration

• Village – Headman• Decentralized rule – freedom to

officials to administer their territories

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS• Progress in agriculture, industry,

trade, commerce• Top priority given to agriculture• Textile industry and other crafts

highly developed• Internal and external trade – brisk,

profitable• Trade with western Asia, South –

east Asia, Africa, several other Mediterranean countries

• Main exports – spices, pearls, ivory, perfumes, textiles, precious stones exported in exchange for gold

RELIGIOUS LIFE• Gupta kings – staunch followers of Hinduism• Gupta kings also known as ’Vaishnavas’ – worshipped

Lord Vishnu• Sacrifices – Ashvamedha yagna• Temples, idol worship – popular• Growing popularity of ‘Bhakti cult’ (selfless devotion

to God) – inexpensive, simple• Encouraged revival of Hinduism - religious tolerance

Eg – Buddhist University of Nalanda was patronized by the Gupta kings

• Many Jainism followers also existed then.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS• Rapid progress in mathematics, medicine, astronomy,

metallurgy• ‘Aryabhata’ and ‘Varahamihira’ – great

mathematician, astronomer• Aryabhata discovered that the Earth moves around the Sun• Aryabhata also found out the causes of the lunar and

solar eclipses.• India’s first space satellite has been named

‘Aryabhata’ in the honour of this great scientist. • ‘Vagbhata’ – book on ayurvedic system of medicine• Indians were the first to use and develop the system

of numerals. Then, the Arabs adopted and improved it.

• India discovered the concept of ‘zero’, ‘decimal system’.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS• Metallurgy became highly advanced. Eg – the Iron

Pillar at Mehrauli in Delhi.• Iron pillar – built in 4th century CE – not rusted in the

last few centuries• Eg – 25 – metre – high – copper statue of Buddha ,

numerous gold coins – remarkable skills in metal casting

CULTURAL LIFE - LITERATURE• Revival of Hinduism – Sanskrit regained

importance• Sanskrit – made the court language• Patronized Sanskrit playwrights, poets,

philosophers and grammarians• Most outstanding writer – Kalidasa, famous

plays – ‘Abhijnanashakuntalam’ and epic poem ‘Meghaduta’.

• ‘Panchatantra’ – compiled• Puranas rewritten• ‘Mahabharata’ – revised and rewritten• Shudraka’s ‘Mrichchhakatika’ written

ART AND ARCHITECTURE• Painting – height of excellence• ‘fresco paintings’ – walls of Ajanta caves• Colours in paintings – still retain their original freshness• Sculpture – high degree of perfection• Many statues of Buddha built in Sarnath.• Statue of seated Buddha – finest specimen of Gupta

sculpture• Beautiful, lifelike statues of Hindu gods, goddesses were

sculpted.• Few buildings survived but the ones survived – high

development of architectural skills.• Built rock – cut chaityas• Built temples of stone, brick Eg – Vishnu temple at

Deogarh, Buddhist chaityas in Ajanta caves

EDUCATION• Encouragement of education, learning• Liberal grants given to educational institutions.• Greatest contribution to education – establishment of

Nalanda University – famous in the reign of Harsha – 7th century CE – centre of Buddhist learning, Other subjects taught – medicine, astronomy, grammar, philosophy, Vedic literature

CONCLUSION• India reached the height of power and glory.• Politically united• Strong and stable government• Rich and prosperous• Extraordinary heights of artistic brilliance