Ancient India History :- Gupta Empire (400 – 600 AD)
*On ruins of Kushan Empire rose Gupta Empire
*Constituted majority of UP & Bihar
*Main center of power at Prayag (Allahabad)
*Founder of Gupta Dynasty was Sri- gupta
*Srigupta was succeeded by Ghatochkacha
*Both of them were called Maharaja
*Constituted majority of UP & Bihar
*Main center of power at Prayag (Allahabad)
*Founder of Gupta Dynasty was Sri- gupta
*Srigupta was succeeded by Ghatochkacha
*Both of them were called Maharaja
Chandragupta 1
*1st to be called as Maharajadhiraja (Great king of kings)
*Married Lichchhavi princess which gave him strength & prestige
*Considered to be founder of Gupta era as a mark of his ascension
*Married Lichchhavi princess which gave him strength & prestige
*Considered to be founder of Gupta era as a mark of his ascension
*Mehraulli iron pillar inscriptions mentions his extensive quests
Samundragupta
*Known as greatest ruler of Gupta dynasty & Napolean of India
*Was opposite of Asoka & delighted in military conquest.
*Was opposite of Asoka & delighted in military conquest.
*Inscriptions of his military conquest are mentioned (in sanskrit with Nagari script) on same Allahabad pillar which carries inscriptions of peace loving Asoka
*Samundragupta never knew any defeat & conquered east till Assam, west till eastern Afganistan, North till Kashmir & south till Tamilnadu
*Was a lover of art & literature, Self-proficient in music & poetry, hence called Kaviraja
*Patronised many poets & scholars along with famous Harisena
*Was an ardent follower of vaishnavism but tolerant to other religions
Chandragupta 2 (Chandragupta Vikramaditya)
*His reign saw high watermark of Gupta Empire
*Extended his empire by military conquests & marriage alliances
*Defeated Shakas in Malwa & Gujrat & conquered western sea port, henceforth, Ujjain became 2nd capital of Guptas, 1st being Prayag
*His exploits as Chandra has been mentioned on Qutub iron pillar Delhi
*Extended his empire by military conquests & marriage alliances
*Defeated Shakas in Malwa & Gujrat & conquered western sea port, henceforth, Ujjain became 2nd capital of Guptas, 1st being Prayag
*His exploits as Chandra has been mentioned on Qutub iron pillar Delhi
*His reign at Ujjain court saw numerous scholars including “Kalidasa & Amarsimha”
*It was his reign under which chinese pilgrimage Fa-hsien / Fahien (399-414 AD) visited India
*It was his reign under which chinese pilgrimage Fa-hsien / Fahien (399-414 AD) visited India
Fall of Gupta Empire
*Due to invasion of Hunas from central Asia
*Due to rise of Yashodharman in Malwa
*Due to dissention within the royal family & weak rulers
*The later Gupta’s embraced Buddhismwhile their predecessors were staunch Hindus.
*Due to rise of Yashodharman in Malwa
*Due to dissention within the royal family & weak rulers
*The later Gupta’s embraced Buddhismwhile their predecessors were staunch Hindus.
Gupta’s Administration
*Unlike Mauryas, Guptas assumed titles like parmeshwara, Maharajadhiraja & Paramabhattaraka
*Provinces in Gupta’s period were known as Bhuktis & provincial governors Uparikas
*King maintained close contacts with provincial administration through a class of officials called “Kumaramatyas” & “Ayuktas”
*Provinces were divided into districts Vishayas under charge of Vishayapati
*All foreign affairs were looked after by foreign affair minister known as “Sandivigraha”
*Villagers were subjected to forced labour called Vishti for serving royal army & officials
*Provinces in Gupta’s period were known as Bhuktis & provincial governors Uparikas
*King maintained close contacts with provincial administration through a class of officials called “Kumaramatyas” & “Ayuktas”
*Provinces were divided into districts Vishayas under charge of Vishayapati
*All foreign affairs were looked after by foreign affair minister known as “Sandivigraha”
*Villagers were subjected to forced labour called Vishti for serving royal army & officials
Religion & Social Culture
*Brahamans formed the top ladder & receive numerous gifts
*Brahamanism reigned supreme during Gupta period & had 2 branches mainly, Vaishnavism & Shaivism, with former more prevalent (Bhagavatism)
*Fahien accounts shows a decline of Budhhism in Gangetic valley but a few budhhist monks like Vasubandhu were patronised by Gupta kings
*Brahamanism reigned supreme during Gupta period & had 2 branches mainly, Vaishnavism & Shaivism, with former more prevalent (Bhagavatism)
*Fahien accounts shows a decline of Budhhism in Gangetic valley but a few budhhist monks like Vasubandhu were patronised by Gupta kings
Art & Culture
*Gupta age is called golden age of India in field of art, science & literature
*Nagara & Dravidian styles of art evolved during this period
*Delhi iron pillar, 7 ½ feet Buddha statue & Deogarh temple are finest example of Gupta art
*Mural paintings of Ajanta, which mainly depicted life stories of Buddha as in Jtaka stories belong to this period (Paintings at Sigiria in Srilanka are influenced by Ajanta paintings)
*Nagara & Dravidian styles of art evolved during this period
*Delhi iron pillar, 7 ½ feet Buddha statue & Deogarh temple are finest example of Gupta art
*Mural paintings of Ajanta, which mainly depicted life stories of Buddha as in Jtaka stories belong to this period (Paintings at Sigiria in Srilanka are influenced by Ajanta paintings)
Literature
*Sanskrit became primary language in Gupta period
*Ramayana & Mahabharata were compiled during this period
Kalidasa :- Abhigyanshakuntalam, MalvikagnimitramVikramorvasiya, KumarsambhavaRaghuvamsa, Ritusamhara, Meghaduta
Vishakadatta :- Mudrarakshash & Devi – Chandraguptam
Vishnusharma :- Panchtantra stories
Sudraka :- Mrich – chakatika (Little clay art or toy cart)
Amarsimha :- Amarkosha (Lexicon in sanskrit)
Dandin :- Kavyadarsa & Desa – kumarcharita
Science & Technology
Aryabhatta :- Aryabhatiyam , Suryasidhhanta
Varahmitra :- Panch sidhhanta (5 astronomical system)Brihadsamhita, Brihadjataka (Astrology)
Vagbhata :- Ashtangasamgraha (Summary of 8 branches of Medicine)
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