After Mauryan empire two major powers emerged in India and they were Kushans in north India and Satvahanas in south India. Satvahanas were politically united and they gain economic prosperity through trade with Roman empire from the port of Kochi. Kushans played same role in north and they traded trough silk road which passed from Taxila , they installed various toll plaza and thus Kushans were first to issue gold coins in India. Both these powers came to end in mid- third century. Kushans power In north came to end in around 230 CE.
To
understand Gupta dynasty we must know about both Gupta feudalism and Gupta
imperialism ,Gupta's may have been of
Vaishya origin although Gupta empire was not as large as Mauryan empire but it
kept north India politically united. The original kingdom of the Gupta empire comprised
UP & Bihar and UP appears to be major province of Gupta's because early Gupta
coins and inscriptions are mostly found in state territory. Their centre of power
was at PRAYAG[Allahabad] and from here they spread into neighbouring regions.
·
Gupta feudalism :- Allahabad pillar inscription
by HARISENA[court poet of SAMUDRAGUPTA] preamble describe about origin of Gupta
dynasty, according to which Murundas were feudal lords of Kushans and they
granted land to SHRIGUPTA who was of Vaishya origin as Murundas were happy of
his services and then his son GATTOTKACH who was of sound physic was able to
conquer his contemporary feudal lords through wrestling matches and acquired
Anuganga, Prayag[ALLAHABAD], Saket[Ayodhya] and Magadh and this way gupta
feudalism came into existence.
·
Gupta imperialism :- Chandragupta 1 son of
GHATTOTKACH married a Lichchhavi princess ,probably from Nepal. From here
Gupta imperialism came into existence.
CHRONOLOGY OF GUPTA RULERS
CHANDRAGUPTA 1 [ 319-334 CE] :- He is regarded
as an important ruler as he started the gupta era after marriage to a
Lichchhavi princess .
SAMUDRAGUPTA [ 335-380 CE] :- He was son of
Chandragupta and during his tenure Gupta empire expanded enormously the places conquered by Samudragupta can be
divided into five groups.
a)
Group one included prices of Ganga-Yamuna region
b)
Group two includes eastern Himalayan rulers and
some parts of Nepal ,Assam and Bengal.
c)
Group three include forest kingdom located in
vindhya region known as Atavika rajyas.
d)
Group four include twelve rulers of eastern
Deccan and south India who were conquered and liberated.
e)
Group five includes Shakas and Kusahans ruling
in Afghanistan.
According to Chinese source
MEGHVAVARMAN the ruler of Sri Lanka took permission from Samudragupta to build
a Buddhist temple at Gaya. He was termed as Napoleon of India.
CHANDRAGUPTA || [ 380-412 CE] :- He also extended the Gupta empire not by conquest but through marriage alliance he married his daughter Prabhavati to a Vakataka prince ruled in central India, the prince died and was succeeded by his son and Prabhavati became virtual ruler she promoted interest of her father thus Chandragupta exercised indirect control over Vakataka kingdom.Chandragupta also conquered Malwa and Gujrat region and this conquest gave him control over the western sea coast famous for trade and commerce.During Chandragupta period cultural evolution took place and every literature was composed during his period.
DECLINE OF GUPTA EMPIRE
☆ Hunas from central asia who were firstly suppressed by Skandgupta but could not be handled by his successors and by 485 CE Hunas captured malwa and some part of central India, Punjab and Rajasthan also passed in their hands.
☆Rise of feudatories as feudal lords appointed by Gupta kings in north bengal and their feudatories declared themself independent. Maukharis rose to power in Bihar and UP by 550 CE. The rulers of valabhi established their authority in gujrat and malwa which were main source of economic prosperity of Gupta dynasty.
☆Narsingh baladitya son of Prabhavati refused the control of Chandragupta || and as a result Gupta dynasty control over vakataka lost.
☆Contradiction in feudal system occurred and it was of two types
a) Due to feudal system the taxation on trade increased and thus far land trade came to an end and gradually traders started buying land and becoming feudal lords which resulted in Urban decay.
b) Due to political turmoil feudal lords use to fight among them self which also resulted in degradation of trade.
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