Page 82 - SST Class 06

had to surrender before him. It is conjectured political supremacy. He was a tolerant ruler and a
that at the end of his reign, the boundary of the great patron of art.
Gupta Empire already extended to Allahabad. Chandragupta II (AD375-415)

Samudragupta(AD 335-375) Chandragupta II, son of Samudragupta, suc-
Samudragupta, son of Chandragupta I, was the ceeded his father to the throne. He was also
greatest ruler of the Gupta Dynasty. An inscrip- known as Vikramaditya. Chandragupta II was a
tion engraved on a pillar at Allahabad, popularly good ruler and a great conqueror. His reign can
called the Allahabad Pillar Inscription or the be regarded as the highest point of reign can be
Prayag Prashasti, is the main source of informa- regarded as the highest point of power and
tion on Samudragupta’s conquests. It was prosperity achieved by the Guptas.
composed by Samudragupta’s court poet,
Harisena.

Chandragupta II
He defeated his main enemy, the Shakas of
Samudragupta western Malwa and Kathiawar and gained
The Prayag Prashasti control over three important ports of western
The prashasti lists the rulers against whom India – Broach, Cambay and Sopara.
Samudragupta waged campaigns. He defeated Chandragupta II further strengthened his position
four kings of northern India and brought present by marriage alliances. He married his daughter
day Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh under his to the Vakataka king of the Deccan and was thus
direct administration. He fought against rulers able to maintain friendly relations with them. He
ruling in the Deccan and South India. He also maintained friendly relations with the other
defeated many kings ruling in eastern India and powers of the Deccan and the far south.
made them accept his suzerainty. He defeated Chandragupta II was a patron of art and litera-
the forest tribes of the Vindhya region. He also ture. The navratnas or the nine gems lived in his
fought against the Kushanas and the Shakas and court. Poet Kalidasa is said to be one of them.
received tribute from them. The Chinese pilgrim, Fa Hien, who came to India
Samudragupta is often called the ‘Napoleon of during Chandragupta’s reign, had given informa-
India’ because of his expansionist policies. tion on many other philosophers, poets and
Though his direct rule extended only from writers who lived at this time.
Bengal in the east to Delhi in the west, he indi- LATER GUPTAS
rectly controlled a much larger area. He also After Chandragupta II, his son Kumaragupta
revived the custom of ‘ashvamedha’ to assert his succeeded him. He, too, was a powerful ruler. He

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