The Gupta dynasty was founded in the south-east Bihar by Srigupta in c.260 A.D.His kingdom was a very small one, and he is never given any thing higher than a feudal title in the official records of his more distinguished successors.Srigupta ruled from c.260 to 280 A.D. and was too insignificant a ruler to issue any coinage. His son and successor, Ghatotkacha, did not succeed in attaining to the imperial status and did not issue any coinage.The solitary gold coin, bearing the legend Ghato, was issued by a later prince of the dynasty.The reign of Ghatotkacha may be placed from c.280 to 300 A.D.
Ghatotkacha’s son and successor, Chandragupta I, was the real founder of the greatness of his house.His matrimonial alliance of the Lichchhavis, a princess of whose family named Kumaradevi was his crowned queen, helped his rise to the imperial position.The Gupta and the Lichchhavi kingdoms were amalgamated as a consequence of this union and a compact block of Mithila and Bihar was thus formed.With his resources thus increased, Chandragupta extended his sphere of influence soon annexed Oudh and that portion of the Gangetic valley which extended from Buxar to Allahabad.When the kingdom was thus expanded to more than double its size, Chandragupta decided to assume the imperial title Maharajadhiraja, at a formal coronation celebrated sometime in c.320 A.D., when he seems to have startled the Gupta era as well as the Gupta coinage. After nominating his son Samudragupta, born of the Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi, as his successor, Chandragupta died in c.330 A.D.
The matrimonial alliance with the Lichchhavis was the most dominating political event of the reign of Chandragupta I, and it profoundly affected his coinage.He is seen to be issuing coins only in one type, where the place of honor on the obverse is shared both by his and his queen Kumaradevi; the reverse however exclusively mentions the name of the Lichchhavis.Chandragupta I is the earliest Hindu ruler, whose inscribed gold coins have come down to us.
Samudragupta was no doubt nominated as his successor by Chandragupta I, but indications are not wanting to show that there might have been a war of succession after his death. A king name Kacha flourished at about this time and may have been the cause of this war.His precise position is not possible to determineSamudragupta was able to overcome all the troubles that arose at his succession and soon re-established his own position and then proceeded to expand the extent of his empire.
Samudragupta was a great organizer and an ambitious conqueror.He overthrew a number of petty rulers and annexed to his empire northern U.P., the south-eastern Punjab and the territory from Delhi to Saugar; the Bindhya Pradesh and south Kosala were brought within the sphere of the imperial influence.After consolidating his position in the north, Samudragupta launched upon a spectacular expedition to South India, during the course of which his armies swept across the eastern coast right up to Kanchi or Conjeeverum, 20 miles south of Madras.About a dozen petty kings ruling the region formally acknowledged the suzerainty of the conqueror, and he was content to return home laden with the tributes paid by them; annexation of the conquered territory was not attempted.The view of Samudragupta returned from the south via western India through Maharashtra is now shown to be wrong; the kings of Devarashtra and Erandapalla, who submitted to him, are now shown to be ruling in Kalinga on the eastern coast and not in Maharashtra in western India.The Vakatakas were ruling over Central Province (Madhya Pradesh) and part of Maharashtra and Samudragupta did not cross sword with them.
Samudragupta had a long reign extending over more than 40 years; it may be presumed to have ended in c.370 A.D. During this period, the imperial coinage recoreded considerable progress in types, varieties and artistic excellence. Like his father, Samudragupta didn’t issue any coins in copper and silver, but his gold coins, which were issued in large quantity, show six different types.
According to one view Samudragupta was succeeded by his eldest son Ramagupta, who after a short reign, had to give place to his younger brother, Chandragupta II, who rescued the empire from a great calamity created by a successful Kushana invasion. This view is however rejected by other scholars, who are not prepared to accept the historicity of Ramagupta, as it is not supported by any epigraphical and numismatic evidence.The first school, however, points out the Ramagupta’s name was omitted from the official genealogy either because he was collateral or because his reign was a blot upon the fair name of the family. Recently some copper coins have been found in Malwa, which clearly bear the name of Ramagupta.It is not unlikely that he may be identical with the eldest son of Samudragupta.The whole position about Kacha and Ramagupta is still very obscure.
Chandragupta's accession may be placed in c.375 A.D.He had a long reign extending down to a little beyond c.412 A.D. He had to face a sea of troubles at the beginning of his rule. There were rebellions in Bengal and the Kushanas had to be driven out.He rose equal to the occasion. Bengal was pacified and then imperial armies pushed back the Kushanas right up to the banks of the Indus.The Western Punjab, however, was not annexed to the Gupta empire, but Kushana and Saka chiefs were allowed to rule there as Gupta feudatories.
Sometimes after c.390 A.D. Chandragupta II launched a powerful offensive against the Saka Kshatrapas of Malwa, Gujarat, and Kathiawar. The campaign was very remarkablysuccessful and the Sakas, who were ruling over this territory for more than 300 years, were completelyand for ever wiped out from the political map of India. The rich provinces of Malwa, Gujarat, and Kathiawar were annexed to the Gupta empire and they opened a new avenue for direct maritime trade with the West.
Prabhavatigupta, a daughter of Chandragupta II, was married to Vakataka king Rudrasena II.She was unfortunately widowed early in life, and when her husband died, she had two minor sons. Chandragupta helped his daughter in running the Vakataka administration as the regent for the heir-apparent by sending a number of experienced officers to conduct the administration.
During the long reign of Chandragupta II the imperial coinage recorded considerable progress.Both copper and silver currencies were introduced, the latter being a close copy of the Kshatrapa prototype.The issue was probably intended for the new western provices of the empire, which were accustomed to the currency in silver only.
Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta I. There is an interval of three years between the earliest date of the new empereor and the latest date of his predecessor and some scholars have argued that Govindragupta, a brother of Kumaragupta, had usurped the throne during this interval.This theory, however, is supported by very slender datum and there is no epigraphical evidence to support it. Even if we suppose that Govindragupta did rule during part of this interval of three years, he has left us no coinage either in gold nor in silveror in copper.
Kumaragupta I had a long reign of about 40 years, but very few political events connected with this are known. He attempted no new conquests, and his Asvamedha sacrifice was intending more to emphasize his imperial position than to celebrate any fresh annexations. The discovery of a hoard of his silver coins in Satara district need not show that central and southern Maharashtra was added to his empire. The hoard may have been savings of a Maharashtrian merchant trading in Gujarat, or may have been constituted the honorarium of a learned Brahmana, who may have been invited to Gujarat for the performance of Vedic sacrifices.
Kumaragupta’s reign was on the whole peaceful down to c.450 A.D.The tranquility and prosperity of his empire is reflected in his coinage, which is noteworthy for its remarkable originality, artistic merit and the poetic excellence of its legends. He issued as may as fourteen types of gold coins and some of them like the Horseman, the Kartikeya, the Rhinoceros-slayer and the Elephant-rider-Lion-slayer types, will rank among the best specimens of the numismatic art of ancient India.
Kumaragupta introduced silver currency also for the home provinces of the empire, and the type that was devised for this new currency was altogether free from the Kshatrapa influence. Silver currency is much more copious than that of any other Gupta emperor.He, however, paid no attention to copper currency and very few coins of his in the common man’s metal have come down to us.
Towards the end of his reign the peace of the empire was considerable disturbed.His nephew, the Vakataka ruler of Narendrasena, was attacked by the Nalas, but Kumaragupta could send him no military aid. Nearer home, a tribe name the Pushyamitra rebelled against the Gupta overloadship in the upper Narmada valley. The situation for a while became quite threatening and it could be saved only by the crown-prince Skandagupta assuming the command. They Pushyamitras were subdued, but their conqueror had not the satisfaction of reporting his victory personally to his father. The old emperor had died, while the imperial armies were still engaged in overcoming the rebels.
The struggle with the Pushyamitras put a heavy strain upon the resources of the empire. It must however be said to the credit of Kumaragupta’s administration that it did not debase its gold currency. It was however compelled to issue silver-plated coins both in the home provinces as well as in Western India.
Kumaragupta was succeeded by his son Skandagupta. There is some evidence to suggest that Skandagupta’s succession may have been disputed by his brother (or half-brother) Purugupta.On the whole, however, it appears more probable that Purugupta succeeded Skandagupta after his death and didn’t oppose his accession.
Skandagupta had suppressed the rebellion of the Pushyamitras before his accession, but fresh troubles soon cropped up. There was a serious invasion of the empire by the Hunas from the north-west. The imperial armies were again hard pressed in meeting the new menace; one record describes how the earth was shaken to its very foundations, when the opposing armies met in a deadly conflict. Skandagupta was able to drive back the invasion, but most probably the Eastern Punjab couldn’t be recovered.Peace and order was however maintained in the rest of the empire during the reign of Skandagutpa.
The emperor was probably too much occupied in military affairs to pay much personal attention to his coinage. We do find a new interesting type issued by him, the Kind-and-the-Lakshmi type, probably representing that goddess as offering him the crown. But otherwise he mostly confined himself to the Archer type. Only one solitary coin of his in the Chhatra type has come to light, and acoin in the Horseman type is possible to be attributed to him, though not with absolute certainty.
Skandagupta’s silver coinage is almost as copious as that of his father, and we find him introducing two new types, the Bull type and the Altar type.
467 A.D. is the last known date of Skandagupta and his death may be presumed to have taken place in that year or the year succeeding.His successor was most probably his brother Purugupta, who died after a very short reign of a year or two.It is not impossible that the gold coins bearing the biruda of Prakasaditya may have been issued by him.
