After the Kushanas and the Satavahanas, new empires and kingdoms rose in the subcontinent. The most powerful of these was the Gupta empire, which grew about 1700 years ago. The Gupta period is often called the Golden Age of India because of its great achievements in art, science, literature and learning.
Besides the Guptas, other important rulers of this period included Samudragupta, the great warrior king, and Harshavardhana, who ruled in the north about 1400 years ago. In the south, powerful kingdoms like those of the Pallavas and Chalukyas grew. This chapter also tells us about the great poet Kalidasa and the famous play Abhijnana-Shakuntala.
In this chapter, we will learn about the achievements of the Gupta rulers, the administration of these kingdoms, the army and taxes, and the great cultural achievements of this period.
The Gupta empire was founded by Chandragupta I. It grew in the region of Magadha, and its capital was Pataliputra. The Gupta rulers who followed were powerful and expanded the empire greatly.
The most famous of the Gupta rulers was Samudragupta, the son of Chandragupta I. He was a great warrior and conqueror. He defeated many kings in the north and the south and brought a vast area under his control. After the great wars, Samudragupta performed the ashvamedha sacrifice to proclaim his greatness. He was also a poet and a lover of music, and he is shown in his coins playing the veena (a musical instrument).
The Allahabad Pillar (or Prayaga Prashasti) is a very important source of information about Samudragupta. It was composed by the court poet Harishena, who wrote a long poem in praise of Samudragupta.
A prashasti is a Sanskrit word meaning "in praise of". Prashastis were composed by court poets to praise their kings. The Allahabad Pillar inscription tells us about the kings defeated by Samudragupta and the kingdoms that were his allies. It also tells us about the boundaries of his empire. However, we must remember that prashastis often exaggerated the achievements of the kings.
Prashastis are important sources of history because they give us information about the rulers, their conquests and their achievements. But they were written by court poets who were paid by the kings, so they often praised the kings too much.
From the prashastis, we learn: - The names of the kings and their dynasties. - The extent of their kingdoms. - Their conquests and achievements. - Their titles and family details.
Historians compare the prashastis with other sources like coins and inscriptions to get a more accurate picture of the past.
Samudragupta conquered many kingdoms in the north. In the south, instead of directly ruling all the conquered territories, he allowed some defeated kings to rule again, but they had to acknowledge his supremacy and pay him tribute.
The Gupta empire extended over the Ganga valley, parts of the present-day states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, and much of central India. The kings of the eastern coast, like the kings of Kamarupa (Assam) and Samatata, acknowledged the supremacy of Samudragupta. Thus, the Gupta empire became the most powerful empire of its time.
While the Guptas ruled in the north, the Pallavas and the Chalukyas ruled in the south. The Pallavas ruled from their capital Kanchipuram in present-day Tamil Nadu, and the Chalukyas ruled from Aihole and later from Badami in present-day Karnataka.
The Pallavas and Chalukyas were powerful rivals. They fought many battles with each other for control of the fertile lands between them. Their struggle lasted for many years, and both sides won some battles. These kingdoms were rich through trade and built magnificent temples and sculptures.
Harshavardhana, who lived about 1400 years ago, became the ruler of Thanesar, which is in present-day Haryana. Later, he captured Kannauj, which became his capital.
Harsha was a powerful ruler who tried to conquer the whole of North India, but he was stopped in his attempts to conquer the south by Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya king. Harsha was also a patron of learning. The famous Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang visited India during Harsha's rule and has left a detailed account of his court and administration.
The prashastis and the accounts of travellers tell us about the life of the people during this period. Most people lived in villages and were farmers. They grew crops and paid taxes to the king.
The king's officials included the amatyas (ministers), the sandhi-vigrahaka (minister of war and peace), and the mahadandanayaka (chief judicial officer or commander of the army). The pradhanas were the army commanders. The administration collected taxes from farmers, herders and traders, and the army was maintained through the taxes.
The rulers of this period maintained large armies. The army consisted of foot soldiers, chariots, cavalry and elephants. The king was the commander-in-chief of the army.
To maintain the army and the administration, the kings collected various taxes. Farmers paid a part of their produce, and traders and herders paid their own taxes. The taxes were used to pay the soldiers and officials and to build roads, forts and public buildings. The officers like the mahadandanayaka were paid through the revenue collected.
The Gupta period is called the Golden Age of India because of the great progress made in art, science and literature:
The achievements of the Gupta period left a lasting impact on Indian culture and the world.
| Ruler | Dynasty | Main Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Chandragupta I | Gupta | Founded the Gupta empire |
| Samudragupta | Gupta | Great conqueror; performed ashvamedha |
| Harshavardhana | Ruled Thanesar and Kannauj | Tried to conquer the north; patron of learning |
| Pulakeshin II | Chalukya | Stopped Harsha's march to the south |
| Official | Role |
|---|---|
| Amatya | Minister |
| Sandhi-vigrahaka | Minister of war and peace |
| Mahadandanayaka | Chief judicial officer / army commander |
| Pradhana | Army commander |
The period of new empires and kingdoms saw the rise of the great Gupta empire, which united a large part of India and became a golden age of learning and culture. Samudragupta's conquests, recorded in the prashasti on the Allahabad Pillar, extended the empire over vast areas. In the south, the Pallavas and Chalukyas built powerful kingdoms and magnificent temples.
The administration was well organised, with ministers, generals and judicial officers, and taxes maintained the army and the government. Harshavardhana carried forward the glory of the north, and great writers and scientists like Kalidasa and Aryabhata made lasting contributions to world culture. The empires and kingdoms of this period show that India was rich, powerful and culturally advanced.