Category Kindoms of India

          The Gupta kingdom was divided into provinces and districts. The cities were governed by councils, which had representatives of different professionals while the villages were looked after by the elders of the villages. Most of the cities were planned and neatly laid out in a grid pattern with roads in a crisscross fashion. The cities had two- and three- storeyed houses. Kalidasa’s accounts talk about people gazing down at the street through latticed windows.

          Apart from grain and vegetables, the markets were stocked with things made of metals, stone, terracotta, ivory, precious and semi-precious stones, and pearls. The pottery was plain red and sometimes had a brown slip or polish. The kingdom had trade relations with the Byzantine Empire, China, Java, Sumatra, Arabia and even Ethiopia.

          Inscriptions describe the Gupta kings as being equal to the gods; Maharajadhiraja and Paramarajadhiraja were some of the elaborate titles that described the Gupta kings.

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          Samudragupta was the son of Chandragupta I, who ascended the throne after defeating his rival Kacha, an obscure prince of the dynasty. He ruled from around AD 335 to 380; we know of his conquests from a rock pillar at Allahabad and a lengthy poem of praise composed by his court-poet Harishena.

          It seems that Samudragupta had directly controlled a large part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain as well as a considerable part of central India. As per the inscription on the pillar at Allahabad, Samudragupta appears to have been a wise king and a strict administrator, who was also compassionate enough to help the poor and the helpless. He had great interest in music and poetry. Some of his gold coins represent him playing on the lyre.

          Harishena, his court poet describes him as the hero of a hundred battles; no Wonder historians call him the ‘Napoleon of India’.

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          The Guptas came into power in North India around the 3rd century AD, much after the establishment of the Satavahana kingdom. They existed till AD 543 and are considered as one of the most important dynasties of North India. The Gupta kingdom spread over much of the Indian subcontinent and some historians identify this period as the Golden Age of India.

          Sri Gupta is the first among the known Gupta kings. He was followed by Ghatotkacha. Though not much is known about their early history, they are assumed to have been minor rulers in east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II, also known as Vikramaditya are the most notable rulers of the Gupta dynasty. Other Gupta rulers including Purugupta, Buddhagupta, Baladitya etc., were weak rulers.

          The Gupta Empire gradually went into decline and by AD 543, they had lost all their territories. After the Guptas, the Hunas occupied Malwa and part of central India and the eastern states became independent. The Maitrakas of Valabhi established themselves in western India while the Vardhanas or Pushyabhutis occupied Haryana.

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          The vast empire of the Satavahanas had a feudal administrative system. The empire was divided into smaller portions headed by feudal lords, who managed the administration and land revenue system. The Satavahana rulers did not believe in the divine rights of a king; they ruled in accordance with the directives of the Dharma Shastras and social customs.

          The king was the head of the government and the protector of his people, who had a council of ministers to aid him in rightful administration.

          The Satavahana kings were also known for the friendly ties with their subjects; they regarded their subjects as their own children and always looked after their welfare. They were also known for their efficient military with the help of which the Satavahanas succeeded in expanding their empire. The king himself was the commander-in-chief of his forces and fought battles alongside other soldiers. He also kept a regiment posted in each village for maintaining peace and order at the expense of the rural inhabitants.

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          The Satavahana kingdom was built around the 1st century BC, in the ruins of the Mauryan Empire. Also known as the Andhra dynasty, the Satavahana kingdom was situated in the north-western region of Deccan, with its capital at Pratishtana.

          The Satavahana dynasty was founded by Simuka and his successors established their authority, from the mouth of the Krishna to the rest of the Deccan plateau. The Satavahana king killed the last Kanva ruler of Magadha and took over his kingdom.

          Due to his policy of military expansion, Satakarni I was the earliest of the Satavahana kings to receive widespread recognition. He defied Kharavela of Kalinga and was known as the ‘Lord of the West. Satakarni I gained control over the region of Sanchi and his conquests took him far to the north of the Narmada into eastern Malwa. After his conquest of the Godavari valley in the south, he came to be known as the ‘Lord of Dakshinpatha’.

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