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Campaigns of Samudragupta: Difference between revisions
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Moreover, Tej Ram Sharma concludes that, [[Samudragupta]] was eager to conquer lands of ''[[India|Bharatvarsha]]'' and to be the 'Universal Monarch' after completing the Ashwamedha Sacrifice which is even evident from his [[coinage]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC|title=A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta|last=Sharma|first=Tej Ram|date=1989|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-251-4|pages=75|language=en}}</ref> | Moreover, Tej Ram Sharma concludes that, [[Samudragupta]] was eager to conquer lands of ''[[India|Bharatvarsha]]'' and to be the 'Universal Monarch' after completing the Ashwamedha Sacrifice which is even evident from his [[coinage]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC|title=A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta|last=Sharma|first=Tej Ram|date=1989|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-251-4|pages=75|language=en}}</ref> | ||
== First North Indian Campaign == | |||
=== Unification of Ganges Valley === | |||
The [[kingdom]] of [[Chandragupta I]] consisted of the parts of modern day [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]], despite this he adopted the title of ''Maharajadhiraja''{{Efn|Sanskrit equivalent of "King of Kings"}}. He must have some sort of control over the [[Nāga|Naga]] kings. By his death the Naga Kings, Achyuta, Ganapati Naga and Nagasena, broke off from the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta realm]] and established their own [[Kingdom|kingdoms]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC|title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas|last=Agrawal|first=Ashvini|date=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.|isbn=978-81-208-0592-7|pages=106|language=en}}</ref> Achyuta is identified as the ruler of Ahichchatra (modern day [[Bareilly]]), Nagasena to be the ruler of Padmavati ([[Gwalior]]) and Ganapati Naga to be the ruler of [[Mathura]].<ref name="A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta - Tej Ram Sharma - Google Books">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC|title=A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta|last=Sharma|first=Tej Ram|date=1989|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-251-4|pages=82|language=en}}</ref> [[Samudragupta]] suppressed their revolts by the use of [[military]] [[Scientist|scientists]] operated on the inner lines. The kings submitted to him seeking for Samudragupta's forgiveness.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DgIXnQEACAAJ|title=The history of the imperial Guptas, with a foreword by R.C. Majundar|last=Goyal|first=S. R.|publisher=Central book depot|pages=140–141|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Another ruler from the ''Kota dynasty'' tried to break off from the Gupta realm. The Kota ruler is identified as the ruler of [[Punjab region]]. The coins bearing the [[Legend]] ''kota'' and [[Shiva]] with his [[Nandi (bull)|Bull]] has been found in various places such as [[Ludhiana]], Sunet and Sanghol.<ref name=":1" /> Giving less importance to the revolt, Samudragupta divided the Imperial army and sent one of his general to defeat and punish the Kota ruler while he was campaigning against the [[Nāga]] rulers. The Kota ruler was then defeated and captured.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DgIXnQEACAAJ|title=The history of the imperial Guptas, with a foreword by R.C. Majundar|last=Goyal|first=S. R.|publisher=Central book depot|pages=141|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Thus, they were the first to fall in his conquests, which extended [[Gupta Empire|Gupta rule]] far beyond [[Prayagraj|Prayaga]] and [[Ayodhya|Saketa]], reaching the areas around [[Mathura]] and [[Gwalior|Padmavati]]. It is also cleverly suggested that this battle against the rebellious princes took place at Kausambi, where Samudragupta used the [[Ashoka|Ashoka pillar]] as a symbol of his victory.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uYXDB2gIYbwC|title=The Gupta Empire|last=Mookerji|first=Radhakumud|date=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.|isbn=978-81-208-0089-2|pages=20|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Revision as of 11:16, 1 July 2025
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   Utkala Ganjam Vizagapatam Godavari Krishna Nellore Prayaga Magadh N. Sakas W. Sakas Vakatakas Samudragupta's military campaign in the South (Eastern Deccan Region along the Bay of Bengal), North and West with boundaries.[1] | |||||||||
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| Samudragupta (WIA)[lower-alpha 1] |
Achyuta Naga   Nagasena Ganapati Naga Kota ruler (POW) Mahendra (POW) Vyagharaja (POW) Mantraja (POW) Mahendragiri (POW) Svamidatta (POW) Damana (POW) Vishnugopa (POW) Nilaraja (POW) Hastivarman (POW) Ugrasena (POW) Kubera (POW) Dhananjaya (POW) Rudradeva † Matila † Nagadatta † Chandravarman † Balavarman † | ||||||||
The Conquests and Campaigns of Samudragupta, or the Wars of Samudragupta were a number of conflicts fought between the mid 4th c. CE and late 4th c. CE throughout the various parts of the present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal. The campaigns resulted in the unification of the Ganga valley[7] and the fall of several independent kingdoms, republics and tribes to the Gupta realm.
Samudragupta's Allahabad Prashasti records his campaigns in detail, said to have been written by Harisena. Samudragupta first launched his First Aryavarta Campaign against the local rulers of the Ganga valley and completely uprooted them, the states of Achyuta, Ganapati Naga and Nagasena suffered the cause. The ruler of Kota dynasty was captured by the army of Samudragupta and was forced to accept the Gupta suzerainty.
Samudragupta after consolidating his power in the Ganga valley, moved to suppress the Southern Kings, who were captured, liberated and reinstalled back to their thrones. Samudragupta in the Dakshinpatha campaign, defeated 11 kings of South India, and annexed them into Gupta Empire as tributary states.
After finishing off with his Dakshinpatha campaign, Samudragupta launched his final campaign of Aryavarta, where he defeated 9 kings and annexed them into Gupta Empire under direct administration. Thus, a 'war of extermination' against the Aryavarta kings was started by Samudragupta which was violent and bloody.
By the end of his reign, Samudragupta was able to gain control over almost whole of the Indian subcontinent, extending from modern day Punjab in the west to Assam in the east and from the foothills of Himalayas in the north to the Vindhyas in the south with the allegiance of Southern Kings along the eastern coast of India.
Aims of Samudragupta's Conquests
Various Scholars have interpreted the objectives and aims of Samudragupta to launch such offensive campaign throughout the Subcontinent. According to SR Goyel, Samudragupta was inspired by the Hindu ideals of Universal Ruler which was very popular during the Gupta age.[8] According to BG Gokhale, the reason might have been religious. Samudragupta might have been influenced from the Nāgas performing the Vedic Ashvamedha Sacrifice, and he sought to perform it after his victory over Nagas.[8] Buddha Prakash states that, the Dakshinpatha campaign was led under economic considerations, as the demand of trade and commerce between India and Southeast Asia was rising, it became important for Samudragupta to secure few ports for the Empire.[8] Chattopadhyaya accepts this theory.[9]
Moreover, Tej Ram Sharma concludes that, Samudragupta was eager to conquer lands of Bharatvarsha and to be the 'Universal Monarch' after completing the Ashwamedha Sacrifice which is even evident from his coinage.[10]
First North Indian Campaign
Unification of Ganges Valley
The kingdom of Chandragupta I consisted of the parts of modern day Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, despite this he adopted the title of Maharajadhiraja[lower-alpha 2]. He must have some sort of control over the Naga kings. By his death the Naga Kings, Achyuta, Ganapati Naga and Nagasena, broke off from the Gupta realm and established their own kingdoms.[11] Achyuta is identified as the ruler of Ahichchatra (modern day Bareilly), Nagasena to be the ruler of Padmavati (Gwalior) and Ganapati Naga to be the ruler of Mathura.[12] Samudragupta suppressed their revolts by the use of military scientists operated on the inner lines. The kings submitted to him seeking for Samudragupta's forgiveness.[11][13]
Another ruler from the Kota dynasty tried to break off from the Gupta realm. The Kota ruler is identified as the ruler of Punjab region. The coins bearing the Legend kota and Shiva with his Bull has been found in various places such as Ludhiana, Sunet and Sanghol.[11] Giving less importance to the revolt, Samudragupta divided the Imperial army and sent one of his general to defeat and punish the Kota ruler while he was campaigning against the Nāga rulers. The Kota ruler was then defeated and captured.[14]
Thus, they were the first to fall in his conquests, which extended Gupta rule far beyond Prayaga and Saketa, reaching the areas around Mathura and Padmavati. It is also cleverly suggested that this battle against the rebellious princes took place at Kausambi, where Samudragupta used the Ashoka pillar as a symbol of his victory.[15]
- ↑ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 145, map XIV.1 (j); p.25. ISBN 0226742210. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ↑ Goyel, SR (1967). History of the Imperial Guptas. Central book Depot, pg 128
- ↑ R. C. Majumdar 1981, p. 23, 27.
- ↑ Ashvini Agrawal 1989, p. 128.
- ↑ K. Chakrabarti 1996, p. 185.
- ↑ V.R. Ramachandra 1993, p. 81-82.
- ↑ Goyala, Śrīrāma (1967). A History of the Imperial Guptas. Central Book Depot. p. 128.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Sharma, Tej Ram (1989). A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta. Concept Publishing Company. p. 74. ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.
- ↑ Sharma, Tej Ram (1989). A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.
- ↑ Sharma, Tej Ram (1989). A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta. Concept Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Agrawal, Ashvini (1989). Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 106. ISBN 978-81-208-0592-7.
- ↑ Sharma, Tej Ram (1989). A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta. Concept Publishing Company. p. 82. ISBN 978-81-7022-251-4.
- ↑ Goyal, S. R. The history of the imperial Guptas, with a foreword by R.C. Majundar. Central book depot. pp. 140–141.
- ↑ Goyal, S. R. The history of the imperial Guptas, with a foreword by R.C. Majundar. Central book depot. p. 141.
- ↑ Mookerji, Radhakumud (1989). The Gupta Empire. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 20. ISBN 978-81-208-0089-2.
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