*    Gupta empire
    The Guptas rose to power and acquired political control in the region of Magadha in the 2nd decade of the 4th century CE. The first known king was Sri Gupta who founded the empire in 240 CE. He ruled till 280 CE.
    
    He is best known as the father  of Chandragupta I. Portion of northern or central Bengal might have been the home of the Gupta then.

    Chandragupta I (c. 320-335 CE)
    Chandragupta I was the first important king. He was referred to as Maharajadhiraja meaning 'great king of king'. His accession to the throne in 319 CE marks the beginning of the Gupta era.

    His empire included Magadha and parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

*   Samudragupta (c. 335-375 CE)
    Chandragupta I was succeeded by his son Samudragupta in 335 CE.  Information regarding Samudragupta is based on his inscriptions and coins. One of the most important sources of information is the Allahabad Pillar inscription or Allahabad Prashasti.        It was  engraved on the  Ashokan Pillar in Kausambi near  Allahabad. Harishena, who composed the Allahabad Prashasti, was the court poet and minister of Samudragupta. Though partially damaged, it gives  a vivid description of the reign and conquest        of Samudragupta.

*    An Estimate of Samudragupta
    Samudragupta was a great conqueror and he rightly deserves to be called the Indian Napoleon. He was also a great patron and lover of art and literature as well. He himself was a great musician and an expert Veena player. Many of his coins show him          playing the Veena. He was an accomplished scholar and a poet of high order.


*    Chandragupta II (330 – 414 A.D.)
     Chandragupta II, son and Chandragupta II, son and successor of Samudragupta, was another powerful ruler of the Gupta dynasty. He is popularly known as Vikramaditya (or Sun of Power) and is often identified with Vikramaditya of Ujjain who patronised       the famous Navaratnas.
     Like his father, Chandragupta II was also a great conqueror. His greatest achievement was to destroy the power of the Sakas of Malva, Gujarat and Saurashtra. He assumed the title of Shakari or the conqueror of the Sakas. His empire now touched the         Arabian Sea and included the important ports of Broach, Cambay and Sopara. In this way, Chandragupta II laid the foundation of a vast empire which extended from the Brahmaputra river in the east to the Chenab river and the Arabian Sea in the west.          His empire touched the  Himalayas in the north and the Narmada river in the south.