Kumaragupta I

Kumaragupta I
Maharajadhiraja
Parama-bhattaraka
Paramadvaita
Mahendraditya
Kumaragupta fighting a lion, as depicted on his gold coin[1]
Gupta emperor
Reignc. 415 – c. 455 CE
PredecessorChandragupta II
SuccessorSkandagupta
Diedc. 455 CE
SpouseAnantadevi
IssueSkandagupta
Purugupta
DynastyGupta
FatherChandragupta II
MotherDhruvadevi
ReligionHinduism

Kumaragupta I (Gupta script: Ku-ma-ra-gu-pta,[2] r. c. 415–455 CE) was a Gupta emperor of ancient India. A son of the Gupta king Chandragupta II and Queen Dhruvadevi. He seems to have maintained control of his inherited territory, which extended from Gujarat in the west to Bengal region in the east.

Kumaragupta performed an Ashvamedha sacrifice, which was usually performed to prove imperial sovereignty, although no concrete information is available about his military achievements. Based on the epigraphic and numismatic evidence, some modern historians have theorized that he may have subdued the Aulikaras of central India and the Traikutakas of western India. The Nalanda mahavihara was possibly built during his reign.

The Bhitari pillar inscription states that his successor Skandagupta restored the fallen fortunes of the Gupta family, which has led to suggestions that during his last years, Kumaragupta suffered reverses, possibly against the Pushyamitras or the Hunas. However, this cannot be said with certainty, and the situation described in the Bhitari inscription may have been the result of events that happened after his death.

  1. ^ CNG Coin [1]
  2. ^ Allen, John (1914). Catalogue of the coins of the Gupta dynasties. p. 61.