The Gupta rulers were great conquerors and administrators. In this context, enumerate the following:

1. The reign of Chandragupta I
2. Samudragupta as the Indian Napoleon
3. Rule of Chandragupta II

1. The Reign of Chandragupta I —

   1. Chandragupta I was the first important ruler ofthe Gupta dynasty. He succeeded his father Ghatotkacha in c. 319 CE.
   2. Chandragupta married Kumaradevi, a princess of the Lichchhavi tribe—a powerful tribe with political control over the regions near Magadha. He received Magadha with its capital city, Pataliputra, as part of his dowry.
   3. With the help of the Lichchhavis, Chandragupta conquered a number of surrounding territories.
   4. His kingdom included areas of modern Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bengal.
   5. He assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja.

2. Samudragupta as the Indian Napoleon —

   1. Samudragupta is considered to be one of the many great military geniuses in Indian history, and is also referred to as the 'Napoleon of India'.
   2. His achievements are recorded in the Prayaga Prashasti (inscription on a stone pillar at Allahabad), composed by his court poet Harishena.
   3. He began his reign by defeating neighbouring rulers and expanded his empire in the Ganga–Yamuna valley up to Mathura.
   4. He launched a southern campaign reaching as far as Kanchipuram but allowed southern rulers to remain as tributaries.
   5. His direct control covered most of northern India, excluding regions like Kashmir, western Punjab, parts of Rajasthan, Sind and Gujarat.
   6. Samudragupta issued eight different types of coins, most of them in gold. He was also a patron of learning, a celebrated poet and a musician. He patronised poets and scholars of Sanskrit literature.
   7. He granted permission to the king of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to build a Buddhist temple in Gaya.

3. Rule of Chandragupta II —

   1. Chandragupta II or Vikramaditya was one of the most powerful kings of ancient India. He ruled from c. 380—412 CE. During this time the Gupta Empire reached its zenith.
   2. His greatest victory was over the Shaka-Kshatrapas, gaining control of Gujarat and its seaports, boosting overseas trade.
   3. His empire stretched from the Ganga to the Indus and north Pakistan to the Narmada.
   4. Chandragupta II was a great patron of literature and numerous scholars adorned his court—the most prominent being the legendary Kalidasa.
   5. Fa-hsien, a Chinese pilgrim, who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II, described people as honest, prosperous and happy. Corporal punishments were also rare.