Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c25.1

c25.1

§ 90. The Imperial Guptas. - The founder of this dynasty, *Śrīgupta*, c. 260 A.D., and his son *Ghaṭotkaca*, are known only from the genealogical tables given in the inscrr. The coins begin in the reign of the third member of the dynasty, *Candragupta I* (**Plate IV, 9**), who is the first to use the imperial title *mahārājādhirāja*, and who is to be regarded as the founder of the Gupta era, the first year of which is 319-20 A.D. (Smith, JBA. 1894, p. 165). The period of Gupta supremacy in Northern India begins with this date and ends with the death of *Skandagupta* c. 480 A.D. For this period the order of succession of the Gupta monarchs is certain, the limits of their reigns are approximately determined, and the series of coins is complete. After the death of Skandagupta, the attacks of the Hūṇas, which began during his reign (v. inf. § 103), and probably also internal dissensions led to divisions in the Empire. In the case of the divisions there remains at present considerable doubt both as regards the order of succession and the dates of the different reigns. This later Gupta period comes to an end in 606 A.D., when Harṣavardhana of Kanauj gained paramount power over the whole of Northern India (Smith, JBA. 1894, p. 178).