The Age of the Imperial Guptas c10.144

c10.144

We know now from inscriptions that the reign of Kumāragupta II Kramāditya ended sometime before 157 G.E. = 476-77 A.D. and that within three years of this date Budhagupta was in possession of Benares, because an inscription of this king dated G.E. 157-476-77 A.D. has been discovered at that place. Moreover in G.E. 163 Budhagupta was ruling over Northern Bengal and in G.E. 165 he was acknowledged as the ruler of Malava. We have therefore a series of coins and inscriptions proving that Budhagupta ruled the country from Northern Bengal in the East to Eran or North-eastern Malava to the West. This king did not issue any gold coins unless we are prepared to accept the gold coins of the very rude horseman type bearing the *Aditya*-name *Prakāśāditya* as his coins. The silver coins of the Central Indian type introduced into the Gupta empire by Kumāragupta I are also very rare. Only one such coin bearing the date G.E. 175 = 494-95 A.D. and issued by Budhagupta is known. In Eastern India Budhagupta was succeeded by Bhānugupta, who is known to us from the Eran pillar inscription of the widow of the general Goparāja, dated G.E. 191-510-11 A.D., and the last Damodarpur copper plate dated 224 G.E. = 543-44 A.D. The relationship of Budhagupta to Kumaragupta I has been surmised but that of Bhānugupta to Budhagupta is not known. Bhānugupta did not issue any coins, which have been discovered up to this time.