Unit 4: India in the post-Gupta period

1. Introduction: Political Fragmentation

The period following the collapse of the Gupta Empire (c. 550 CE) was one of political chaos and fragmentation. The Huna invasions shattered the imperial structure, and the former feudatories (vassals) of the Guptas asserted their independence, leading to the rise of several regional kingdoms. This unit focuses on these "successor states."

2. Huna Invasion and its Effects

• Who were the Hunas: A nomadic warrior tribe (a branch of the White Huns) from Central Asia. They were known for their military prowess and extreme cruelty.
• The Invasion: They began attacking the Gupta Empire's northwestern frontier in the late 5th century.
  • The Gupta king Skandagupta famously defeated their first wave.
  • However, they returned in the early 6th century under powerful leaders like Toramana and his son, Mihirakula.
  • Mihirakula, known for his cruelty and anti-Buddhist persecution, established a short-lived kingdom in North India before being defeated by a confederacy of Indian rulers.
• Effects of the Invasion:
  1. Political Effect: They delivered the death-blow to the Gupta Empire, leading to its complete disintegration. North India was fragmented.
  2. Economic Effect: They disrupted the overland trade routes to Central Asia and the West, which had been a major source of Gupta prosperity. This led to economic decline.
  3. Social Effect: The Hunas who remained in India were gradually assimilated into the society. Many historians believe they were one of the groups that contributed to the formation of the Rajput clans.

3. Maukharis: Political achievements

• Who: They were important feudatories of the Guptas who ruled the area around Kanauj (in modern Uttar Pradesh).
• Rise to Power: After the Gupta collapse, they declared their independence. King Ishanavarman was the first to assume the imperial title of *Maharajadhiraja*.
• Political Achievements:
  • Their main achievement was establishing Kanauj as the new political center of North India. The old Mauryan/Gupta capital of Pataliputra declined, and for the next 500 years, controlling Kanauj meant controlling the Ganga valley.
  • They were in constant conflict with the Later Guptas of Magadha.
  • Connection to Harsha: Their last king, Grahavarman, was married to Rajyashri, the sister of Harsha Vardhana. The murder of Grahavarman (by the king of Malwa and Shashanka of Gauda) was the event that forced Harsha to take the throne, uniting the kingdoms of Thanesar and Kanauj.

4. Maitrakas: Political Achievements

• Who: They were also feudatories of the Guptas, who served as military governors in the Saurashtra region (Gujarat).
• Rise to Power: Their founder, Bhatarka, declared independence and established a capital at Vallabhi.
• Political Achievements:
  • They established a stable, long-lasting kingdom (c. 475-776 CE) in a strategically important region.
  • Their coastal location (Gujarat) allowed them to become wealthy by controlling the sea trade with the West (Arabia, Persia, Africa) after the northern land routes were disrupted by the Hunas.
• Cultural Importance: Vallabhi became a renowned center of learning, rivaling even Nalanda. It was particularly important for Jainism, and the Second Jain Council (where the Jain canon was written down) was held here.

5. Vakatas: Political Achievements

• Who: A Brahmin dynasty that ruled a large part of the Deccan (south-central India) during the same time as the Guptas.
• Political Achievements:
  • They were the most important southern power in this period, acting as a stabilizing force in the Deccan.
  • Matrimonial Alliance with Guptas: The Vakataka king Rudrasena II married Prabhavatigupta, the daughter of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II.
  • When Rudrasena II died, Prabhavatigupta ruled as regent for her young sons. This effectively brought the Vakataka kingdom under the Gupta sphere of influence for decades.
  • This alliance was crucial for Chandragupta II, as it secured his southern flank while he campaigned against the Shakas in the west.
• Cultural Importance: The Vakatakas were great patrons of art and architecture. Some of the most magnificent caves and paintings at Ajanta (e.g., Caves 16, 17, and 19) were created under their patronage.