The Later Guptas

Skandagupta Vikramaditya was the last great Gupta Ruler. He ascended to the throne on 455 AD and is known to have crushed the White Huna Invasion in the first or early years of his reign itself. Twelve year reign till his death in 467 AD was filled with wars with Hunas and this led to weakening the economy of his empire which is evident from the low quality of Coins issued during his and his successor’s reigns.

The white Hunas invaded from the north-western sides in around 455 AD.

Skandagupta was the mature years and ripe experience, inflicted upon those barbarians, and gave them such as decisive defeat that India was saved for some two decades. However, in 465 a fresh swarm of nomads again poured across the frontiers and is known to have occupied the Gandhara. After death of Skandagupta in 467 AD there were repeated attacks on the heart of the dominions and the empire succumbed to the repeated attacks of the foreigners.

Successors of Skandagupta

Who was successor of Skandagupta is a mystery. The genealogy has been corroborated from four royal seals from Nalanda and one from Bhitari that Purugupta succeeded Skandagupta. When Skandagupta passed away, the empire perished but the dynasty remained. It is thought the Skandagupta could not leave any male capable heir and was succeeded by his half brother Purugupta, who was son of Kumaragupta I and Queen Ananda. The later kings / princes were Kumaragupta III, Buddhagupta and Narsihmgupta. In the western provinces of Malwa, the names of rajas Buddhagupta and Bhanugupta are found. They cover the period of around 484 to 510 AD. The death of Buddhagupta is thought to have occurred in around 495 AD.

It was followed by the accelerated feudalization of the state structure, and the later of these two princes (or Kings) occupy a dependent position probably subordinate to the Huna Chieftains.