Kumaragupta I

Kumaragupta I was Gupta emperor from 415 until his death in 455. A son of the Gupta king Chandragupta II and Queen Dhruvadevi, he seems to have maintained control of his inherited territory, which extended from Gujarat in the west to Bengal region in the east.

Maharajadhiraja Parama-bhattaraka Paramadvaita Mahendraditya Kumaragupta I
Elephant-rider coin of Kumaragupta. Obverse legend: "Kumaragupta, who has destroyed his enemies and protected his client kings, is victorious over his foes".
8th Emperor of Gupta Empire
Preceded by	Chandragupta II
Succeeded by	Skandagupta
Personal details
Died	c. 455 CE
Relations	Govindagupta (brother)
Children	Skandagupta Ghatotkachagupta Purugupta
Parents	Chandragupta II (father) Dhurvadevi (mother)
Military service
Allegiance	Gupta Empire
Years of service	c. 415 CE – c. 455 CE
Battles/wars	Kumaragupta's Deccan Campaign Pushyamitras Invasion

Kumaragupta, a ruler of the Gupta Empire, is known to have performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice, a ritual used by kings to show their power and control. However, there is little clear information about his military successes. Based on inscriptions and coins, some historians believe that he may have defeated the Aulikaras in central India and the Traikutakas in western India. It is also thought that the famous Nalanda Mahavihara (a large Buddhist monastery) was built during his reign.

The Bhitari pillar inscription says that Kumaragupta's son, Skandagupta, worked to restore the Gupta Empire's fortunes. This has led some to suggest that Kumaragupta faced problems towards the end of his reign, possibly due to attacks from the Pushyamitras or the Hunas. However, this is uncertain, and the events mentioned in the inscription may have happened after Kumaragupta's death.