Conquests and Expansion of Samudragupta: Pattern and Policy

Abstract

The Gupta kingdom was enlarged enormously by Samudragupta following his policy of conquest and expansion. Infact he was opposite of Ashoka. Ashoka believed in peace and non-violence, but Samudragupta delighted in violence and conquest. The places and the countries conquered by Samudragupta can be listed under five heads. The first one includes princess of the Ganga -Yamuna doab who were defeated and whose kingdom were incorporated into the Gupta empire. The second one includes the rulers of the eastern Himalayan states and some frontier states such as Nepal, Assam, Bengal etc. who were made to feel the weight of Samudragupta’s arms. Group three includes the forest kingdom known as atavikarajyas, they were brought under the control of Samudragupta. The fourth category includes the twelve rulers of the eastern Deccan and south India who were conquered and liberated. Last but not the least were the names of Shakas and Kushans. Samudragupta never knew any defeat and because of his bravery and generalship he is referred as the “Nepoleon of India”.