FALL OF EMPIRE Flashcards
What major external threat contributed to the decline of the Gupta Empire?
The Hun invasions, which weakened the empire significantly.
Which Gupta ruler initially resisted the Huns effectively?
Skandagupta successfully repelled the Hun invasions.
How did later Gupta rulers fail against the Hun invasions?
Successors like Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta, and Baladitya were weak and could not cope with the Huns.
By which year had the Huns occupied eastern Malwa and central India?
By 485 AD, the Huns had taken control of these regions.
Who overthrew the Huns and challenged Gupta authority?
Yashodharman of Malwa.
What inscription records Yashodharman’s victory over the Huns and Guptas?
Stone pillar inscriptions from Mandasor, dated 532 AD.
What impact did Yashodharman’s rule have on the Gupta Empire?
His short rule severely weakened the Gupta Empire’s control over northern India.
How did the rise of feudatories contribute to the fall of the Gupta Empire?
The emergence of independent rulers in Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh weakened central authority.
What economic issue weakened the Gupta Empire?
The loss of western India and excessive land grants reduced state revenue.
Who was the last recognized ruler of the Gupta dynasty?
Vishnugupta (540-550 AD).
What dynasty rose to power in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after the Gupta decline?
The Maukharis, who established their capital at Kanauj.
How long did the rule of the Imperial Guptas last?
It lingered until the mid-6th century AD, though their power had declined much earlier.
How did the practice of land grants contribute to the Gupta Empire’s downfall?
It reduced state control over land and weakened central administration.
What was the main reason for the economic decline of the Gupta Empire?
A combination of land grants, loss of trade routes, and reduced tax revenue.
What was the ultimate result of the fall of the Gupta Empire?
The fragmentation of northern India into smaller regional kingdoms.
