Vishnugupta Chandraditya (

Gupta script The Gupta script (sometimes referred to as Gupta Brahmi script or Late Brahmi script)Sharma, Ram. '' 'Brahmi Script' ''. Delhi: BR Publishing Corp, 2002 was used for writing Sanskrit and is associated with the Gupta Empire of the Indian subcon ...

''Vi-ṣ-ṇu-gu-pta'',) was one of the lesser-known kings of the

Gupta Dynasty The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

. He is generally considered to be the last recognized king of the

Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

. His reign lasted 10 years, from 540 to 550 CE. From the fragment of his clay sealing discovered at

Nalanda Nalanda (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: , ) was a renowned Buddhism, Buddhist ''mahavihara'' (great monastery) in medieval Magadha (Mahajanapada), Magadha (modern-day Bihar), eastern India. Widely considered to be am ...

during the excavations of 1927–28, it is revealed that he was the son of

Kumaragupta III Kumaragupta III (Gupta script: ''Ku-ma-ra-gu-pta'') was a later Gupta Empire, Gupta Emperor. He succeeded his father Narasimhagupta Baladitya, Narasimhagupta in about 530 CE. His silver-copper seal was discovered in Bhitari (Ghazipur district, ...

and the grandson of

Narasimhagupta Narasimhagupta (Gupta script: ''Na-ra-si-ṅha-gu-pta'') Baladitya was the Gupta Empire, Gupta Emperor from 495 to 530 CE. He was son of Purugupta and probably the successor of Budhagupta. Xuanzang, Hiuen TSang refers to him as the king of Mag ...

. The last (the Damodarpur copper-plate inscription), in which he makes a land grant in the area of Kotivarsha (

Bangarh Bangarh is an ancient city situated in Gangarampur, West Bengal, India.From the finding of Damodarpur inscription we know that Bangarh was the ancient city and the administrative centre of Kotivarsha Vishaya (territorial division), itself ...

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

) in 542/543 CE.Indian Esoteric Buddhism: Social History of the Tantric Movement by Ronald M. Davidso
p.31
/ref> This follows the occupation of most of northern and central India by the

Aulikara The Aulikaras (Late Brahmi script: ''Au-li-ka-rā''), were an ancient clan that ruled the Kingdom of Malwa between the 4th-century CE and 6th-century CE. Epigraphical discoveries have brought to light two royal lines, who call themselves as ...

ruler

Yashodharman Yashodharman ( Gupta script: ''Ya-śo-dha-rmma'', ) was a ruler of the Malava Empire in North India, from 515 until his death in 545. He belonged to the Second Aulikara dynasty. He conquered much of the Indian subcontinent between c. 530– ...

circa 532 CE.

Biography

According to a

seal, Vishnugupta was son of

, and grandson of

Purugupta Purugupta (Gupta script: ''Pu-ra-gu-pta'', ) (reigned 467–473 CE) was an emperor of the Gupta dynasty in northern India. Purugupta was a son of the Gupta emperor Kumaragupta I by his queen ''Anantadevi''. He succeeded his half-brother Skandag ...

. File:Nalanda clay seal of Vishnugupta.jpg, Nalanda clay seal of Vishnugupta. The seal states that Vishnugupta was son of

, and grandson of

.Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol.3 (inscriptions Of The Early Gupta Kings
p.364
/ref> File:Damodarpur copper plate of Vishnugupta Year 224 = 542-543 CE.jpg, The Damodarpur copper plate of Vishnugupta Year 224 = 542-543 CE. He later produced coins that were even more debased and heavier than before, bearing the title “Candraditya.” His seal was discovered at Nalanda, and a copper plate, the fifth Damodarpur plate dated to year 224 (which corresponds to 543 to 544 A.D.), may also originate from his reign. Although this copper plate does not include his name, it still grants him the full range of imperial honors. He is considered the last ruler of the imperial Gupta dynasty to use the customary imperial titles and to issue gold coinage. However, his realm was only a remnant of the once vast empire. After his rule, around 550 to 551 A.D, the

Gupta dynasty The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

completely disappeared from power, marking the end of 231 years of Gupta dominance over

Magadha Magadha was a region and kingdom in ancient India, based in the eastern Ganges Plain. It was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas during the Second Urbanization period. The region was ruled by several dynasties, which overshadowed, conquered, and ...

References

Gupta emperors 6th-century Indian monarchs {{India-royal-stub

Biography

See also

References