[Neal Robbins]

The family which founded the Gupta empire in northern India originally ruled a small kingdom near Magadha. It was in what is now Bihar. A Gupta king named Sri Gupta built a temple where Chinese monks could worship while on pilgrimage in India. Ghaotkacha was the son of Sri Gupta. His son Chandragupta I took the initial step on the road toward expanding the Gupta domain and creating a large empire. In 320 A.D. Chandragupta married a Licchavi princess named Kumaradevi. This united the two kingdoms. Chandragupta took the title Maharajadhiraja ("Great King of Kings"). Gold coins were issued in commemoration of his marriage.
Chandragupta also made some military conquests. He took part of Bengal.
In 335 A.D. his son Samudragupta came to the throne. He also expanded the empire by subduing the princes of the Gangetic plain. His military campaigns went as far south as Kanchipuram. Samudragupta died in 380 and his son Rama Gupta succeeded him. Rama Gupta was captured in a battle with Shaka Satrap and had to abdicate when he was released. But Rama Gupta's brother Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II) had Shaka Satrap killed and was able to take the throne.
Chandragupta II married the daughter of King Rudrasena II of the Deccan. This gave Chandragupta a powerful ally. He defeated the Satraps of Malwa, Gujarat, and Saurashtra. That campaign lasted until 409. By 395 he had conquered much of Bengal and defeated his main rival Rudrasimha III.
Kumaragupta, also known as Mahendraditya, ruled until 455. In the last part of his reign, a tribe of the Nerbudda Valley, known as the Rushamitras, threatened the Gupta empire. Kumaragupta's successor Skandagypta defeated the Rushamitras, but a new threat soon appeared. A branch of the Huns invaded northern India. Fighting with the Huns financially drained the Gupta government. Skandagupta died in 480 and was succeeded by his son Narasimhagupta Baladitya. Buddagupta and Purugupta were the next rulers. The last Gupta monarch was Vishnugupta, who ruled from 540 to 550. The Gupta emperors in the late period of the empire fought a losing war with the Huns. Although the Huns established their rule in northern India, they could not keep control of it for long. After a few decades their dominion became seriously weakened. A man named Harsha rose to power and reunited Northern India.
Many cultural and scientific achievements took place during the time of the Gupta empire. For example, the great astronomer Aryabhatta correctly concluded that the earth is a sphere and that it rotates on its axis. He also made the observation that the earth rotates around the sun. Furthermore, Aryabhatta determined the exact causes of eclipses.
The great poet Kalidasa spent time in the court of Vikramaditya. Kalidasa wrote Meghdoot and Kumarsanhita. He was also the author of the play titled Shakuntala (I have read a translation of Shakuntala.).
The mathematician Varahamira did work with developing the use of decimal points. He also calculated the value of pi. His treatise Bhrihatasamhita has an enormous amount of mathematical data.
All in all, the time of the Gupta empire is a significant period for India.

Neal Robbins

P.S. The Guptas did a lot of trading with Rome. After 300 A.D. their trade with Rome declined and they began to carry on commerce with the countries of Southeast Asia. The Guptas imported a considerable amount of gold and silver from that region.