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The Gupta conquests of Bengal began with Samudragupta's initial conquest of Bengal, defeating its kings and gaining a large part of that region. Other kings then surrendered to King Samudragupta. Chandragupta II later defeated the rebel confederacy of Bengal and re-conquered the area, adding it to the Gupta Empire.
Coin of Samudragupta, with Garuda pillar, emblem of Gupta Empire. The name Sa-mu-dra in an early version of the Gupta Brahmi script, appears vertically under the left arm of the king.[4]
"(L. 21.)- (Samudragupta,) who abounded in majesty that had been increased by violently exterminating Rudradeva, Matila, Nāgadatta, Chandravarman, Ganapatināga, Nāgasena, Achyutanandin, Balavarman, and many other kings of (the land of) Āryāvarta; -who made all the kings of the "forest countries" to become (his) servants."
While the contemporary rulers such as the Chinese, Kushans, and Iranians were trying to control certain trade routes, undoubtedly Samudragupta had economic interests for his Empire when he violently killed Nagadhatta (according to Sircar he was probably the ruler of Pundravardhana region of North Bengal).[7]
The Kings of Samatata, Davaka and Kamarupa paid tribute and homage to the King Samudragupta[13][14]
Samatata, Davaka and Kamarupa became frontier states of Samudragupta's Empire. It is an indubitable fact that Samudragupta succeeded in bringing the greater part of Bengal in his control, for, we know Samataṭa (S.E. Bengal), Ḍavāka (in now in the Nowgong districtofAssam) and Kāmarūpa (Upper Assam) were the frontier states of his empire.[7][4]
An 8 gram gold coin featuring Chandragupta II astride a caparisoned horse with a bow in his left hand. The name Cha-gu-pta appears in the upper left quadrant.[15]
The Guptas are known to have ruled Bengal in the early 6th century, although there are no surviving records of the Gupta presence in this region for the intervening period.[16]
Chandragupta II may have re-established Gupta rule in Bengal (Vanga) after the discomforts of the confederacy of the local rulers of Bengal[17] or he may have conquered Bengal.[18] It is also possible that a large part of the Bengal region was annexed to the Gupta Empire by Chandragupta II, and that this control continued into the 6th century.[19] According to the Meharauli inscription, he was victorious against the Vanga country (which included territories of modern-day West Bengal and Bangladesh).[18]
The Iron Pillar of Delhi inscription suggests that an alliance of semi-independent chiefs of Bengal unsuccessfully resisted Chandragupta II who attempts to extend the Gupta Empire's influence in this region.[20][21] He successfully quelled the revolt of the allied chiefs of Bengal and brought them under his sway.[22][23]