The Samantas & the Huns weakened the Gupta empire. Comment.
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In 4 Century AD, a new dynasty emerged over Magadha and ruled a large part of North India. Their rule lasted for over 200 years. The rule of the Guptans over North India is often described as an imperial government. The centralised control which was a characteristic of an imperial empire was absent in the Guptan age and the empire was decentralised as compared to the Mauryan empire. The Guptan empire was also marked as the period of Classical age of India as Hinduism established its rule firmly over the country during this period. But in parts of deccan empire it was the post guptan age that saw evolution of a high level of civilization.
India had multitude of weak kingdoms as well as new kingdoms during the 4th century AD. The kushanas and shakas continued to rule but their territories were truncated and kingdoms weakened. Many new kingdoms were emerging in areas of Punjab and Sind. The Vakatakas were ruling in Vidharbha after the satavahanas had disappeared around 3rd century AD. In the south in tamil region the Pallavas were emerging. Also in Bengal, Odisa and the forest areas of Madhya Pradesh many new kingdoms were ruling that had not existed before.
The Guptan kings were powerful and conquered North India but they had to face considerable opposition from Central Asia especially the Huns. The last powerful king of gupta Skandagupta was able to keep the huns under check but latter rulers failed and the empire could not extend in Punjab and Sindh.
Guptan policy was to restore the kingdom which was won under conquest to the local chief after he excepted their suzerainty. This meant that there was limited central control and the empire had weak foundations. The empire began to disintegrate as local chieftains became powerful and asserted their independence under weak central rulers.