Why was Samudragupta known as ‘the king of kings’?

     Samudragupta (330-380 AD) was a great emperor belonging to the Gupta dynasty who ushered in the Golden Age in India. He was a benevolent ruler, a magnificent warrior, and a patron of arts. He was the son of Chandragupta I, and inherited a fairly small kingdom. However, once he came to the throne, Samudragupta began dramatically expanding his frontiers. He did not rest until he conquered almost the whole of India. His rule in fact, may be described as a vast military campaign. His territories extended from the Himalayas in the north, to the River Narbada in the south, and from the Brahmaputra River in the east, to the Yamuna River in the west. His greatest achievement can be described as the political unification of most of India.

               Samudragupta was not just a great general – he was a great human being too. He was compassionate towards those whom he defeated, and gave various tribal states autonomy under his protection. His court was full of poets and scholars. He had a keen interest in music and arts as well. Is it any wonder that he was known as both ‘the Napoleon of India’, and ‘the king of kings’?