following the decline of the gupta empire, maitraka dynasty was founded by "senapati" (general) bhatarka, who was a military governor of saurashtra under gupta empire, who had established himself as the independent around 475 ce. the first two maitraka rulers bhatarka and dharasena i used only the title of "senapati" (general). the third ruler dronasimha declared himself as the "maharaja". during the reign dhruvasena i, jain council at vallabhi was probably held. the next ruler dharapatta is the only ruler considered as a sun-worshipper. king guhasena stopped using the term "paramabhattaraka padanudhyata" along his name like his predecessors, which denotes the cessation of displaying of the nominal allegiance to the gupta overlords. he was succeeded by his son dharasena ii, who used the title of "mahadhiraja". his son, the next ruler siladitya i dharmaditya was described by hiuen tsang, visited in 640 ce, as a "monarch of great administrative ability and of rare kindness and compassion". siladitya i was succeeded by his younger brother kharagraha i. virdi copperplate grant (616 ce) of kharagraha i proves that his territories included ujjain. during the reign of the next ruler, dharasena iii, north gujarat was included in this kingdom. dharasena ii was succeeded by another son of kharagraha i, dhruvasena ii, baladitya. he married the daughter of harshavardhana. his son dharasena iv assumed the imperial titles of "paramabhattaraka mahrajadhiraja parameshvara chakravartin". sanskrit poet bhatti was his court poet. the next powerful ruler of this dynasty was siladitya ii. during the reign of siladitya v, arabs probably invaded this kingdom. the last known ruler of this dynasty was siladitya vi.