▁of ▁the ▁government . ▁The ▁remainder ▁went ▁to ▁char ity , ▁re wards , ▁and ▁especially ▁to ▁culture : ▁art , ▁literature , ▁music , ▁and ▁religion . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁extensive ▁trade , ▁the ▁culture ▁of ▁India ▁became ▁the ▁dominant ▁culture ▁around ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Beng al , ▁prof ound ly ▁and ▁deeply ▁influen cing ▁the ▁cult ures ▁of ▁Bur ma , ▁Camb odia , ▁and ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁In ▁many ▁ways , ▁the ▁period ▁during ▁and ▁following ▁the ▁Gu pta ▁dynast y ▁was ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁" Gre ater ▁India ", ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁cultural ▁activity ▁in ▁India ▁and ▁surrounding ▁countries ▁building ▁on ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁Indian ▁culture . ▁This ▁medieval ▁flow ering ▁of ▁Indian ▁culture ▁would ▁rad ically ▁change ▁course ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Middle ▁A ges . ▁From ▁the ▁north ▁came ▁Muslim ▁conquer ors ▁out ▁of ▁Afghan istan , ▁and ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁Muslim ▁rule ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 1 0 0 . ▁ ▁They ▁ruled ▁for ▁over ▁ 4 0 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁The ▁Sultan ate ▁▁ ▁With ▁the ▁dis integration ▁of ▁the ▁Gu pta ▁emp ire , ▁ ▁and ▁continuous ▁invas ions ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁sub cont inent ▁by ▁foreign ▁arm ies ▁of ▁Hun as , ▁Pat na ▁passed ▁through ▁uncertain ▁times ▁like ▁most ▁of ▁north ▁India . ▁ ▁The ▁territory ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁res urg ent ▁Emp ires ▁of ▁Sh ri ▁Har sh av ard h ana ▁Sam rat ▁who ▁extended ▁his ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁entire ▁North - West ▁of ▁India ▁destroy ing ▁the ▁Hun