Sri Lankan History - Shift of kingdoms Dambadeniya to Kotte

• The decline of Polonnaruwa Kingdom is attributed to

                  Conflicts for the throne

            Magha’s invasion in AD 1215

• According to the historical records Magha and his army terrorized Rajarata by destroying   libraries, monasteries and temples.
• Dams of the irrigation tanks were breached turning cultivated land into jungles.
• Later the abandoned irrigation tanks caused widespread malaria epidemic.
• As a result those who escaped the slaughter retreated to Malaya Rata and the southwestern parts of the island.
• Around the small irrigation tanks in the jungles of Rajarata small groups of people remained ruled by the Vanniyars.
• In the hilly areas of Maya Rata and Ruhuna some provincial rulers established several independent ‘kingdoms.
• They organized armies and build fortification that offered havens for their subjects.
• Vijayabahu of Dambadeniya, Commander Subha of Yapahuwa, Govinda of Ruhuna, Chief Buwanekabahu of Malaya Rata and Commander Sanka of Minipe are some of the most prominent of these provincial rulers.

Dambadeniya Kingdom AD 1215-1270

                                                          Vijayamalla

                                               (2)Vanni Vijayabahu III 1232-36

 

                  (3)Parakramabahu II 1236-71   Buvanekabahu Apa          Princess

                                                                                                     

(4)Veerabahu IV 1271-72  (5)Buvanekabahu I 1272-84                       Veerabahu  

(6)Parakramabahu III 1287-92        (7) Buvanekabahu II 1292-00, 00-02 K’gala

(Polonnaruwa)

                                          (8)Panditha Parakramabahu IV1302-26 Kurunegala

§  Vijayabahu III AD 1232- 1236

§  Vijayabahu III had been a Vanni ruler for a long time before he was able to become the ruler of Maya Rata.

§  The other provincial rulers were made to follow his leadeship through dialogue or show of power.

§  By this time the presence of Magha at Rajarata had begun to affect Maya Rata. Several Dravidian settlements had sprung up in the area.

§  King Vijayabahu III had made the soldiers of Magha’s army retreat to Polonnaruwa.

§  After becoming the ruler of Maya Rata, Vijayabahu III had established his capital at Dambadeniya.

§  Dambadeniya was a selected due to the difficulty the location would pose to any invading army. The king must have considered the possibility of using it as a commnding post for any future offensives against Magha.

§  The Tooth and Bowl Relics were brought from Kothmate and enshrined in the newly built relic chamber at Beligala.

§  Vijasundararamaya –Dambadeniya and Vijayaba Temple –Wattala were built.

§  Temples destroyed by Magha including Kelaniya Temple were renovated.

§  Annual Higher Ordination ceremony was reintroduced.

§  The books destroyed by Magha invasion were rewritten by the erudite scholars under the patronage of the king at Dambadeniya.

§  Parakramabahu II AD1236- 1270  

• Erudite scholars like Venerable Sanghrkkitha Thero were in charge of Prince Parakramabahu.
• In AD 1247 a Javaka ruler from Malaysian peninsula called Chandrabhnu invaded the country. It is assumed that the purpose of the invasion was to obtain the Relics.
• King’s son-in-law Veerabahu had led the victorious counterattack against the invaders. It is not clear whether Chandrabhnu had retreated to the northern parts of the country or that he had left the island altogether.
• Magha’s reign of terror was brought to an end by Parakramabahu in 1255. According to records the final battle between the fleeing Magha’s army and the army of Parakramabahu was fought near Kalawewa. 
• Around the first half of 1250s Chandrabhanu had launched another invation against Maya Rata. The king had been able to defeat the invaders with assistance from the Pandya Emperor.
• The Pandya Emperor had established the son of Chandrabanu as his agent in the northern parts of the island.
• Once again the island had become a sovereign nation.
• Dambadeni Kathikawatha (The Grand Edict) was compiled in order to strengthen the discipline of the clergy.
• Annual Higher Ordination Ceremony was resumed.
• The king wrote ‘Visuddi Marga Sannaya’ and ‘Kawsilumina’.
• For his scholarly achievements the king was awarded the title ‘Kalikala sahithya Sarwanga Panditha’.   

Bosath Vijayavahu IV AD1271-1272

• At the death of his father Prince Vijayabahu ascended the throne as Vijayabahu IV.
• He was poisoned by a palace servant under the instigation of Commander Mitta. He later tried to plot the assassination of Prince Buwanekabahu. But the plot was fouled by the Aryan army that served as the palace guards as Mitta did not have any claim to the throne. Later they brought the prince to Dambadeniya and consecrated him as King Buwanekabahu I in 1272.
• Some of the Vanniyar rulers who supported both his father and elder brother rose against him.
• The king had to face an invasion led by Chodagangadeva and Kalingarayara from south India.
• The presence of the son of Chandrabhanu (Sendamen) who was appointed as the agent of the Pandyan Emperor too must have been a reason for concern.

§  Yapahuwa Kingdom AD 1272-1300

• Commander Subha at the beginning of the Magha invasion founded Yapahuwa.
• Parakramabahu II used Yapahuwa to train the troupes under his elder son Vijayabahu and other princes.
• Due to the security offered by the geography of the area Buwanekabahu I moved the capital to Yapahuwa in 1272.
• In 1283 a group of emissaries was sent to Egypt to discuss the possibility of direct trade.
• Buwanekabahu I passed away in AD 1284.

• The period between 1284- 1288 is unclear. Sons of Bosath Vijayabahu and Buwanekabahu I had fought for succession.

• In the meantime a Pandya invasion led by Arya Chakrawarthi , a minister of King Kulasekara, had resulted in the Tooth and Bowl Relics being taken to Pandya desha.

• Parkramabahu III ascended the throne at Polonnaruwa in 1287 after bringing back the Relics from Pandya Desha.

• In 1292 Buwanekabahu II had the Relics stolen from his cousin and ascended the throne at Yapahuwa. Buwanekabahu ruled a total of nine years: 7 from Yapahuwa and the last 2 from Kurunegala.

§  Kurunegala Kingdom AD1300- 1341

• Buwanekabahu II was the founder of Kurunegala Kingdom. After his death his son Parakramabahu IV became the king.

• Parakramabahu IV AD 1302- 1326

• Built a Relic Chamber for the Bowl and Tooth Relics at Kurunegala and bequeathed land for its upkeep.

• Commissioned the books “Dalada Siritha” on the customs relater to the worship of the Tooth Relic, ‘Sinhala Bodi Vamsaya’ and ‘Anagatha Vamsaya’.

• Sponsored Vidagama Sri Ghanananda Pirivena and Thotagamuwe Vijayaba Pirivena

• Inaugurated the Asgiriya Cahpter

• Commissioned the translation of the ‘Jathaka Stories’ from Pali to Sinhala.

• The reign of Parakramabahu IV had come to an as a result of a riot led by Bodhi Mapa in the city of Kurunegala as a result of the increase of the power of the provincial rulers.

• The period between 1326- 1341 is unclear.

• There are records of Vanni Buvanekabahu III (1326-?) and his son Savulu Vijayabahu (? -1347) but they remain rather vague.

§  Gampola Kingdom AD 1341-1415

(1)Vanni Buvanekabahu III 1326 -?

 

(2)Savulu Vijayabahu ?- 1347

 

Senadhilankara Senevirath=P.   (3) Buvanekabahu IV   (4)Parakramabahu V

 

Padmavathi               Nissnka =Princess                  (5)Vickramabahu III1357-1374

                          Alagakkonara(Praburaja)

 

Veera Alakeshwara         (7)Apa Veerabahu      Princess= (6)Buvanekabahu V

                                                                                                    (P.Alakeshwara)

           1391-1409 Raigama   1391-1409 Gampola               1372-1391 Gampola

              

Vijaya Apa                                                     X

 

(8)Senkadagala Parakramabahu1410-1415= Sumithra

 

(9)Dedigama Parakramabahu V 1415- 1459 Mayadunne 1435

  

                         (10)Dodamwela  Parakrama Apa

• Buwanekabahu IV 1347- 1351

• Buwanekabahu IV and his brother Parakramabahu V had been the regents of Gampola (1341-47) and Dedigama (1344-51) respectively before they ascended the throne of Gampola.

• According to Mahavamsa after the death of his father, Savulu Vijayabahu, Vanni Buwanekabahu IV had become the ruler of Gampola in 1347 and ruled till 1351.

• In 1351 Parakramabahu V, had ascended the throne after the death of his brother. Parakramabahu V had reigned till 1359 AD. 

• Senadilankara Senevirath, their brother-in-law, had served as both Buvanekabahu IV and Parakramabahu V as their Chief Minister.

• At the death of Parakramabahu V’s Vickramabahu III, son of Senalankadikara Senevirath, ascended the throne with his brother-in-law, Nissanka Alagakkonara (Prabhuraja).

• Nissanka Alagakkonara was appointed the Chief Minister by Vickramabahu III from 1360.

• After the demise of Vickramabahu III, Prince Alakeshwara (son of Nissanka Apagakkonara) ascended the throne as Buvanekabahu V.

• In 1381 an Arya Chakrawarthi invasion took place. King Buvanekabahu V had to retreat to a fortification built by Nissanka Alagakkonara for safety.

• While the Upcountry defeated the invaders’ infantry the navy lead by Veera Alakeshwara with Kotte as the commanding centre defeated the navy of the Arya Chakrawarthi.

• Veera Alakeshwara   had stayed in Raigama while his brother-in-law Buvanekabahu V had gone back to Gampola.

• After Buvanekabahu V’s death his brother-in-law Apa Veeravahu (Devamanthree) became the king of Gampola in 1391 AD.

• Veera Alakeshwara refused to accept his brother as his king and ruled independently from 1391-1409 AD as Raigama as his capital

• A group of Chinese emissaries under Commander Cheng Ho had come to Raigama in 1405. Veera Alakeshwara had not received them with due respect. The emissaries had established the tri-lingual stone inscription found at Galle and had gone back to china.

• In the battle that had taken place between Apa Veerabahu and Veera Alakeshwara Veera Alakeshwara was defeated. He had run away to Dambadiva with the intention of gathering a troupe of mercenaries and returning to retaliate.

• In the meantime Apa Veerbahu had moved the capital to Kotte

• Alakeshwara had come with an army and killed his brother Apa Veerabahu in battle in 1409.

• Apa Veerabahu’s grandson had ascended the throne of the Upcountry as Sekadagal Parakramabahu in 1410 and ruled till 1415.

• The Chinese Emperor had sent an army under Commander Cheng Ho in retaliation in 1411. Veera Alakeshwara was betrayed by a spy presumably planted by his cousin Senkadagala Parakramabahu. Alakeshwara was taken to china as a prisoner of war. Later he was pardoned and allowed to return to the country.

• The Chinese emperor had appointed someone called “Yehipa Naina” as his agent in Sri Lanka. Some historians assume him to be Senkadagala Parakramabahu.

      Kotte Kingdom 1415- 1521 AD

 Lamani Jaya Mahalana=Sunethra Mahadevi

                         (1) Parakramabahu VI=Keerawelle Queen

                                           1410,1412 or1415-1467

(adopted)

(3)BuvanekababahuVI                (5)Veera Parakramabahu                  Ulakudayadevi

(Prince Sapumal)1469-1480  (Prince Ambulugala) 1490-1509       =Nannuru Thunaya

=Dhanamenika  

(4)Panditha Parakramabahu 1480-90                                              (2) Jayabahu II 1467-69

 

                        (6)Vijayabahu VI 1510-21     Dharma Parakramabahu IX 

 

                 (7) Buvanekabahu VII 1521-51  Raigam Bandara   Mayadunne 

Veediya Bandara =Samudhradevi                                                 (1)Rajasingha

       (8)Don Juan Dharmapala

Parakramabahu VI   1415-1467 AD

• P VI was the last to unite the entire island under one ruler.
• Some sources say that the king ascended the throne in 1410 or 1412
• He commissioned temples and monasteries such as the Sunethradevi Pirivena-Pepiliyana and renovated a large number of them too.
• The king had to suppress a south Indian invasion around 1435.
• In 1449 the king ordered his navy to attack a south Indian ferry port at Adivirarama for robbing one of his ship laden with good send to the same port. The rulers of the area had to pay taxes to P VI for many years.
• Around 1447 king’s adopted son Prince sapumal had led a troupe to prepare the groundworks for the future invasion of the Nagadeepa (Jaffna P.) During this reconnoitre mission the prince must have been able to turn many of the Vanniyar rulers in favour of the rule of P VI.
• P VI had made Dedigama Parakramabahu his sub king and handed over the administration of Sathara Korale to him. 
• In 1449 Prince Sapumal had led the victorious army that defeated the Kannadi mercenaries of the Arya Chakrawarthi ruler at Javaka Kotte. Kanakasooriya Sengei Aryan, the Arya Chakrawarthi ruler had escaped to South India but his family was captured and brought back to Kotte.
• Prince Sapumal was made the ruler of Nagadeepa (Jaffna).
• After the death of Dedigama Parakramabahu his son Parakrama Apa and a nobleman called Jothiya contested for the throne.
• Jothiya wins the power struggle. (King Sojath – Rajawaliya)
• He enticed people to riot against P VI and refused to pay taxes.
• Prince Ambulugala was sent to put down the riot.
• P VI appointed Parkrama Apa as his sub king of Udarata 
• A prince called Vickramabahu had later led a riot against the rule of Parakrama Apa. Parakrama Apa was defeated and he had to retreat to Dodamwela. After that he was known as Dodamwela Apa.
• In 1463 Prince Vickramabahu had ascended the throne of Senkadagala as Sena Sammatha Vickramabahu
• P VI had appointed his adopted son Prince Ambulugala as the ruler of Sathara Korale. The prince had selected Ambulugal, Dedigama was selected by the prince as his seat of administration. Thereafter the prince was known as Ambulugala Prince.
• After the death of P VI his daughter’s son Jayabahu ascended the throne in 1467.
• Prince Sapumal had come with a large troupe from Nagadeepa and killed the king.
• The prince had ascended the throne as Buvanekabahu VI.
• The Singhalese nobles and the clergy led by Kekunadola Srirwardana Pathiraja and Kuragama Thero had led a riot against the king.
• The reasons for the riot ware the king’s Tamil origin and the fact that he had a large number of his courtiers and troupes from the north. The riot was called Sinhala Sangaya.
• The riot was put down and the leaders were imprisoned with the help of the king’s brother Prince Ambulugala.
• While Ambulugala was away Sena Sammatha Vickramabahu had annexed Sathara Korale to his kingdom with the help of some of the nobles of Sathara Korale itself.
• In 1478 B VI had won back the land lost. He had granted clemency for the conspirators of the riot in exchange of Pledge of Allegiance.
• Before his death the king had freed Pathiraja and Kuragama Thero and entrusted the education and future of his son to their care.   
• After his death around 1480 his queen Rathnawali had reigne for about 6 months.
• As a result of the increasing tention at the courts Siriwardana Pathiraja and Kuragama Thero had taken over the administration on behalf of their charge.
• In 1490 Prince Ambulugala had marched into Kotte with an army and defeated the troupes led by Pathiraja and Kuragama Thero at Kelaniya.
• Ambulugala had killed his brother’s son Pandith Parakramabahu VII  and ascended the throne as Veera Parakramabahu VIII.
• At his death his son ascended the throne as Dharma Parakramabahu. But he was not consecrated.

§  Jaffna Kingdom

•  There is evidence to prove that there was a provincial kingdom in Jaffna from 14th century
• ‘Yalpan Vaipavmalai’ is the only source of information of this provincial kingdom up to the end of 15^th century.
• The first Tamil stone inscription is found at Kegalle. It belongs to the 14^th century.