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Polonnaruwa Kingdom
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa ( si, පොළොන්නරුව රාජධානිය, Polonnaruwa Rājādhaniya) was the Sinhalese kingdom that expanded across the island of Sri Lanka and several overseas territories, from 1070 until 1232. The kingdom started expanding its overseas authority during the reign of Parakramabahu the Great. It had a stronghold in South India since its involvement in a civil war in the Pandya country. During this war, Pandya Nadu was seized as a province administered by the military of Polonnaruwa. The tributaries of the Chola empire, Tondi and Pasi, also came under its military rule. Rameshwaram was under Sinhalese rule until 1182. Its currency ''Kahapana'' was struck in these provinces. During the occupation of South India, construction works were undertaken. Despite being a kingdom, it had been under the control of its royal military, which captured power twice and remained dominant in politics. Other militaries also had captured power in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maya Rata
The Maya Rata (Principality of), also known as the Kingdom of Dakkinadesa, was a principality or an administrative region of the Sinhalese kingdom. It was located in the Southwestern part of Sri Lanka, bordered the Deduru Oya. Its last capital was Parakramapura. The principality was disbanded following the formation of the second kingdom of Polonnaruwa by Parakramabahu I. History Being heirless has provided royalty with a thorny problem throughout history. It happened with Sri Lanka's first king, Vijaya, the legendary founder of the Sinhalese race. Having no progeny, he named as his successor his younger brother, Prince Sumitra. However, Sumitra was growing old so he offered the new kingdom in Sri Lanka to his sons, the youngest of whom, Prince Panduwas Deva, consented. Unfortunately, Vijaya died before his successor landed in Lanka, and a year's interregnum ensued in which the prime minister, Upatissa, assumed monarchical power. Panduwas Deva was eventually crowned king ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parakramabahu The Great
Parākramabāhu I ( Sinhala: මහා පරාක්රමබාහු, 1123–1186), or Parakramabahu the Great, was the king of Polonnaruwa from 1153 to 1186. He oversaw the expansion and beautification of his capital, constructed extensive irrigation systems, reorganised the country's army, reformed Buddhist practices, encouraged the arts and undertook military campaigns in South India and Burma. The adage "Not even a little water that comes from the rain must not flow into the ocean without being made useful to man" is one of his most famous utterances. In 1140, Parakramabahu following the death of his uncle, Kitti Sri Megha, Prince of Dakkinadesa, ascended the throne of Dakkhinadesa. Over the next decade, improved both Dakkhinadesi infrastructure and military. Following a protracted civil war, he secured power over the entire island around 1153 and remained in this position until his death in 1186. During Parākramabāhu's reign, he launched a punitive campaign against t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahaweli Ganga
The Mahaweli River ( si, මහවැලි ගඟ, literally "Great Sandy River"; ta, மகாவலி ஆறு 'mahawali gangai'', is a long river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. It has a drainage basin of , the largest in the country, which covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island. The real beginning of Mahaweli Ganga starts at Polwathura (at Mahawila area), a remote village of Nuwara-Eliya District in bank Nawalapitiya of Kandy District by further joining of Hatton Oya and Kotmale Oya. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay. The bay includes the first of a number submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest natural deep-sea harbours in the world. As part of Mahaweli Development programme the river and its tributaries are dammed at several locations to allow irrigation in the dry zone, with almost of land irrigated. Production of hydroelectricity from six dams of the Mahaweli system supplies mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I (born ''Prince Keerthi'') (ruled 1055–1110), also known as Vijayabahu the Great, was a medieval king of Sri Lanka. Born to a royal bloodline, Vijayabahu grew up under Chola occupation. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055. Following a seventeen-year-long campaign, he successfully drove the Cholas out of the island in 1070, "In their expulsion from the island" reuniting the country for the first time in over a century. During his reign, he re-established Buddhism in Sri Lanka and repaired much of the damage caused to infrastructure during the wars. He offered the Thihoshin Pagoda(Lord of Sri Lanka Buddha image) to Burma king Alaungsithu and it is now still in Pakokku. Early life Vijayabahu was born around 1039, by the name of Kitti (Keethi) in Ruhuna principality, under Chola occupation. ''Indian History with Objective Questions and Historical Maps Twenty-Sixth Edition 2010, South India page 59'' As a result t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. The city lies north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malvathu River. The city is now a World Heritage Site famous for its well-preserved ruins of the ancient Sinhalese civilization. While Mahavamsa place the founding of the city in 437 BCE, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement on the island for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Asia. It is the cradle of the Hydraulic Sinhalese civilization, Theravada Buddhism, and the longest-serving ancient capital of Sri Lanka that has survived for 1500 years. Moreover, It was the first capit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raja Raja Chola I
Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South India during his reign and is remembered for reinstating the Chola influence and ensuring its supremacy across the Indian Ocean. His extensive empire included vast regions of the Pandya country, the Chera country and northern Sri Lanka. He also acquired Lakshadweep and Thiladhunmadulu atoll, and part of the northern-most islands of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Campaigns against the Western Gangas and the Chalukyas extended the Chola authority as far as the Tungabhadra River. On the eastern coast, he battled with the Chalukyas for the possession of Vengi.A Journey through India's Past by Chandra Mauli Mani p.51 Rajaraja I, being an able administrator, also built the great Rajarajeshwaram Temple at the Chola capital Thanjavur. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Ashoka of the Maurya Empire. As one of the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam, along with the Chera dynasty, Chera and Pandya dynasty, Pandya, the dynasty continued to govern over varying territories until the 13th century CE. The Chola Empire was at its peak under the Medieval Cholas in the mid-9th century CE. The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. They ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th century. They unified peninsular India south of the Tungabhadra River, and held the territory as one state for three centuries between 907 and 1215 CE.K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, ''A Histo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of Anuradhapura
The Anuradhapura Kingdom ( Sinhala: , translit: Anurādhapura Rājadhāniya, Tamil: ), named for its capital city, was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka related to the Sinhalese people. Founded by King Pandukabhaya in 437 BC, the kingdom's authority extended throughout the country, although several independent areas emerged from time to time which expanded towards the end of the kingdom. Nonetheless, the king of Anuradhapura was seen as the supreme ruler of the entire island throughout the Anuradhapura period. Buddhism played a major role in the Anuradhapura period, influencing its culture, laws, and methods of governance.Buddhism was such an important factor in this period that , p.196 asserts, "The island of Lanka belonged to the Buddha himself; it was like a treasury filled with the three gems". The society and the culture were revolutionized when the faith was introduced during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa; this cultural change was further streng ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of Dambadeniya
The Kingdom of Dambadeniya was a medieval kingdom in what is present-day Sri Lanka. The kingdom's rulers reigned from 1220–1345. History Founding The first king to choose Dambadeniya as his capital was Vijayabahu III. He was able to bring about the unity among the Sangha that had fled in various directions due to the hostile activities of the invader Kalinga Magha and succeeded in holding a Buddhist convention in 1226 to bring about peace among the Buddhist clergy. King Parakramabahu II was the king who inherited the throne after King Vijayabahu. He was considered a genius, who was a great poet and a prolific writer. Among the books he wrote are ''Kausilumina'', which is considered a great piece of literature. Unifying the three kingdoms that existed within Sri Lanka at that point in time is regarded as the greatest achievement. King Bosath Vijayabahu, as the eldest son of King Parakramabahu the second, was crowned in 1270. He was well known for his modest behaviour and fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sugala
Queen Sugala of Ruhuna also referred to as Sugala Devi (12th century A.D), was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Ruhuna, a state which was located in the Southern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka. Life The Kingdom of Ruhuna was a Sub kingdom loyal to the King of Anuradhapura. She was the first ruling queen of the Kingdom of Ruhuna. She was claimed to have taken the throne of the Ruhuna, while King Parakramabahu I ruled entire island from Polonnaruwa. Hence, Queen Sugala was not the sole ruler of the country: she is not considered as an Sinhalese monarch, since King Parakramabahu I reigned over large parts of the Sri Lanka. She was the mother of King Manabharana. Her son was defeated by Parakramabahu in a battle for possession of the Pihiti Rata (Northerner kingdom of Sri Lanka). Many King Manabharana followers united behind Queen Sugala to defend the Ruhuna from King Parakramabahu's invading army, before the revolt was put down brutally in 1160.The Curse of Padmini, p. 12, L. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of Ruhuna
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, Tissamaharama and Mahanagakula (now called as Ambalantota) were established here. The kingdom of Ruhuna was an important state in Sinhalese history as it was known for several rebellions against the superior states in Rajarata. The principality was defeated with its last de-facto Queen Sugala been captured and executed by the invading army of Parakramabahu I. Following its annexing by Parakramabahu, the rebellions that arose were suppressed. History Founding Ruhuna was founded around 200 BC by Prince Mahanaga, brother to Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura, after a personal dispute. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well in the establishment of Buddhist culture. Significance The kings of Anuradhapura and the Chola ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chola Empire
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Ashoka of the Maurya Empire. As one of the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam, along with the Chera and Pandya, the dynasty continued to govern over varying territories until the 13th century CE. The Chola Empire was at its peak under the Medieval Cholas in the mid-9th century CE. The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. They ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th century. They unified peninsular India south of the Tungabhadra River, and held the territory as one state for three centuries between 907 and 1215 CE.K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, ''A History of South India'', p 157 Under Rajaraja I and his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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