Ruhuna Cricketers on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama ( si, තිස්සමහාරාමය , ta, திஸ்ஸமஹாராம) is a town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.
History
It was the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3r ...
and Mahanagakula (now called as Ambalantota
Ambalantota is a coastal town in southern Sri Lanka. It is located in Southern Province in Hambantota District between Matara and Hambantota.
The Valave River meets the sea near Ambalantota.
The Ambalantota is famous for its ancient ruins of ...
) 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
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 loy ...
been captured and executed by the invading army of Parakramabahu I
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 extensiv ...
. Following its annexing by Parakramabahu, the rebellions that arose were suppressed.
History
Founding
Ruhuna was founded around 200 BC by PrinceMahanaga
Mahanaga was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Ruhuna in the southern region of the island. He is the founder of the Ruhuna. The Kingdom of Ruhuna was in some periods a client state loyal to the King of Anuradhapura and in some pe ...
, brother to Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura
Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa, was one of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 247 BC to 207 BC. His reign was notable for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the aegis of the Maurya ...
, after a personal dispute. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well in the establishment of Buddhist culture
Buddhist culture is exemplified through Buddhist art, Buddhist architecture, Buddhist music and Buddhist cuisine. As Buddhism expanded from the Indian subcontinent it adopted artistic and cultural elements of host countries in other parts of Asia ...
.
Significance
The kings of Anuradhapura and the Chola kingdom during the reign over a majority of the country, generally fought against the forces of Ruhuna. Notable Ruhunan militants include: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 principalit ...
, whose armies defeated several Chola generals; and Manabharana II, whose army once conquered Polonnaruwa. The resistances that arose from Ruhuna were generally victorious against the Rajarata kingdom.
Conquest
After Parakramabahu I conquered the kingdom ofRajarata
Rajarata ā dja ra tə(Meaning: King's country) ( Sinhala: රජරට) (Tamil: ரஜரட) was one of three historical regions of the island of Sri Lanka for about 1,700 years from the 6th century BCE to the early 13th century CE. Several anci ...
, defeating its king Gajabahu II
Gajabahu II was king of Rajarata from 1131 until 1153, following his father Vikramabahu I. He was defeated and succeeded by Parakramabahu I.
See also
* Mahavamsa
* List of monarchs of Sri Lanka
* History of Sri Lanka
The history of Sri Lank ...
, he dispatched a force to Ruhuna. The people and army of Ruhuna generally opposed this and established a force against the invaders. While the Ruhunans were able to defeat a prominent general of Parakramabahu's army named Rakkha, they were defeated and their queen was executed.
Area
The area identified with Ruhuna in ancient times is mainly the Southern Province, a large part of theUva Province
Uva Province ( si, ඌව පළාත, Uva Paḷāta, ta, ஊவா மாகாணம், Uvā Mākāṇam) is Sri Lanka's second least populated Provinces of Sri Lanka, province, with 1,259,880 people, created in 1896. It consists of two dis ...
and small parts of Sabaragamuwa
The Sabaragamuwa Province ( si, සබරගමුව පළාත ''Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta'', ta, சபரகமுவ மாகாணம் ''Sabaragamuwa Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrati ...
and Eastern Provinces.
Princes of Ruhuna
See also
*Provinces of Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, provinces ( si, පළාත, translit=Paḷāta; ta, மாகாணம், translit=Mākāṇam) are the first level administrative division. They were first established by the British rulers of Ceylon in 1833. Over the next ce ...
* History of Sri Lanka
The history of Sri Lanka is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Indian Ocean.
The early human remains found on the island of Sri La ...
*University of Ruhuna
The University of Ruhuna ( si, රුහුණ විශ්වවිද්යාලය, රෝහණ සරසවිය (Ruhuṇa Viśvavidyālaya, Rohana sarasaviya),; ta, ருகுண பல்கலைக் கழகம்) is a publ ...
References
{{Coord missing, Sri Lanka History of Southern Province, Sri Lanka History of Uva Province History of Sabaragamuwa Province History of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Sinhalese royalty Anuradhapura period Polonnaruwa period Former countries in South Asia