Rajasimha I of Sri Lanka
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Rajasinghe I ( Sinhala:පළමුවන රාජසිංහ) was a king of
Sitawaka Avissawella, ( si, අවිස්සාවේල්ල, ta, அவிசாவளை) is a township in Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council, situated on the A4 route from Colombo to Ratnapura, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, ap ...
, known for his patriotism and fight against the Portuguese invasion of Sri Lanka. Born as Tikiri Bandara to King Mayadunne, he received the name "Rajasinha" (meaning ''the Lion King'') after the fierce
Battle of Mulleriyawa The Battle of Mulleriyawa ( si, මුල්ලේරියාව සටන) in 1559 was part of the Sinhalese–Portuguese War. It was one of the most decisive battles in Sri Lankan history and considered as the worst defeat of Portuguese dur ...
.


Ascent to throne

Generally, the recorded period of Rajasinha's reign starts from 1581 to 1592. However, as per Portuguese navigator De Queros, Mayadunne had turned the kingdom over to Rajasinha in 1578 before his death in 1581. There are various narratives surrounding Rajasinha's role in his father's death. As per Thibbotuwawe Buddharakhitha's Mahawamsa(Chapter 4) written during the reign of
Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Kandy Kirti Sri Rajasinha ( Sinhala: කීර්ති ශ්‍රී රාජසිංහ, Tamil: கீர்த்தி ஸ்ரீ ராஜசிங்கம்; 11 August 1747 – 2 January 1782) was the second Nayaka king of Kandy. He was ...
, Rajasinha killed him. Minor Rajawaliya wrote that his patricide was considered an irreversible anantharya karma by Buddhist monks, so conflicts arose between him and the monks. As a result, he followed an anti-Buddhist line. However, others believe that important sources such as the
Rajavaliya Rajavaliya (line of kings) is an ancient chronicle of Sri Lanka. It contains the history of King Vijaya to King Vimaladharmasuriya ΙΙ. It is the only chronicle which contains continuous history of Sri Lanka written in Sinhalese language. Altho ...
and “Alakeshwara War“ would have said so if he had killed his father. João Rebairo does not record a patricide either.
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
envoy Spillburjon, who visited Sengkadagala kingdom, reported that the rumor of patricide was spreading only in the
Kingdom of Kandy The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the Sri Lanka, island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom ...
. Queros was known for his antipathy towards
Sitawaka Avissawella, ( si, අවිස්සාවේල්ල, ta, அவிசாவளை) is a township in Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council, situated on the A4 route from Colombo to Ratnapura, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, ap ...
Rajasinhaif, so if he had committed patricide, Queros would have reported it without fail. However, in his lengthy account, Queros said that Mayadunne died of natural causes after living 85 years. According to him, Rajasinha returned to
Seethawaka Avissawella, ( si, අවිස්සාවේල්ල, ta, அவிசாவளை) is a township in Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council, situated on the A4 route from Colombo to Ratnapura, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, Wes ...
from the siege of the
Colombo fort Fort (Colombo) (; ) is the central business district of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is the financial district of Colombo and the location of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the World Trade Centre of Colombo from which the CSE operates. It is ...
on hearing about the death of his father.


Expeditions

While his main battle was against the Portuguese forces in defense of the sovereignty of the Sinhala monarch, he had to battle with numerous internal forces—some regional and individual, supported directly and indirectly by forces from Portugal. Once,
Veediya Bandara Veediya Bandara (Sinhala: වීදිය බණ්ඩාර) was the commander-in-chief of the Kingdom of Kotte, Sri Lanka, during the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu VII of Kotte (1521–1551). He was a gifted warrior and widely regarded as one of the ...
was crushing a rebellion, and in his absence,
Mayadunne of Sitawaka Mayadunne ( si, මායාදුන්නේ) (1501–1581) was the King of Sitawaka, ruled the kingdom between 1521 and 1581. Mayadunne was a fierce opponent of the Portuguese, who had arrived on the island in 1505. He devoted his early life ...
prepared to attack the
Kingdom of Kotte The Kingdom of Kotte ( si, කෝට්ටේ රාජධානිය, Kottay Rajadhaniya), named after its capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Kotte, was a Sinhala kingdom, Sinhalese kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th cent ...
with the ruler of
Kingdom of Kandy The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the Sri Lanka, island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom ...
as his ally. When word reached Veediya Bandara in
Uva 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 ...
, he made haste to descend upon the army of Kandy before it joined forces with Mayadunne. Afterwards, his army invaded and captured the Kingdom of Sitawaka as Mayadunne fled without a fight. This however was an ambush; secretly deployed forces above
Sitawaka fort Sitawaka fort ( si, සීතාවක බලකොටුව, translit=Sitawaka Balakotuwa; ta, சீதவாக்கைக் கோட்டை, translit=Cītavākkaik Kōṭṭai), was built by the Sitawaka kingdom in Avissawella Avissawe ...
attacked Veediya Bandara's men and took them by complete surprise. Unprepared and outnumbered, they endured a heavy defeat for the misjudgment of their leader. Veediya Bandara himself retreated with several of his guards only to be betrayed by them, as Prince Tikiri had announced a hefty price for his head. Meanwhile, Velayudha Arachchi fought alone with Prince Tikiri's army to make enough time to fall back his Commander and friends of commanders. It is said that 50 traitors of the Kingdom of Kotte fought with Veediya Bandara and his men to win that hefty price and Maggona Arachchi fought to his death to protect Veediya Bandara, when Prince Tikiri Bandara Rajasinha, son of Mayadunne, arrived with a massive force. Rather than have them face certain death, Veediya Bandara ordered Vijeyakoon Mudali,
Hiti Imbule Bodiraja Perumal Hiti, or Hiti-rau-mea, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 19 km southwest of Makemo Atoll. Hiti Atoll is oval in shape. It measures 9 km in length with a maximum width of 6 km. There ...
, and Varusapperuma Arachchi to flee to Kotte and wait for his orders, but they refused. Veediya Bandara was angry and ordered them to fall back and carry the body of the loyal commander-general of his bodyguard, Maggona Arachchi, his childhood friend. He decided to surrender to prince Tikiri who in time, distinguished himself as a warrior king. As a captive of Prince Tikiri, Veediya Bandara fell in love with the sister of Prince Tikiri and the daughter of King Mayadunne. He managed to escape with the help of the princess and they married. In another such adventure, Mayadunne initiated a campaign to destroy Veediye Bandara primarily due to (1) the ill-treatment meted out to Mayadunne's daughter Tikiri Kumari, the wife of Veediya Bandara and (2) his failure to support Mayadunne in waging war against the Kandyan ruler. Combined Sitawaka and Portuguese troops attacked Veediye Bandara's fort at Pelenda, chasing him down to Devundara and capturing Tikiri Kumari. Sitwaka troops were led by twelve-year-old Tikiri Bandara. Veediye Bandara re-grouped with the troops of the Kandyan leader and reached Salpiti
korale A Korale or Corale was formerly a revenue district in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). During the British colonial administration, a low country korale was under the purview of a Mudaliyar while an upcountry korale came under the purview of a post that was i ...
to attack Sitawaka troops. He was defeated by Tikiri Bandara again. He fled to Kanda uda rata and returned to Alut Nuwara with the troops of the Kandyan king. After a fierce battle at Alutnuwara, Veediye Bandara was decisively defeated by Tikiri Bandara. According to the "Alakeshwara War", this battle was fierce and legendary, following which Tikiri Bandara was called "Rajasinha". Rajawaliya states that the title Rajasinha which implies "Lion who is the king of kings" was given to him following this famous battle. While Rajasinha waged his war against the Portuguese, King Karaliyadde Bandara utilized Portuguese soldiers to protect his Kandyan kingdom. Infuriated by this relationship with Portuguese invaders, with the support of Weerasundera Mudali of Peradeniya, Rajasinha led his troops up to the entry point at Balana in 1583 and chased Karalyadde Bandara. The battle with the Portuguese in Mulleriyawa was the bloodiest fought to date. While the Portuguese had guns and more advanced
weapons A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
, the Sinhalese army, simply equipped with swords and their ancient fighting method called Angam Pora, defeated the entire Portuguese army. According to Queros, though he solicited the support from
Malabar coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...
or
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
troops, the non-availability of a naval fleet caused by the Portuguese raids of port towns affected his endeavors to cleanse the country from invaders despite his remarkable sieges of
Colombo Fort Fort (Colombo) (; ) is the central business district of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is the financial district of Colombo and the location of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the World Trade Centre of Colombo from which the CSE operates. It is ...
in 1581 and 1587.


Battle of Mulleriyawa

A Portuguese army led by Captain Major Afonso Pereira de Lacerda was defeated by Sitawakan forces at Mulleriyawa in 1562. But Portuguese sources provide a different picture. Pereira de Lacerda suffered from chronic
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
which almost reduced him to a state of delirium. So
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
sent a veteran commander named
Jorge de Menezes Jorge de Menezes (c. 1498 – 1537) was a Portuguese explorer, who in 1526–27 landed on the islands of Biak ( Cenderawasih Bay), whilst he awaited the passing of the monsoon season, and on the northern coasts of the Bird's Head Peninsula, call ...
(nicknamed Baroche for his exploits at the city of Broach which lies in the bay of Cambaya) to take over. He took over the office in the year 1559 and claimed that he intend to finish the enemy that brought him to the island. De Menezes marched out, triggering the events that eventually led to the battle of Mulleriyawa. De Menezes held the office of captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon from 1559 to 1560 which places the battle sometime after May 1559 and at the same time questions the above date (1562).


Movements to the Battle

The Portuguese advanced along the southern bank of the
Kelani River The Kelani River ( si, කැළණි ගඟ) is a river in Sri Lanka. Ranking as the fourth-longest river in the country, it stretches from the Sri Pada Mountain Range to Colombo. It flows through or borders the Sri Lankan districts of Nuwara ...
through Maedanda and Weragoda towards Mulleriyawa. Their objective was to capture the Mapitigama
stockade A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls, made of logs placed side by side vertically, with the tops sharpened as a defensive wall. Etymology ''Stockade'' is derived from the French word ''estocade''. The French word was derived ...
on the northern bank. It was strategically located, (current day Udumapitigama) controlling the river and land route to Sitawaka. Therefore, by capturing it the Portuguese expected to use it as a launching pad for the coming invasion. King Mayadunne received the news of this invasion force and sent an army under the command of his son Rajasimha toward Hewagama. On arrival, he summoned the
military caste Warrior caste may refer to; Historical * Kshatriya, a member of the military or reigning order, the second-ranking caste of the Indian varna system * Samoa's ''Toa'' class in the Fa'amatai system, which used a warrior code known as fa'aaloalo ...
of Aturigiri Korale, Hewagam Korale, Koratota, and Hokandara areas to further bolster his numbers. Surprisingly, previously fierce enemies of Sitawaka, the younger Maggona Arachchi, sons of late General Maggona Arachchi, joined with Sithawaka forces to destroy the armies of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and their Sri Lankan supporters. It is believed that after the fall of the
Kingdom of Kotte The Kingdom of Kotte ( si, කෝට්ටේ රාජධානිය, Kottay Rajadhaniya), named after its capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Kotte, was a Sinhala kingdom, Sinhalese kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th cent ...
with the Veediya Bandara's son, Don Juan Dharmapala Maggona fighters were desperate for the country and the nation.B. Gunasekara. The Rajavaliya. AES reprint. New Delhi:Asian Educational Services; 1995. p. 87, . Meanwhile, a Portuguese detachment under Jorge de Menezes and Jorge de Melo successfully surprised the retreating Sitawakan border guards in a sneak attack at dawn. They captured a smaller stockade on the southern bank, killing the garrison of 300 men. Encouraged by this early success, de Menezes prepared his forces to capture the grand stockade of Mapitigama. At this moment, he received reports of Sitawakan forces in a meadow (Hewagama)Fernao de Queyroz. The temporal and spiritual conquest of Ceylon. AES reprint. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services; 1995. p. 345, . and ordered a night march. Tikiri Bandara was aware of the movements of de Menezes and de Melo and sent a force under Wickramasinghe Mudali to check their advance. These armies met at the village of Mulleriyawa one hour before dawn.


First battle of Mulleriwaya

The battle was short and the Sitawakans were defeated. They retreated towards Hewagama leaving 200 dead, pursued by the Portuguese. Wickramasinghe Mudali was himself wounded. Jorge de Menezes wanted to annihilate the Sitawakans and pressed the pursuit. Retreating Sitawakan forces took refuge in a narrow pass that had been fortified earlier. Against the better judgment of veteran soldiers, de Menezes ordered to attack on the fortified pass. But now reorganized and well entrenched, Wickramasinghe Mudali managed to repulse repeated waves of attacks. These futile efforts exhausted the Portuguese and consumed their ammunition reserves. When the captains approached de Menezes regarding low
gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...
reserves, it led to the famous reply “...If there is no powder they might load their
musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually d ...
s with sand, and if they did not shoot, they might finish the fight with the sword, because such brave Portuguese had no need of arms as long as they had nails and teeth.”Fernao de Queyroz. The temporal and spiritual conquest of Ceylon. AES reprint. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services; 1995. p. 346, . De Menezes renewed the attack, but his men withdrew against his orders to hold back. Exhausted and low on ammunition they were forced to rest at the village of Mulleriyawa.


Second Battle of Mulleriyawa

Once he received the news, Tikiri Bandara divided his forces into three groups. The first group consisted of
militiamen A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
from Athurugiriya, Hewagama, Koratota, Hokandara, and 1000 Sitawakan
swordsmen Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to a ...
with targes. He sent them in a
flanking maneuver In military tactics, a flanking maneuver is a movement of an armed force around an enemy force's side, or flank, to achieve an advantageous position over it. Flanking is useful because a force's fighting strength is typically concentrated in ...
to cut off the enemy's retreat and to attack in the
rear Rear may refer to: Animals *Rear (horse), when a horse lifts its front legs off the ground *In stockbreeding, to breed and raise Humans *Parenting (child rearing), the process of promoting and supporting a child from infancy to adulthood *Gende ...
. Then he reinforced Wickramasinghe Mudali's remaining forces with elephants and elite targe bearers and deployed them in left and right wings. Their exact role is not known but probably their orders were to secure flanks and to stand by as reserves. Finally, Tikiri Bandara deployed the remaining targe bearers, war elephants, and cavalry in the center and assumed the command himself. Meanwhile, the Portuguese found their rear blocked by large trees and the enemy close by, so they drew up themselves (arranged in battle ranks) in an open area at Mulleriyawa. (Rajavaliya specific about the fact that Sitawaka forces attacked an enemy army in formations, on the other hand, according to Portuguese sources they were ambushed by a force of war elephants while withdrawing.) Tikiri Bandara, mounted on a horse, led the center on a full frontal attack. His force was arranged in divisions (Jayasundara division, Vijayasundara division), but the targe bearers, war elephants, and horses charged mingled together to prevent the Portuguese from reloading their
musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually d ...
s. Targe bearers advanced under the cover of the elephants to avoid fire (“clinging to the tails of the elephants” – Rajavaliya). At the same time, the mixed force of militia and targe bearers attacked from the rear and flank and joined the fight. The
flanking maneuver In military tactics, a flanking maneuver is a movement of an armed force around an enemy force's side, or flank, to achieve an advantageous position over it. Flanking is useful because a force's fighting strength is typically concentrated in ...
worked and the
war elephants A war elephant was an elephant that was trained and guided by humans for combat. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks and instill terror and fear. Elephantry is a term for specific military units using elepha ...
broke through the Portuguese ranks. The battle soon became an intense melee; unable to reload, the Portuguese had to use their muskets as clubs. The intensity of the battle described in Portuguese sources by accounts of men trying to stop elephants with banner staffs, and a soldier attacking Chingalaz (Sinhalese) with teeth when he lost his weapons. Tikiri Bandara rode throughout the battle line, encouraging men to continuously press the attack and to close the gaps. Once the Portuguese managed to retreat through a gap in the line and found that Sitawakan forces hurrying on to the next pass to cut off their retreat again.Fernao de Queyroz. The temporal and spiritual conquest of Ceylon. AES reprint. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services; 1995. p. 347, . The Portuguese had almost given up themselves when something unexpected happened. A soldier named António Dias de Lomba fired a berço cannon (canhão de berço – Breech-loading swivel gun usually used for grape shots) which had been abandoned in the field. The shot fell among a line of Sitawakan soldiers, and killed many. It must have shocked the Sitawaka forces because they stopped attacking. Taking advantage of the lull, the Portuguese managed to retreat through a wood. Although the Sitawakans were no longer pressing the attack, Portuguese sources provide names of six soldiers who were killed in this wood by Sitawaka forces using musket fire alone. Some Portuguese soldiers retreated using boats. Those who escaped found refuge in the smaller stockade they had captured in the early part of the campaign. However, many were wounded and their pride was shaken.


Legacy

After the battle, Tikiri Bandara sent for the
Arachchi Arachchi ( si, ආරච්චි) was an influential post in the native headmen system in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) during the colonial era. Appointed by the Government Agent, the holder had much control over the people of the area and wielded quasi-j ...
es of Koratota, Hewagama, Korale, and Hokanrdara, rewarding them for their vital charge against the Portuguese rear. He also bestowed the new name "Hewagama" (also called Hewakam or Hewapanne) upon a Korale general due to his service during the battle; his previous name has not survived in the historical records.B. Gunasekara. The Rajavaliya. AES reprint. New Delhi:Asian Educational Services; 1995. p. 88, . The Arachchi of Koratota was gifted Bandara's sword, and to this day his descendants (who have changed their surname to
Perera Perera ( si, පෙරේරා) is a common surname found in Sri Lanka and the Iberian Peninsula. The name was introduced in Sri Lanka by the Portuguese during the period of Portuguese Ceylon, and it derives from the common Portuguese surname P ...
) still maintain the weapon in their possession, using it to practise the
martial art Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
of angampora. All angampora-practising warriors from Maggona who had previously served under the
Kingdom of Kotte The Kingdom of Kotte ( si, කෝට්ටේ රාජධානිය, Kottay Rajadhaniya), named after its capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Kotte, was a Sinhala kingdom, Sinhalese kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th cent ...
were issued pardons by Bandara and were ordered by him to relocate from Maggona to the kingdom's borders to guard its
frontier A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts o ...
s, including the
Homagama Homagama is a town in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka, about south-east of Colombo. The Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha consists of the Homagama Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka, divisional secretariat and 10 GN division of Padukka DS division. The ...
region. The Arachchies of Maggona abandoned their previous duty of protecting the Maggona fort due to Dharmapala of Kotte's betrayals and the decision to grant the Kingdom of Kotte to his proteges via a deed. Eventually, many Sinhalese changed their names to Portuguese ones but continued to observe
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and Sinhalese culture. Names of two war elephants: “Viridudassaya” of Jayasundara division who captured an enemy standard and “Airavana” of Vijayasundara division who captured a shield and a chain appear in chronicles.


Decline of the Kingdom of Sitawaka

King Rajasinghe I appointed a South Indian named Aritta Kivendu as his chief advisor and acted on his advice. He was awarded the title Mannamperuma Mohottala. King Rajasinha arranged the marriage of Mannamperuma Mohottala to a sister of a junior queen known as the "iron daughter" He converted to Hinduism. He was reported to have settled
Brahmans Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru o ...
at significant
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
sites such as
Sri Pada Adam's Peak is a tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the Sri Pada ( si, ශ්‍රී පාද), i.e., "sacred footprint", a rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be ...
, etc. Under the advice of Mannamperuma Mohottala, he razed many Buddhist religious sites to the ground. The discontent this caused among the Buddhist public and prelates was a major reason for the downfall of the kingdom. Annexation of the Kandyan kingdom and the killing of many royals are also believed to have contributed to the decline. His cruel approach to Buddhism ignited anti-government rebellions with the involvement of Buddhist prelates. This gave rise to conflict with the Buddhist prelates. In the Sath korale region, a prince named Pothupala Bandara rebelled against Rajasinha with the support of the Portuguese. The rebellion was suppressed and all leaders who had supported the rebellion were beheaded. According to the Manadarampura Puwatha, prelates were involved in an attempt to make Konappu Bandara the king of Kandy. This conspiracy was exposed leading to the execution of hundreds of Buddhist prelates. Mandaram Pura Puwatha reported that in one place, 121 monks were killed by Rajasinha. One of the notable victims was the chief prelate of
Sitawaka Avissawella, ( si, අවිස්සාවේල්ල, ta, அவிசாவளை) is a township in Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council, situated on the A4 route from Colombo to Ratnapura, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, ap ...
. Support of the maha sangha which had been a pillar of strength for Mayadunne and Tikiri Bandara to mobilize public support for the Sitawaka kingdom rapidly eroded. Konappu Bandara having returned to Kandy via
Mannar, Sri Lanka Mannar ( ta, மன்னார், translit=Maṉṉār, si, මන්නාරම, translit=Mannārama, formerly spelled Manar) is the main town of Mannar District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. The town is ...
started a rebellion in Kandy. First, he defeated the troops led by the general Aritta Kiwnendu. Secondly, Konappu Bandara defeated troops led by King Rajasinha himself. Rajawaliya reported that he withdrew saying that there was no king in front of him who fought valiantly from 11 years of age. However, this person who wages war in Kandy has many merits and he has now lost his merits. On his return from the defeat at Balana, he died in March 1592. The reason for his death was a wound caused by a pointed bamboo-segment at Pethangoda while returning to sitawaka. Rajawaliya further recorded that the death was a result of the curse (suniyam) imposed on him by the Dodampe Ganithaya though it is now suspected that the cause of his death was tetanus caused by the binding of animal faeces to the open wound. Alakeshwara war reported that he was cremated at Mahanuwara which means the then capital Sitawaka.


See also

* Mahavamsa *
List of monarchs of Sri Lanka The Sinhalese monarch -- anachronistically referred to as the Kings of Sri Lanka—featured the heads of state of the Sinhala Kingdoms, in what is today Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese monarchy originates in the settlement of North Indian Indo-Ar ...
*
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 ...
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Kingdom of Sitawaka The Kingdom of Sitawaka ( si, සීතාවක, ta, சீீீதாவாக்கை இராசதானி) was a kingdom located in south-central Sri Lanka. It emerged from the division of the Kingdom of Kotte following the Spoilin ...


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Kings & Rulers of Sri Lanka
* The sitawaka Kingdo

* Mayadunne and Rajasinh

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajasinha 01 of Sri Lanka 1544 births 1593 deaths 16th-century Sinhalese monarchs House of Siri Sanga Bo Monarchs of Kandy Monarchs of Sitawaka Sinhalese kings Sri Lankan Hindus