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Although over 180 monarchs have ruled the Sinhalese monarchy, only been four of them were female. This article lists those four monarchs. Two ruled during the Anuradhapura Period and the other two during the Polonnaruwa Period.
Anula was the first known queen regnant in both Sri Lankan history and the Anuradhapura period. She is also believed to be the first female head of state in all of Asia. She was from the House of Vijaya. First known to the public as the queen consort of King Chora Naga, son of King Valagambahu of Anuradhapura, she was infamous for murdering at least 6 of her husbands or consorts by poisoning them. Her second husband, Kuda Tissa, was actually the son of the brother of Chora Naga and ascended to the throne as his legal successor. Anula's other husbands who ascended to the throne were not legal successors of Chora Naga, but were merely husbands of then-present legal successor, Anula. They include (in chronological order) Siva I, Vatuka, Darubhatika Tissa and Niliya, who all ruled the country in the span of just one year. After the death of her final husband Niliya, she became the sole ruler of the kingdom for about 5 years, thus becoming the first known female monarch of Sri Lanka, however, she was also the real power behind the throne during the tenures of all her husbands. At the end of her tenure, she was deposed by Mahakuli Mahatissa's second son, Kutakanna Tissa. The Mahavamsa states that Kutakanna Tissa had Anula burnt on a funeral pyre. [1] Other sources indicate that Anula was burnt alive in the palace where she had committed her murders. [2]
Sivali was the second known female monarch within Sri Lankan history and succeeded her brother Chulabhaya. She ruled the country only for about 4 months in the year 35 CE and was overthrown and succeeded by her nephew Ilanaga, presumably the son of her brother Chulabhaya, after an interregnum of 3 years. [3] She was also from the House of Vijaya.
Lilavati was the fourth woman in Sri Lankan history to rule as sovereign in her own right. Lilavati rose to prominence as the wife of king Parakramabahu I. Being of royal descent herself, she then ruled as sole monarch on three occasions in the near-anarchy following Parakramabahu's death, with the backing of various generals.
Kalyanavati was the second female monarch to rule the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. A member of the House of Kalinga, she was the widow of king Nissanka Malla. In 1202, the chief of the army, Ayasmanta, deposed king Sahassa Malla, and placed queen Kalyanavati on the throne as his successor. [4] Her reign was described as a peaceful one. Ayasmanta managed most of the affairs of state in her place, Queen Kalyanavati is known to have founded religious monuments, most notably the vihara at Pannasalaka. [5]
She was succeeded by king Dharmasoka, who was only three months old at the time of his ascension. It is unknown how her reign ended, but it is assumed that she was deposed. The reign of Ayasmanta continued, however, since he continued to serve as regent during the reign of Dharmasoka. [6]
Lilavati was the fourth woman in Sri Lankan history to rule as sovereign in her own right. Lilavati rose to prominence as the wife of Parakramabahu I, king of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Being of royal descent herself, she then ruled as sole monarch on three occasions in the near-anarchy following Parakramabahu's death, with the backing of various generals. The primary source for her life is the Culavamsa, specifically chapter LXXX.
Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa, was one of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 307 BC to 267 BC. His reign was notable for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the aegis of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great. The primary source for his reign is the Mahavamsa, which in turn is based on the more ancient Dipavamsa.
Parākramabāhu I, or Parakramabahu the Great, was a Sinhala 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 drop of water that comes from the rain must flow into the ocean without being made useful to man" is one of his most famous utterances."
Queen Anula of Anuradhapura was the first queen regnant in Sri Lankan history, as well as the first documented female head of state in Asia. Anula initially rose to power as consort of King Chore Naga, son of King Valagambahu of Anuradhapura. However, in her five-year reign, she poisoned her way through at least four other husbands and consorts, and she eventually governed Rajarata on her own. She should not be confused with the other famous Anula in Sri Lankan history, king Devanampiyatissa's sister-in-law, the first woman in Sri Lanka to be ordained as a bikkhuni. The primary source for Anula, Queen Regnant of Anuradhapura's reign is the Mahavamsa, chapters 34 and 35.
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa 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.
Valagamba, also known as Wattagamani Abhaya and Valagambahu, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders fourteen years later. He is also known for the construction of the Abhayagiri Dagaba.
The Anuradhapura period was a period in the history of Sri Lanka of the Anuradhapura Kingdom from 377 BCE to 1017 CE. The period begins when Pandukabhaya, King of Upatissa Nuwara moved the administration to Anuradhapura, becoming the kingdom's first monarch. Anuradhapura is heralded as an ancient cosmopolitan citadel with diverse populations.
Parakrama Pandyan II, also Pandu Parakramabahu of Polonnaruwa or Parakrama Pandu, was a Pandyan king who invaded the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa in the thirteenth century and ruled from 1212 to 1215 CE. His namesake royal Parakrama Pandyan I had ruled in Madurai fifty years earlier and had sought help from his contemporary Parakramabahu I of Polonnaruwa when faced with a Pandyan civil war. Parakrama Pandyan II came to the throne deposing Lilavati—ruling monarch, consort and successor of Parakramabahu I—as king of Polonnaruwa. He ruled for three years until Polonnaruwa was invaded and he was taken captive by Kalinga Magha, who succeeded him.
Kalyanavati was Queen of Polonnaruwa from 1202 to 1208. She was one of the few queens that reigned in Sri Lanka. She succeeded Sahassa Malla as Queen of Polonnaruwa and was succeeded by Dharmasoka.
Anikanga was King of Polonnaruwa in the thirteenth century, who ruled from 1209 to 1209. He succeeded his son Dharmasoka, who was installed as king of Polonnaruwa, and was succeeded by Queen Lilavati. He reigned for 17 days. He allied with the Cholas and invaded Polonnaruwa to capture the throne.
Chora Naga, also known as Coranaga or Mahanaga, was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, who ruled from 62 BC to 50 BC. He succeeded his cousin Mahakuli Mahatissa as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by Kuda Tissa. King Chora Naga was not a follower of the Mahavihara sect. He had even demolished 18 temples that belong to Mahavira. As a result, the author of the Mahāvaṃsa referred to him as a thief.
Siva I was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, who ruled in the year 47 BC. He succeeded Kuda Tissa as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by Vatuka.
Kutakanna Tissa, also known as Makalan Tissa, was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, whose reign lasted from 42 BC to 20 BC. Known as the brother of king Kudatissa, Kutakanna Tissa re-established political stability and peace of the Anuradhapura kingdom by deposing queen Anula, an usurper to the Sinhalese throne. He was succeeded by his son Bhatikabhaya Abhaya.
Kanirajanu Tissa was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century, whose short reign lasted from 30 to 33. He succeeded his brother Amandagamani Abhaya as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his nephew Chulabhaya. Mahavamsa mentions King Kanirajanu Tissa as an evil king who killed his brother King Amandagamini and ascended the throne.
The House of Vijaya was the first recorded Sinhalese royal dynasty that ruled over the island, Sri Lanka. According to Sri Lankan historical literature Prince Vijaya is the traditional first king of Sri Lanka, founding the Kingdom of Tambapanni and the dynasty subsequently founding the Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara and finally the Anuradhapura Kingdom.
The Sinhalese monarchy has its origins in the settlement of North Indian Indo-Aryan immigrants to the island of Sri Lanka. The Landing of Vijay as described in the traditional chronicles of the island, the Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa and Culavamsa, and later chronicles, recount the date of the establishment of the first Sinhala Kingdom in 543 BC when Prince Vijaya, an Indian Prince, and 700 of his followers are claimed to have landed on the island of Sri Lanka and established the Kingdom of Tambapanni. In Sinhalese mythology, Prince Vijaya and followers are told to be the progenitors of the Sinhalese people. However according to the story in the Divyavadana, the immigrants were probably not led by a scion of a royal house in India, as told in the romantic legend, but rather may have been groups of adventurous and pioneering merchants exploring new lands.
The Pre-Anuradhapura period of Sri Lankan history begins with the gradual onset of historical records in the final centuries of the prehistoric period and ending in 437 BC. According to the Mahavamsa, the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka are the Yakshas and northern Naga tribes. Sinhalese history traditionally starts in 543 BC at the arrival of Prince Vijaya, a semi-legendary king who was banished from the Indian subcontinent with his 700 followers, and is recorded in the Mahavamsa chronicle. This period was succeeded by the Anuradhapura period.
The Polonnaruwa period was a period in the history of Sri Lanka from 1017, after the Chola conquest of Anuradhapura and when the center of administration was moved to Polonnaruwa, to the end of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa in 1232.
Queen Sugala of Ruhuna also referred to as Sugala Devi, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Ruhuna, a state which was located in the Southern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka.
Monarchs of the Sinhala Kingdom | ||
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| Pre-Anuradhapura period House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE) |
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| Anuradhapura period House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE) Chola dynasty (237–215 BCE) House of Vijaya (215–205 BCE) Chola dynasty (205–161 BCE) House of Vijaya (161–103 BCE) The Five Dravidians (103–89 BCE) House of Vijaya (89 BCE–66 CE) House of Lambakanna I (66–436) The Six Dravidians (436–463) House of Moriya (463–691) House of Lambakanna II (691–1017) |
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| Anuradhapura from Rohana |
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| Polonnaruwa period House of Vijayabahu (1055–1187) House of Kalinga (1187–1197) House of Vijayabahu (1197–1200) House of Kalinga (1200–1209) House of Vijayabahu (1209–1210) Lokissara (1210–1211) House of Vijayabahu (1211–1212) Pandyan dynasty (1212–1215) Eastern Ganga dynasty (1215–1236) |
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| Transitional period House of Siri Sanga Bo (1220–1505) |
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| Kandyan period House of Dinajara (1591–1739) Nayaks of Kandy (1739–1815) |
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Italics indicate regent. | ||
