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Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa, meaning, was one of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura. According to the traditional chronology, he ruled from 307 BC to 267 BC, but the modified chronology adopted by modern scholars such as Wilhelm Geiger assigns his reign to 247 BC to 207 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.
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 a 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, causing her to govern Rajarata on her own eventually. Queen Anula of Anuradhapura differs from another famous figure in Sri Lankan history, also named Anula. She is a different figure as she is King Devanampiyatissa's sister-in-law, the first woman in Sri Lanka to be ordained as a bikkhuni. The primary source for Anula's reign is the Mahavamsa, chapters 34 and 35.
Anuradhapura Kingdom, named for its capital city, was the second established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka related to the Sinhalese people. According to the Mahāvaṃsa, it was founded by King Pandukabhaya in 437 BC, whose authority extended throughout the country.
Mahasiva was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the kingdom of Anuradhapura, based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 257 BC to 247 BC according to historical records. Mahasiva was one of the many sons of Mutasiva and also brother of monarchs Devanampiya Tissa, Uttiya and Asela.
Suratissa was an early monarch of Sri Lanka in the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 247 BC to 237 BC. He was the younger son of Pandukabhaya and the brother of Mutasiva. Suratissa was defeated and killed in battle by two South Indian Tamil invaders Sena and Guttika and usurped the Sinhalese throne and held power over Anuradhapura, which was the first historically reported account of Tamil rule in Sri Lanka. Sinhala rule was re-established in 215 BC by Suratissa's younger brother Asela.
Asela was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura from 215 BC to 205 BC. He was the youngest of the many sons of Mutasiva and brother of previous monarchs Devanampiya Tissa, Uttiya and Mahasiva. Asela fought Sena and Guttika in a battle to re-establish Vijaya rule in 215 BC, but in 205 BC the kingdom of Anuradhapura was again invaded by a Tamil, Tamil king from Chola Dynasty named Ellalan killing Asela and ruled Anuradhpura kingdom for 45 years.
Valagamba, also known as the Great Black Lion, 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.
Lanja Tissa, also known as Lamani Tissa, was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Anuradhapura Kingdom from 119 BC to 109 BC.
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 periods a country independent of it.
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.
Mahakuli Mahatissa, also known as Maha Cula Maha Tissa, was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC. He ruled from 76 BC to 62 BC, succeeding his uncle, Valagamba, as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his cousin Chora Naga.
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.
Kuda Tissa was a king of Anuradhapura, the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. He ruled in the 1st century BC, between 50 BC to 47 BC. He succeeded his uncle Chora Naga as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by Siva I after being poisoned by his own mother.
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.
Vatuka was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, who ruled in the year 47 BC. He succeeded Siva I as King of Anuradhapura. Vatuka was succeeded by Darubhatika Tissa after being poisoned by Anula after a period of one year and two months of ruling.
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.
Bhatikabhaya Abhaya was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, whose reign lasted from 20 BC to 9 AD. He succeeded his father Kutakanna Tissa as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his brother Mahadathika Mahanaga.
Aggabodhi II was King of Anuradhapura in the 7th century CE. His reign lasted from 608 to 618 CE.
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.
References
- ↑ Blaze, L.E. (1933). "III". History of Ceylon (First ed.). Colombo: Asian Educational Services. p. 273. ISBN 81-206-1841-6.
