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Saṅghamittā was an Indian Buddhist nun and believed to be the eldest daughter of Emperor Ashoka from his first wife Queen Devi. Together with her brother Mahinda, she entered an order of Buddhist monks. The two siblings later went to Sri Lanka to spread the teachings of Buddha at the request of Sri Lankan King Devanampiya Tissa who was a contemporary of Ashoka. Ashoka was initially reluctant to send his daughter on an overseas mission. However, because of the insistence of Sangamitta herself, he finally agreed. She was sent to Sri Lanka together with several other nuns to start the nun-lineage of Bhikkhunis at the request of King Tissa to ordain queen Anulā and other women of Tissa's court at Anuradhapura who desired to be ordained as nuns after Mahinda converted them to Buddhism.
Queen Anula of Anuradhapura was the first queen regnant in Sri Lankan history. 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.
The Anuradhapura kingdom, named for its capital city, was the second established kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka. According to the Mahāvaṃsa, it was founded by King Pandukabhaya in 437 BC, whose authority extended throughout the country.
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 & Aluthepola Ganekanda Raja Maha Vihara.
Lanja Tissa, also known as Lamani Tissa, was an early monarch of Sri Lanka of the Anuradhapura Kingdom from 119 BC to 109 BC.
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.
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.
Darubhatika Tissa was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, whose reign lasted the year 47 BC. He succeeded Vatuka as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by Niliya.
Niliya was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century BC, whose reign lasted the year 47 BC. He succeeded Darubhatika Tissa as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by Anula.
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.
Chandamukha Siva was King of Anuradhapura in the 1st century, whose reign lasted from 44 to 52. He succeeded his father Ilanaga as King of Anuradhapura.
Bhatika Tissa was King of Anuradhapura in the 2nd century, whose reign lasted from 141 to 165. He succeeded his father Mahallaka Naga as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his brother Kanittha Tissa.
Siri Naga I was King of Anuradhapura in the 2nd century, whose reign lasted from 196 to 215. He succeeded his brother-in-law Kuda Naga as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his son Voharika Tissa.
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
- ↑ Emerson)), James EMERSON (afterwards TENNENT (Sir James (1860). Ceylon; an account of the Island, physical, historical, and topographical, with notices of its natural history, antiquities, and productions. p. 376.
- ↑ Obeyesekere, Donald (1999). Outlines of Ceylon History. Asian Educational Services. p. 48. ISBN 978-81-206-1363-8.
