King Aggabodhi III [632-643 CE]

King Aggaboghi III and Prince Mana — King Aggabodhi III and Prince Mana

Predecessor		Successor
King Silameghavanna [623-632 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Aggabodhi III [632 CE] [632-643 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Jettatissa III [632 CE] King Dathopatissa I [643-650 CE] -House of Moriya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Aggabodhi III, also known as King Siri Sangabo in the Pujavaliya and the Rajavaliya, ascended the throne in 632 CE following the death of his father, King Silameghavanna. However, his reign was immediately challenged by Jettatissa, the surviving son of King Sanghatissa II, who had been in exile in the Malayarata region.

Invasion by Jettatissa

Jettatissa, who had once fled to the hill country after Moggallana III seized the throne from his father, saw an opportunity to reclaim power when Aggabodhi III took the throne. He invaded the Anuradhapura Kingdom, and in the ensuing battle, Aggabodhi III’s army was scattered. Defeated, the king fled to India for safety.

Aggabodhi’s Return and Victory

Not long after his escape, Aggabodhi III returned to the island with the support of a Tamil mercenary army. He launched a counterattack and confronted Jettatissa, who had by then crowned himself king. This time, the tables had turned—Jettatissa, facing defeat, chose to commit suicide on the battlefield rather than be captured. One of his key ministers, Dathasiva, managed to escape to India.

Aggabodhi III reclaimed the throne within the same year, restoring stability to the kingdom, at least temporarily. Before his initial ousting, he had appointed his brother Mana as Yuvaraja and entrusted him with governing Dakkhinadesa.

The Murder of Prince Mana

Following a brief period of peace, internal strife once again surfaced. Mana was executed by court officials for an unspecified offense committed in the women’s quarters of the palace. This act was carried out despite assurances that his life would be spared, reflecting the weakening authority of the king. In an effort to preserve the royal line, he appointed another brother, Kassapa, as the new Yuvaraja.

Dathasiva’s Invasion

Meanwhile, Dathasiva, the fugitive minister of Jettatissa, learned of the political instability in Anuradhapura. Seizing the opportunity, he returned to Sri Lanka with a Tamil mercenary force, landing at Siyambalagamuva near Galgamuva. In the battle that followed, Aggabodhi III was defeated again and forced to flee to India a second time.

Dathasiva ascended the throne under the name Dathopatissa I (also known as Dalupa Tissa in the Pujavaliya, and Lemini Dalupatissa in the Rajavaliya).

One of the Darkest Eras in Anuradhapura

In the years that followed, Anuradhapura plunged into chaos, experiencing one of the darkest and most unstable periods in its history. Aggabodhi III returned once again with another Tamil mercenary army, resulting in repeated battles for control. Power shifted multiple times between Aggabodhi and Dathopatissa, as each ruler sought to regain the throne. In their desperate struggle, both sides looted temples and religious institutions to fund their military campaigns, inflicting great damage on the island’s religious establishments.

This dark era ended when the brother of King Aggabodhi III, Prince Kassapa, finally took control of the kingdom, chasing Dathopatissa to India in 650 CE.

Works of King Aggabodhi III

During the brief period of stability following his successful reclamation of Anuradhapura from Jettatissa, King Aggabodhi III was able to turn his attention to religious affairs. In addition to donating revenue-generating villages to various monasteries, he also undertook several significant construction projects, including the following:

A practicing house called Mahallaraja
Mahapanadipa Viharaya in Pulatthinagara (Polonnaruwa today)

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

Sovereigns of Sri Lanka are chronicled in several ancient manuscripts. These texts not only record the lineages of kings but also the significant events and developments of their reigns. Some of the most significant ancient sources are:

Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
Mahavamsa: Initially compiled by Mahanama Thero in the 5th or 6th century CE, this chronicle was later expanded upon by other authors who added additional chapters. Covers events up until the reign of King Mahasena of Anuradhapura
Culavamsa: Starts where the Mahavamsa stops and records the history of Sri Lankan rulers from the 4th century to 1815. Mahavamsa and Culavamsa are often seen as one extended chronicle, commonly referred to simply as the Mahavamsa.
Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
Rajavaliya: A 17th-century historical chronicle of Sri Lanka, covering the history of the island from its beginnings up to the accession of King Vimaladharmasurya II in 1687.

References

Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society.
Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya or a Historical Narrative of Sinhalese Kings Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
Nicholas, C. W., & Paranavitana, S. (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon : From the Earliest Times to the Arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. University of Ceylon.
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.

Predecessor		Successor
King Silameghavanna [623-632 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Aggabodhi III [632 CE] [632-643 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Jettatissa III [632 CE] King Dathopatissa I [643-650 CE] -House of Moriya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA