King Aggabodhi IX [831-833 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Dappula III [815-831 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Aggabodhi IX [831-833 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Sena I [833-853 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Aggabodhi IX, known as Pesulu Akbo in the Pujavaliya, was the son of King Dappula III, who ruled from 815 to 831 CE. He ascended the throne in 831 CE following the death of his father and reigned for three years. After his death, the throne passed to his son, King Sena I. His reign is described as largely peaceful, with no major events recorded.

Breaking the Succession Tradition

According to the traditional Sinhalese law of succession, kingship normally passed from brother to brother or to the eldest son of the eldest brother. King Dappula III, however, was determined to secure the succession exclusively for his own sons. In pursuit of this aim, he deliberately departed from established custom and refused to confer the title of adipāda on his nephew Prince Mahinda, the son of the previous ruler, King Mahinda III.

This calculated exclusion ensured that Aggabodhi IX would stand as the principal claimant to the throne, although it caused a serious rift within the royal family that would soon affect the early phase of his reign.

Almost immediately after his consecration, Aggabodhi IX faced a political crisis involving this displaced cousin, Prince Mahinda. Unable to accept being passed over in favor of what he regarded as a “younger kinsman” and unwilling to render the customary royal reverence to Aggabodhi, Mahinda fled in confusion to the “other coast,” believed to mean the Indian mainland.

Aggabodhi IX interpreted this flight as a warning sign of a possible foreign-backed invasion. Acting swiftly and decisively to remove any challenge to his authority, he dispatched an army to intercept his cousin. In the ensuing confrontation, the royal forces prevailed, defeating Mahinda’s party and effectively eliminating the threat to Aggabodhi’s legitimacy.

Administration of King Aggabodhi IX

With the internal danger neutralized, Aggabodhi IX devoted his attention to the administration of the island and the protection of the Buddhist Order. His reign is characterized by a just policy, conducted in accordance with the standards upheld by his predecessors.

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. (1895). A Contribution to the History of Ceylon: Translated from Pujavaliya. H.C. Cottle.
Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya, 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.
Upham, E. (1833). The Mahavansi, the Raja-Ratnacari, and the Raja-vali, Forming the Sacred and Historical Books of Ceylon; Also, a Collection of Tracts Illustrative of the Doctrines and Literature of Buddhism: Transl. from the Singhalese (1st ed., Vols. 2–3). Parbury, Allen, and Co.

Predecessor		Successor
King Dappula III [815-831 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Aggabodhi IX [831-833 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Sena I [833-853 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA