Queen Anula [43 BCE] | AmazingLanka.com

Predecessor		Successor
King Niliya [44 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	Queen Anula [43 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Kutakanna Tissa [42-20 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

Queen Anula is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Distinguished as the first sovereign queen in the history of Sri Lanka, the reign of Anula was marked by a deadly pattern of political intrigue and murder within the royal household. Described in the chronicles as a licentious woman, she poisoned six (seven according to Pujavaliya) husbands and paramours in order to retain control over the throne.

A Path Paved with Poison

Anula first appears in the historical record as the consort of King Coranaga, the son of Wattagamani Abhaya. Her rise to power began when she poisoned Coranaga, bringing his twelve-year reign to a violent conclusion.

Following this, the throne passed to King Tissa, the son of Mahaculi Mahatissa. His rule lasted only three years before he too was poisoned by Anula. According to the chronicles, she orchestrated his death to pursue her attachment to a palace guard named Siva, marking the beginning of her practice of elevating her paramours to kingship.

The Succession of Paramours

Over the following years, Anula exercised authority through a rapid succession of rulers, each installed and later poisoned as her desires shifted.

Siva: Originally the chief gatekeeper of the palace, was elevated to the throne and ruled for one year and two months before being poisoned.
Vatuka: A Tamil carpenter from the capital, became the next ruler after Anula developed an attachment to him and poisoned Siva. His reign also lasted one year and two months before he met the same fate.
Darubhatika Tissa: A wood carrier who frequented the palace, was elevated after Vatuka’s death. During his reign of one year and one month, he is credited with constructing a bathing tank in the Mahamegha Garden. He too was eventually poisoned by Anula.
Niliya: A Tamil Brahmin who served as the royal chaplain (Purohitha Bamuna), was the next to ascend. His reign lasted only six months before he was likewise killed.
Vasukhi: This paramour of Queen Anula is mentioned only in the Pujavaliya and does not appear in other ancient chronicles. He is identified as the royal astrologer attached to the palace. According to this account, Anula killed Niliya out of her desire for Vasukhi, subsequently elevating him to the throne. His reign lasted for one year and one month, after which he too was poisoned by Anula. He was the final and seventh husband or paramour to be killed by Queen Anula.

Mahavamsa further states that during this turbulent period, Anula maintained relationships with as many as thirty-two palace guards, in addition to her official consorts.

Sole Rule and Downfall

After the death of Niliya (or Vasukhi, based on Pujavaliya), Anula ruled independently as sole sovereign for a period of four months. However, her actions alienated both the populace and members of the royal family.

Kutakanna Tissa, the second son of Mahaculi Mahatissa, had earlier fled the capital and taken monastic robes to escape her influence. Encouraged by the people to reclaim the throne, he renounced monastic life, raised an army, and advanced on the capital. He successfully overthrew Anula and brought her reign to an end, reportedly executing her by setting fire to the palace in which she resided, thereby restoring stability to Anuradhapura.

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

Gnanawimala Thero, K. (1960). මයුරපාද පරිවේණාධිපති බුද්ධ පුත්‍රයන් විසින් රචිත පූජාවලිය.
Mahanama, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger. For the Pali Text Society by Henry Frowde.
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.
Oldenberg, H. (2001). The Dipavamsa : An Ancient Buddhist Historical Record. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1879)
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.

Predecessor		Successor
King Niliya [44 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	Queen Anula [43 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Kutakanna Tissa [42-20 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA