Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Asela [215 – 205 BCE]

Predecessor		Successor
Sena and Guttaka [237 – 215 BCE]	King Asela [215 – 205 BCE]	Elara [205-161 BCE]
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Asela was the youngest son of King Pandukabhaya and the brother of King Devanampiyatissa. He belonged to a large royal family comprising twelve siblings. His brothers included Abhaya, Tissa (who later ascended the throne as King Devanampiyatissa), Naga, Uttiya (later King Uttiya), Mattabhaya, Mitta, Siva (later King Mahasiva), Asela, another Tissa (who became King Suratissa), and Kira. His sisters were Anula and Sivala.

Usurpation by Sena and Guttaka

Following the death of his elder brother, King Suratissa, who was killed by two South Indian horse traders named Sena and Guttaka, the throne of Anuradhapura was seized in 237 BCE. These foreign rulers governed the kingdom for 22 years, representing a rare period of external control in the history of Sri Lanka.

Reign of King Asela

Asela eventually overthrew Sena and Guttaka, reclaiming the throne and restoring indigenous rule. He then ruled the kingdom of Anuradhapura for a period of ten years.

Fall and Succession

However, his reign was relatively short-lived. After a decade in power, the Anuradhapura kingdom was once again invaded and captured by Elara, a Tamil ruler from South India, bringing an end to Asela’s rule.

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

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.

Predecessor		Successor
Sena and Guttaka [237 – 215 BCE]	King Asela [215 – 205 BCE]	Elara [205-161 BCE]
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

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