King Siva ascended to the throne after assassinating King Kittisena, who was his nephew, as Siva was the brother of Kittisena’s mother. However, Siva’s reign was short-lived, lasting only 25 days before he was killed by Upatissa. Upatissa, a general in Moggallana’s army, was married to Moggallana’s sister.

King Kittisena was the son of King Kumara Dhatusena. He succeeded to the throne when Kumara Dhatusena self-immortalised himself on the funeral pyre of his good friend and poet Kalidasa. Kittisena followed his father in continuing the religious works.

King Kumara Dhatusena succeeded his father, King Moggallana I, in 512 CE. Known for his fairness and his talent as a poet, little else is recorded about his reign. Tragically, his life came to an end after nine years on the throne when stricken with grief, he leapt into the funeral pyre of his close friend and fellow poet, Kalidasa.

King Moggallana I (also known as Mugalan I) ascended to the throne in 495 CE after defeating the forces of his brother, King Kashyapa, who had usurped the throne by killing their father. Following Kashyapa’s death in battle, Moggallana relocated the capital from Sigiriya back to Anuradhapura.

King Kashyapa I (also known as Kassapa I) seized the throne after murdering his father. Following the escape of his brother Moggallana (Mugalan), the legitimate heir, to India, Kashyapa constructed an extraordinary palace atop Sigiriya Rock, driven by fear of a future attack by Moggallana.

King Dhatusena ascended to the throne after waging an intense war spanning over 18 years against four Dravidian rulers from the Chola dynasty who had occupied Anuradhapura. He is the first King of the house of Moriya and is celebrated as one of Sri Lanka’s most renowned kings for his pivotal role in unifying the country under a single rule.

Pandu was the first to rule from Anuradhapura from the Dravidian Chola army which invaded Sri Lanka in 433 CE and killed King Mittasena. Among 6 Dravidian rulers, they held Anuradhapura for 27 years until Dhathusena finally succeeded in killing the last 4 rulers in a war lasting 18 years

After King Chattagahaka Janthu’s death, which occurred after about a year of rule, King Mittasena ascended to the throne. Mittasena was an imposter who was installed as king by one of Chattagahaka Janthu’s ministers, who effectively controlled the kingdom behind the scenes.

King Chattagahaka Janthu was a brief ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom in Sri Lanka. He came to power through a rather unusual and somewhat controversial means. He was the husband of Princess Sangha, the daughter of King Mahanama (410-43).

ing Sotthisena was a historical figure known for having one of the shortest reigns in Sri Lanka’s history. He was the son of King Mahanama, born to a Tamil consort, which placed him in a contested position regarding his claim to the throne.

After King Upatissa I’s reign (368–410 CE) ended with his murder by his queen, his younger brother, Mahanama, ascended the throne. This tragic series of events unfolded as the queen engaged in an illicit relationship with Prince Mahanama, who was a monk at the time.

After the death of Buddhadasa (340-368 CE), his eldest son, King Upatissa I, ascended to the throne. Known for his piety, he followed in his father’s footsteps. Similar to King Siri Sangabodhi (251-253 CE), he secretly freed criminals condemned to death, substituting their bodies with those from the morgue to maintain the illusion that they had been executed.

King Buddhadasa ascended to the throne of Anuradhapura in 340 CE, following the reign of his father, King Jettha Tissa II. Renowned for his devout and benevolent nature, he is remembered as an exemplary ruler who combined piety with exceptional medical expertise.

King Jettha Tissa II ascended to the throne of Anuradhapura in 340 CE after the death of his elder brother, King Sirimeghavanna (though Geiger interprets him as the son of the brother). Known for his exceptional skill in ivory carving (danta-sippa), he is reputed to have taught this art to many people.

King Sirimeghavanna (Kithsiri Mevan, Kirthisrimegha) ascended to the throne of Anuradhapura in 303 CE following the death of his father, King Mahasena. One of the most significant events during his reign was the arrival of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha from the kingdom of Kalinga in India. This occurred in the 9th year of his rule.

Following the death of King Jettha Tissa I, his younger brother, King Mahasena (also known as King Mahasen), ascended to the throne. His 27-year rule is remembered as a particularly dark period for Theravada Buddhism. However, it was a golden age for the development of Sri Lanka’s irrigation systems, as he became the first king to construct monumental irrigation projects in the country.

King Gothabhaya ruled Sri Lanka for 13 years before being succeeded by his elder son, Jettha Tissa I, in 266 CE. Jettha Tissa, originally named Prince Tissa, earned the moniker “Jettha” (meaning “cruel”) due to his drastic action of assassinating 60 ministers who declined to participate in his father’s funeral procession.

King Gothabhaya I ascended the throne in 253 CE after forcing King Siri Sangabodhi I into exile from the capital city of Anuradhapura. He was one of the three close companions of King Siri Naga II (244–246 CE), originally hailing from the Mahiyangana region. Gothabhaya ruled for 13 years and passed away of natural causes in 266 CE.

King Siri Sangha Bodhi I, widely known as “Sirisangabo,” holds a prominent place in Sri Lankan history. However unlike many other rulers celebrated for their military achievements, Sirisangabo is renowned for his adherence to justice and his unwavering commitment to the five Buddhist precepts.