The history of the Kandyan Kingdom in the early seventeenth century is characterized by sustained resistance to the expanding Portuguese Empire. Central to this struggle was King Senarat (Senerat), who reigned from 1604 to 1635 CE. He gave up robes to challenge the seat of the the Kandyan Kingdom.

King Vimaladharmasūriya I’s (r. 1592–1604) life traces a remarkable path from Portuguese-sponsored exile to the restorer of the Sinhalese monarchy. Born as Konappu Bandāra, his reign re-established the Kandyan Kingdom as the final center of independent Sinhala authority after the fall of Kotte and Sītāvaka.

King Karalliyadde Bandara (r. 1551–1581) came to power after killing his stepbrother and usurping his father. He later converted to Catholicism as Don João to obtain support of the Portuguese. However, his reign collapsed under pressure from Rajasinha I of Trincomalee, forcing him into exile in Mannar, where he eventually died.

King Jayavira Bandara (r. 1511–1551) significantly strengthened the Kandyan Kingdom’s autonomy following its early founding era. By skillfully maneuvering through the dangerous rivalries of Kotte and Sitawaka, he secured the highland borders. His long reign ended in internal strife when his son, Karalliyadde Bandara, forcibly seized the crown.

King Senasammatha Vikramabahu (r. 1473–1511) was the visionary founder of the independent Kandyan Kingdom. Rising as a regional leader “sanctioned by the people,” he defied Kotte’s central authority to establish Senkadagala as his capital. His reign transformed the central highlands into a resilient, autonomous stronghold of Sinhalese power.

Nikapitiyé Bandāra was a child ruler of the Sītāvaka Kingdom after 1593, installed as a puppet by rival elites. His brief reign marked the collapse of Sītāvaka, ending with Portuguese conquest and his exile to Europe.

A brief 1593–1594 reign followed the death of Rājasūriya of Sītāvaka, marked by scandal, parricide allegations, and violent assassination. His fall ended the Sitavaka dynasty, ushering in political collapse, military fragmentation, and eventual absorption into Portuguese-controlled territories.

The history of sixteenth-century Sri Lanka is inseparably associated with King Rājasinghe I (r. 1581–1592), the most formidable military commander produced by the Sītāvaka kingdom. Born as Prince Tikiri Bandāra, he was the youngest son of King Māyādunnē and is remembered in both indigenous and Portuguese sources as the “terror of the Portuguese.”

The political landscape of sixteenth-century Sri Lanka was largely shaped by the career of King Māyādunnē (r. 1521–1581), the founder of the Sītāvaka kingdom. A descendant of the Savuḷu dynasty, Māyādunnē emerged as the most determined opponent of the Portuguese and the principal rival to the weakening authority of the Kotte monarchy.

Following the historic Vijayabā Kollaya, which resulted in the partition of the Kotte Kingdom into three distinct realms, King Pararājasinha of Raigama [1521–1538 CE] assumed governance of his designated sub-kingdom. Unlike his brother, the militant Māyādunne, Pararājasinha was known more for his administrative capabilities than for his prowess as a warrior-king.

Taniya Vallabha was a powerful Sri Lankan court official and military figure whose career illustrates the intricate politics of the Kotte period, marked by shifting loyalties, regional power struggles, and his decisive role in the administration and conflicts of the late medieval kingdom.

When Dharma Parakramabahu IX ascended the throne in 1489 CE, Sakalakala Vallabha was appointed ruler of Udugampola. His role went far beyond ceremonial status; for much of his brother’s reign he served as yuvarāja (heir apparent) and exercised considerable influence in the royal council.

The career of Veediya Bandāra stands among the most dramatic and influential in the history of sixteenth-century Sri Lanka. Celebrated as “the greatest Sinhalese captain of all time,” Portuguese chroniclers branded him “one of the greatest enemies of the Portuguese nation and of the Faith of Christ.”

The reign of King Dharmapala (r. 1551–1597 CE) represents the final phase of the Kotte Kingdom as an independent Sinhalese polity. His four-decade rule was marked by a major transformation, from a sovereign Buddhist monarch to a puppet Christian king entirely reliant on Portuguese military protection.

The reign of King Bhuvanaikabāhu VII (r. 1521–1551 CE) marks a decisive and tragic phase in the history of Sri Lanka. Rising to power after a violent palace coup, his rule coincided with the irreversible fragmentation of the Kōṭṭe Kingdom and a growing dependence on the Portuguese to preserve his throne.

King Vijayabāhu VI (r. 1513–1521 CE) ruled during a critical phase of the Kōṭṭe Kingdom, marked by Portuguese pressure and internal rivalry. His reign ended violently in the palace coup known as the Vijayabā Kollaya, which led to the partition of the realm.

The reign of King Dharma Parākramabāhu IX (r. 1509–1528 CE), the eldest son of King Vīra Parākramabāhu VIII (also known as Ambulugala Rāja), marked a critical phase in the history of the Kotte Kingdom. He inherited the largest and most populous polity on the island, yet one poised on the threshold of a new era shaped by European colonial involvement.

King Vīra Parākramabāhu VIII (r. 1484–1508 CE), initially known as Ambulugala Rāja, was the younger brother of Sapumāl Kumāraya (Prince Sapumāl), who later reigned as King Bhuvanekabāhu VI (1470–1477 CE). He was born into a family of South Indian origin that later became deeply integrated into Sinhala royalty.

King Parakramabahu VII (r. 1478–1484) was a short-lived monarch of the Kotte Kingdom. His tenure was defined by persistent internal friction and the looming shadow of his uncle, Ambulugala Raja, whose political maneuvers and eventual assassination of the king brought the reign to a violent end.