The reign of Śrī Vikrama Rājasinha (r. 1798–1815) represents the final phase of the Kandyan Kingdom and the termination of indigenous monarchical rule in Sri Lanka. Ascending the throne as an unassuming youth, his nearly seventeen-year reign was marked by volatile struggles against both the expanding British Empire and the entrenched Kandyan aristocracy.

Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha (r. 1782–1798), also written as Rājādhirājasinha, was the third monarch of the Nāyakkar dynasty to rule the Kandyan Kingdom. His eighteen-year reign unfolded during the collapse of Dutch dominance and the first efforts of the British Empire to secure control over the island.

King Kīrti Śrī Rājasinha (r. 1747–1782), born in 1731 on the outskirts of Madura, India, was the second ruler of the Nāyakkar dynasty. Though South Indian by birth and raised within a Hindu cultural background, his reign became defined by an extraordinary and sustained commitment to reviving Theravāda Buddhism.

The accession of King Śrī Vijaya Rājasinha (r. 1739–1747) marked a decisive turning point in the history of Sri Lanka. His rise to the throne ended the Sinhalese dynasty and inaugurated the Nāyakkar line of rulers. However, he has consciously presented himself as a defender and restorer of Theravāda Buddhism.

King Śrī Vīra Parākrama Narēndrasinha (r. 1707–1739), widely known as Kundasalē Deviyo or Sellam Rajjuruvo, was the last monarch of the direct Sinhalese line descending from the Savuḷu dynasty. His thirty-two-year rule unfolded during a period of outward calm with the Dutch East India Company, though tensions simmered beneath the surface.

The death of King Rājasinha II in 1687 marked a major transition in the political culture of the Kandyan Kingdom. His successor, King Vimaladharmasūriya II (r. 1687–1707), born as Mahā Astāne, inherited a realm fatigued by decades of warfare against the Portuguese and the Dutch.

Born as Mahā Astāne, King Rājasinha II (r. 1635–1687) was the son of King Senarat and the Catholic empress Dona Catherina (Kusumāsana Devi). His long reign, extending over fifty-two years, was marked by the decisive expulsion of the Portuguese from the island’s maritime provinces.

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.