King Bhuvanekabahu II [1293–1302 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu III [1287-1293 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buvanekabahu II [1293–1302 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu IV [1302-1326 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Buvanekabāhu II (r. 1293–1302 CE) was the son of Buvanekabāhu I, who ascended the throne during a period of recovery following a devastating Pāṇḍyan invasion that had momentarily stripped the kingdom of its most sacred object, the sacred Tooth Relic. His reign is defined by his successful assertion of dynastic rights against his cousin and the formal establishment of Hatthigiripura (Kurunegala) as the national capital.

Royal Lineage

Buvanekabāhu II was a member of the prestigious Dambadeniya dynasty, a royal house that traced its origins to the legendary Solar and Moon dynasties and the sacred Sirisanghabodhi lineage. He was the son of Buvanekabāhu I (r. 1272–1284 CE) and the grandson of the illustrious scholar-king Parākramabāhu II (r. 1236 -1270 CE).

Rise to Power: The Dynastic Conflict

Following the death of his father in 1284 CE, the kingdom suffered an interregnum, during which the Pāṇḍyan general Arya Cakravarti stormed Yapahuwa and carried the sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha to South India.

In the power vacuum that followed, his cousin Parākramabāhu III (the son of Vijayabāhu IV) successfully negotiated the return of the Tooth Relic through personal diplomacy with the Pāṇḍyan King Kulaśekhara. Parākramabāhu III was subsequently consecrated as king and attempted to restore the ancient capital of Polonnaruwa as the seat of government. However, Buvanekabāhu II, maintaining his power base at Yapahuwa (Subhagiri), challenged the legitimacy of his cousin’s rule.

Historical records, including an interpolation in the Cūlavaṁsa, suggest that the rivalry between the two cousins reached a violent climax when Parākramabāhu III plotted with a barber to have Buvanekabāhu II blinded in order to disqualify him from kingship. The plot failed, and an enraged Buvanekabāhu II raised a strong army, marched against Polonnaruwa, and defeated his cousin. Victorious, he seized the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms-bowl Relic from Polonnaruwa and carried them to his own capital, marking the final abandonment of Polonnaruwa as the country’s center of power.

Reign and the Establishment of Kurunegala Kingdom

Buvanekabāhu II reigned for nine years (c. 1293–1302 CE). His primary contribution to the nation’s political landscape was the formalization of Hatthigiripura (modern-day Kurunegala) as the administrative and religious heart of Sri Lanka. By choosing this site, which offered natural rock defenses and fertile surrounding lands, he provided a much-needed period of stability for Sri Lanka after decades of civil strife and foreign occupation.

Under his rule, Kurunegala became a city of “shimmering beauty,” reflecting the aesthetic and defensive priorities of the era. His administration focused on consolidating the authority of the Dambadeniya line and ensuring that the internal peace achieved after his cousin’s defeat remained undisturbed.

Contributions to Buddhism and Public Welfare

As the self-proclaimed protector of the Tooth Relic, Buvanekabāhu II was a devout patron of the Buddhist Order. Despite the briefness of his rule, he carried out several significant religious acts.

He instituted a permanent and regular alms-offering (nibaḍḍha-dāna) for the entire bhikkhu community, ensuring their material needs were met by the state. He also celebrated annual Upasampadā (Higher Ordination) ceremonies, replenishing the ranks of the priesthood and maintaining religious discipline.

The king maintained the Tooth Relic in a magnificent temple at his capital and observed the daily sacrificial rituals with the same fervor practiced by his ancestors at Dambadeniya and Polonnaruwa. Tradition credits him with the construction of the Kurunegala Wewa reservoir and his name is frequently mentioned in connection with traditional accounts of temples in the Vanni Hatpattu.

His reign was regarded as a period in which the “Order of the Victor” was made to shine brightly through royal patronage and the reinforcement of traditional religious observances.

Fall and Succession

The end of Buvanekabāhu II’s reign was not brought about by the sword but by natural causes. The Cūlavaṁsa records that the king “fell a victim to impermanence” in approximately 1302 CE, having ruled for nine years. Unlike many of his predecessors during the political “twilight” of the thirteenth century, he died as a respected monarch who had successfully preserved the sovereignty of his house.

His legacy was continued by his “still more eminent” son, Parākramabāhu IV (also known as Paṇḍita Parākramabāhu II), a celebrated scholar-king who would lead the Kurunegala Kingdom into its cultural and literary peak.

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

Dharmakirtti Sangharaja. (2020). Nikaya-Sangrahaya or Sasanawataraya being A History of Buddhism in India and Ceylon translated into English (R. W. F. Gunawardhana & Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, Eds.; C. M. Fernando, Trans.; 3rd ed.). Ānandajoti Bhikkhu. (Original work published 1908)
Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part II–II. Pali Text Society. (Original work published 1815)
Gunasekara, B. (1895). A Contribution to the History of Ceylon: Translated from Pujavaliya. H.C. Cottle.
Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya, a Historical Narrative of Sinhalese Kings Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
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.
Mendis, O. (1998). The Story of the Sri Lankans: A Small People with a Great History of Over 2500 Years from the Tiny Island in the Indian Ocean. A Sridevi Publication.

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu III [1287-1293 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Bhuvanekabahu II [1293–1302 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu IV [1302-1326 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA