King Buwanekabahu V [1372-1408 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu V [1372-1408 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu VI [1412-1467 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The reign of King Buwanekabahu V (r. 1372–1408 CE) marks the concluding phase in the history of the Gampola Kingdom (Gaṅgāsiripura). His rule, extending for nearly forty years, was shaped by a fragile equilibrium between nominal royal authority and the effective control exercised by the powerful Alakeśvara (Alagakkonāra) ministerial family.

Royal Lineage and Early Context

Bhuvanaikabāhu V belonged to the Savuļu (Savulu) dynasty, the royal house that replaced the direct Dambadeniya line in the mid-fourteenth century. He was the son of Alakeśvara III and Queen Jayasiri. His ancestry was closely tied to influential aristocratic groups, with his father originating from the Mehenavara (Meṇavara) family and his mother belonging to the Gaṇaväsi lineage.

Modern scholars, particularly Professor Paranavithana, identify the Savuļu family as having Jāvaka (Malay) or Kalinga origins, suggesting that the name Savuļu derived from Jāvaka. This background illustrates the gradual incorporation of foreign princely lines into the Sinhalese social structure, where they were eventually aligned with the ancient Solar and Lunar dynasties to reinforce political legitimacy.

Rise to Power and Accession

The accession of Bhuvanaikabāhu V was closely associated with the final years of King Vikramabāhu III. Historical evidence indicates that the later part of Vikramabāhu III’s reign, particularly his fifteenth regnal year, overlapped with the early years of Bhuvanaikabāhu V’s rule.

During this period, political authority in Sri Lanka was effectively divided among three centers: Gampola, which remained the formal royal capital; Raigama, the stronghold of the Alakeśvara family; and Yāpāpatuna (Jaffna), governed by the Ārya Cakravarti.

Contributions to Literature

The most notable literary work of this period was the Sinhalese translation of the Attanagalu-vihara-vaṃsa, completed in 1382/3 CE at the request of Alakeśvara and dedicated to the king. Toward the end of the fourteenth century, Dharmakīrti II composed the Nikāya Saṅgrahaya, which recorded the history of Buddhism under the Gampola rulers.

The Alakeśvara Struggle for Power

Real authority throughout this reign rested with the Alakeśvara family, who functioned in effect as “Mayors of the Palace”. The transfer of power within this house was marked by persistent internal conflict.

After the death of the powerful minister Niśśaṅka Alagakkonāra (also known as Prabhurāja and Alakeśvara I) around 1382–1386 CE, his son Kumāra Alakeśvara briefly assumed control. He was soon displaced by Vīra Alakeśvara, the son of a sister of the former prabhurāja. Subsequently, Vīra Alakeśvara was challenged by his younger brother Vīrabāhu Ādipāda. Following a military confrontation at Raigama, Vīrabāhu gained supremacy around 1391/2 CE, corresponding to the twentieth regnal year of Bhuvanaikabāhu V, while Vīra Alakeśvara fled to South India.

Vīrabāhu was briefly succeeded by his sons Vijaya Āpā and Tunayesa, whose authority lasted only about three years. After nearly two decades in exile, Vīra Alakeśvara returned with support from the Vijayanagara rulers, regained control, and governed for another twelve years. Throughout these upheavals, Bhuvanaikabāhu V remained the nominal monarch at Gampola, though his role was largely ceremonial.

Chinese Intervention and the Fall of the King

The final decline of the Gampola Kingdom was triggered by the arrival of Chinese Ming expeditions under Admiral Cheng Ho (Tsheng-huo).

Cheng Ho first reached Lanka between 1405 and 1407 CE but encountered hostility from Vīra Alakeśvara and withdrew to avoid open conflict. He returned in 1409 or 1411 CE, and Chinese sources describe the ruler, identified as A-lie-kou-nai-eul, as a tyrant hostile to Buddhist principles. Through a calculated military operation, the Chinese forces captured the ruler, along with his family and leading nobles, and carried them as prisoners to China.

While the Rājāvalī names the captive king as Vijayabāhu VI, contemporary sources such as the Saddharmaratnākaraya clarify that the individual seized was in fact Vīra Alakeśvara, who had adopted the royal name Vijayabāhu.

After this episode, the Chinese Emperor Yung Lo instructed the Sinhalese captives to choose a suitable successor. They reportedly selected a prince named Parākramabāhu Epa, who was sent back to rule. This intervention effectively shattered the remaining stability of the Gampola court.

Bhuvanaikabāhu V is recorded as having reigned until at least 1408 CE. His decline was marked by progressive marginalization at the hands of his ministers and culminated in the complete disruption of the state by Chinese intervention. This collapse of central authority paved the way for the rise of King Parākramabāhu VI, who established his capital at Jayavardhanapura Kotte in 1412 CE, ushering in a new era of Sinhalese political revival.

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

Codrington, H. W. (1933). The Gampola period of Ceylon history. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 32(86), 260–309.
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.
Ilangasinha, H. B. M. (1992). Buddhism in Medieval Sri Lanka (1st ed.). Sri Satguru Publications.
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.
Paranavitana, S. (1961). The Arya Kingdom in North Ceylon. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 7(2), 174–224. [121–144]
Wijesekera, N. (1990). The Sinhalese. M. D. Gunasena & Co Ltd.

Predecessor		Successor
Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu V [1372-1408 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu VI [1412-1467 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA