King Dappula III [815-831 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Aggabodhi VIII [804-815 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Dappula III [815-831 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Aggabodhi IX [831-833 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Dappula III, referred to as Dapalu in both the Pujavaliya and Rajavaliya, was the youngest of the three sons of King Udaya I (797–801 CE), who is also identified in certain sources as Dappula II. Dappula III ascended the throne in 815 CE following the death of his elder brother, King Aggabodhi VIII, and ruled for a period of sixteen years. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son, King Aggabodhi IX.

The reign of Dappula III was largely peaceful, with no major events recorded apart from unrest in Rohana. The roots of this disturbance can be traced to the reign of his father, King Udaya I. At that time, Prince Mahinda of Rohana, the son of Adipada Dathasiva, had fallen out with his father and sought assistance from Udaya. The king supported him, enabling Mahinda to overthrow Dathasiva and assume control of the Rohana kingdom. To cement this alliance, Udaya gave his daughter Deva in marriage to the young prince. As a result, Adipada Mahinda became the brother-in-law of King Dappula III.

In time, history appeared to repeat itself. The two sons of Adipada Mahinda, Princes Kittaggabodhi and Dappula, fled to Anuradhapura seeking refuge with their maternal uncle, King Dappula III. Mahinda had treated his sons in much the same way he himself had once been treated by his own father. As his father had done, Dappula III provided the brothers with a strong army to wage war against Adipada Mahinda. On this occasion, however, the outcome was different. Mahinda’s forces successfully repelled the attack, forcing the two princes to retreat to Anuradhapura.

Subsequently, Adipada Mahinda faced another challenge from a kinsman in Rohana. In the ensuing battle, both Mahinda and his rival were killed. After their deaths, Mahinda’s elder son, Prince Kittaggabodhi, marched into Rohana and became its sovereign. Like his father had done, King Dappula III strengthened the political alliance between Rohana and Anuradhapura by giving his daughter, also named Deva, in marriage to Kittaggabodhi.

Attack on the Capital City

Although the Culavamsa makes no reference to this event, the Rajavaliya records that during his reign Anuradhapura was attacked, probably by South Indian forces. The city was plundered, and the invaders carried away the ceremonial drums used to proclaim victories, along with gem-studded alms bowls.

Works of King Dappula III

Rebuilt the old house of Sri Maha Bodhi to be more durable and ornamented it with works inlaid with gold.
Rebuilt the ruined prasadas of Hasthikuchchi Viharaya, Vahadipa Monastery and Lavaravapabbata Viharaya
Donation of a golden image of Buddha to Jeta Viharaya
Enlarged Mahapali Alms Hall of Maha Viharaya
His senapati named Vajira built a Kacchavala Viharaya for the pansikulaka bhikkus

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

Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society.
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.
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.

Predecessor		Successor
King Aggabodhi VIII [804-815 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	King Dappula III [815-831 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Aggabodhi IX [831-833 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA