King Jayabahu II [1467–1469 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu VI [1412-1467 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Jayabahu II [1467–1469 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu VI [1470-1477 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The reign of King Jayabāhu II (r. 1467–1469 CE), also known in some historical chronicles as Jayavīra Parākramabāhu, represents a brief transitional phase following the long and stable rule of his grandfather, the illustrious Parākramabāhu VI.

Royal Lineage and Early Childhood

Contrary to earlier traditional interpretations, contemporary sources and modern scholars clearly state that Jayabāhu II was not the son of Parākramabāhu VI, but his grandson. He was the son of Princess Ulakuḍaya-devī (also known as Lokanāthā), the beloved daughter of Parākramabāhu VI. His birth in the thirty-fifth regnal year of Parākramabāhu VI (1447 CE) was widely celebrated, since the king had no surviving male heir, and dynastic custom often allowed succession to pass through the female line.

His childhood unfolded within the intellectually vibrant court of Jayawardenepura Koṭṭe. Raised under the guidance of a grandfather who combined scholarship with military achievement, the young prince was prepared for kingship from an early age. He matured during the height of the Koṭṭe literary renaissance, in the company of eminent figures such as Toṭagamuwe Śrī Rāhula Thera, who regarded him as the rightful successor. At the age of twenty, he was formally summoned to assume the throne, acceding in 1467 CE.

Rise to Power and Accession

The accession of Jayabāhu II was a carefully managed and legitimate transfer of power within the Koṭṭe court. After the death of Parākramabāhu VI, who had ruled for fifty-five years, the royal council and senior ministers, led by the Prime Minister Ekanāyaka Mudaliyā, installed the prince as king. He adopted the regnal title Siri Saṅgabo Śrī Jayavīra Parākramabāhu, although the Cūlavaṁsa refers to him simply as Jayabāhu.

Historical sources record that his accession was promptly communicated to Prince Sapumāl (Sempahap Perumāl), the adopted son of the late king, who was then governing the conquered northern kingdom of Yāpāpatuna (Jaffna) as viceroy. Although the Koṭṭe court acknowledged Jayabāhu II’s legitimacy on the basis of blood descent, the political climate remained tense. Prince Sapumāl, a seasoned military commander, and his brother, the prince of Ambulugala, commanded a powerful armed faction beyond the immediate control of the new monarch.

Administrative Stability

One of the notable achievements of Jayabāhu II’s short reign was the settlement of affairs in the Uḍaraṭa (Central Highlands). After a period of unrest that had begun in the closing years of his grandfather’s rule, Jayabāhu II issued a royal amnesty recorded on a slab-pillar inscription at Gadalādeṇiya in his fifth regnal year. This grant, addressed to Mēnanara Tunaya, the nephew of Dodamwela Parākramabāhu Epāṇa, illustrates the king’s ability to exercise effective judicial and political authority across the hill country.

At the same time, Jayabāhu II attempted to maintain the “umbrella of dominion” over the northern regions. While Prince Sapumāl remained stationed in Yāpāpatuna, Jayabāhu II continued to issue royal documents from that area, asserting his position as “Emperor of Laṅkā” and preserving the administrative framework that linked the northern province to the Koṭṭe throne.

The Fall and the End of the Reign

The fall of Jayabāhu II came as a violent outcome of dynastic rivalry. According to the Rājāvaliya, news of Jayabāhu II‘s accession and the death of Parākramabāhu VI prompted Prince Sapumāl to abandon his post in Yāpāpatuna. He marched south with an army of northern veterans and leading men. Upon entering Jayavardhanapura Koṭṭe, he slew King Jayabāhu II, described as the “rightful heir,” and seized the throne, proclaiming himself King Buvanekabāhu VI.

An alternative version is provided by the Portuguese historian Diogo do Couto, who suggests that Jayabāhu II died of natural causes. In this account, he left behind a “half-witted” infant son and a sister named Māṇikya Baṇḍāra (Manica Pandar), who governed the realm for two years before Prince Sapumāl was summoned to restore order. However, most Siṃhala sources, including the Alakēśvarayuddhaya, support the narrative of a violent overthrow.

The death of Jayabāhu II brought an end to the direct bloodline of Parākramabāhu VI and disrupted the internal stability of the kingdom. His fall was followed by renewed political turmoil, including the Siṃhala-peraliya rebellion and the eventual loss of the Yāpāpatuna Kingdom, which soon regained independence under Kanakasūriya.

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. (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.
Mendis, O. (1998). The story of the Sri Lankans. Sridevi Publication.
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.
Perera, E. W. (1910). The age of Srí Parákrama Báhu VI. (1412-1467). Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 22(63), 6–45.
Sirisena, W. M. (1971). Was Parākramabāhu VI of Ceylon a Jāvaka? The Ceylon Journal of the Humanities, 2(1), 1–13.
Somaratna, G. P. V. (1969). Political history of the Kingdom of Kötte (c. A.D. 1400-1521) [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of London.
Wijesekera, N. (1990). The Sinhalese. M. D. Gunasena & Co Ltd.

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu VI [1412-1467 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Jayabahu II [1467–1469 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu VI [1470-1477 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA