King Kassapa IV [898-914 CE] | AmazingLanka.com

Predecessor		Successor
Udaya II [887-898 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Kassapa IV [898-914 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Kassapa V [914-923 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Kassapa IV, referred to in the Sinhalese chronicles as Kasup in the Pujavaliya and Kasub in the Rajavaliya, was a ruler of the Second Lambakanṇa Dynasty who reigned for seventeen years, from 898 to 914 CE. According to his inscriptions, he bore the royal title Sirisarighabodhi (Sirisaigbo).

Kassapa IV was the youngest of the four sons of Prince Kassapa, who himself was the son of King Dappula III (815–831 CE). His rise to the throne followed the traditional Sinhalese principle of succession, progressing through his elder brothers. During the reign of his immediate predecessor and elder brother, King Udaya II, Kassapa was appointed mahādipāda (heir apparent), formally establishing his claim to kingship. In accordance with established custom, Kassapa IV later appointed his eldest brother’s son, also named Kassapa (later King Kassapa V), as Yuvaraja and entrusted him with the administration of the Dakkhiṇa Desa (Southern Province).

The Threat From Rohana

The early part of Kassapa IV’s reign was troubled by a serious internal challenge originating in Rohana. This rebellion was led by Prince Mahinda, the son of Yuvaraja Kassapa (later King Kassapa V). During the reign of Udaya II, Mahinda had been sent to Rohana with a strong army to establish authority there. However, his ambitions soon extended beyond Rohana, and he advanced toward Anuradhapura with the intention of claiming the throne.

Upon hearing of this threat, Kassapa IV dispatched an army to confront him, but it was defeated. Adopting a more diplomatic approach, the king then sent Mahinda’s father, Yuvaraja Kassapa, to persuade his son to abandon his claim. This effort succeeded, and Prince Mahinda withdrew from the conflict.

When Mahinda returned to Rohana, he found the region in rebellion. In restoring order, he executed several local chiefs, but this only intensified unrest among the people. Eventually, widespread opposition forced him to flee Rohana and return to Anuradhapura. Peace was finally achieved through the intervention of the Buddhist Sangha, who reconciled the prince with the king. Kassapa IV secured lasting stability by giving his daughter in marriage to Mahinda and reinstating him as ruler of Rohana.

The Reign of King Kassapa IV

With internal stability restored, Kassapa IV turned his attention to religious and social reform. One of his most significant acts was a thorough purification of the Sangha, during which monks from the three main fraternities whose conduct was considered corrupt were expelled. Demonstrating a strong commitment to justice, he also issued royal edicts engraved in stone, declaring that future kings were forbidden to unlawfully appropriate the revenues or property of the Buddhist Order.

King Kassapa IV died in the seventeenth year of his reign, in 914 CE. He was succeeded by his nephew and former intermediary, the Yuvaraja, who ascended the throne as King Kassapa V.

Works of King Kassapa IV

In the three fraternities (Maha Viharaya, Jethavanaramaya and Abhayagiriya) he put up three stone images of Buddha
Built a prasada with his name in Abhayagiri Viharaya
Built three Mandapas in the three fraternities
His Senapati, Sena Ilanga,
- Built for the bhikkhus of the Thera School a dwelling in the west of the Thuparama
- Built Dhamarama Viharaya for the Dhammarucika bhikkus
- Built Kassapasena Viharaya for the Sagalika bhikkus. This is believed to be the Kasub-senevirad-pirivena in the Bilibeva inscription of Kassapa V
- Built Hadsyunha Pirivena for the Dhammarucika bhikkus at Mihintale
- Built Samuddagiri Pirivena for the Pamsululika bhikkus of Maha Viharaya
- Built Tissarama for the bhikkunis
- Built hospitals in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
- Built Maha-lekhakapabbata, a sangaramaya for the bhikkus of Maha Viharaya

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.
Upham, E. (1833). The Mahavansi, the Raja-Ratnacari, and the Raja-vali, Forming the Sacred and Historical Books of Ceylon; Also, a Collection of Tracts Illustrative of the Doctrines and Literature of Buddhism: Transl. from the Singhalese (1st ed., Vols. 2–3). Parbury, Allen, and Co.

Predecessor		Successor
Udaya II [887-898 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Kassapa IV [898-914 CE] -House of Lambakanna-	Kassapa V [914-923 CE] -House of Lambakanna-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA