Lambakanna Clan [35-38 CE] | AmazingLanka.com

Predecessor		Successor
King Ilanaga [35 CE] -House of Vijaya-	Lambakarna Clan (Interregnum) [35-38 CE]	King Ilanaga [38-44 CE] -House of Vijaya-
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The Incident with King Ilanaga

After King Ilanaga’s consecration, it was customary for him to participate in a ceremonial bath at Tissa Wewa, accompanied by notable dignitaries. Upon completing the bath and preparing to return to the palace, the king observed that the Lambakannas had left before him.

Enraged by their behavior, the king commanded the Lambakannas to perform manual labour on the road being constructed to the Maha Thupa (Ruwanweli Maha Seya). To further demean them, he appointed the Chandala caste, considered ‘untouchable,’ to oversee their work, adding to their humiliation.

The Lambakannas, deeply offended by their humiliation, revolted against King Ilanaga, capturing him and confining him to the palace. However, the king managed to escape and left the island for South India for 3 years.

The Lambakanna Clan

The Lambakanna clan is thought to descend from the princes who accompanied Theri Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka, bringing with them the sacred sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi in 306 BCE.

The Mahavamsa first references this powerful clan during King Ilanga’s era. By then, the Lambakannas had likely developed into a formidable political and administrative entity, significantly influencing the governance of the kingdom.

The king was detained within his castle as the Lambakannas deliberated over his fate and the succession. However, they had no intention of seizing power or executing the king; the imprisonment was merely a reaction to the humiliation they had endured under Ilanaga.

After imprisoning the king, the Lambakannas found themselves at an impasse, having no further plan beyond exacting their revenge by confining him. While they debated their next steps, the king managed to escape. This unexpected development turned out to be advantageous for the Lambakanna clan, as it resolved the deadlock they faced.

They were able to manage the administration collectively while awaiting the selection of a suitable successor. To facilitate this, they made all necessary preparations. Key state positions were predominantly occupied by members of their group or loyal supporters, and it appears that they successfully secured the allegiance of the Army to their cause.

The Interregnum

Months turned into years without a successor to Ilanaga being chosen. The underlying issue was that the Lambakanna chiefs were divided, with each leader’s personal ambitions preventing any one of them from surpassing the others to claim the throne as king.

There was always the looming fear that Ilanaga could return at any moment. Additionally, the general population did not hold the Lambakannas in high regard due to their prideful and overbearing behaviour, which did little to win their favor. While the people accepted the current situation as unavoidable, they were not enthusiastic about the prospect of seeing a Lambakanna ascend to the throne—especially when a direct descendant of the ancient Sinhalese dynasty, even if it was Ilanaga himself, was still alive.

This was the state of affairs until the third year of the interregnum, when Ilanaga, leading a small group of battle-hardened mercenaries and joined by Queen Sivali and his two sons, Princes Chandamukha Siva and Yasalalaka Tissa (the latter born in India), gathered additional troops from Ruhuna to reclaim his throne.

The Battle of Hankarapitthi

The battle between King Ilanaga and the Lambakanna clan took place at Kapallakhanda, on the field of Hankarapitthi (a location now lost to history). The Lambakannas were defeated, and though the king initially ordered their execution, he was prompted by his mother to spare their lives. Instead, he commanded that their noses and toes be cut off as punishment. The district of Hatthibhoga, where the royal elephant had been housed, was granted to the elephant as a reward.

King Ilanaga’s reign lasted six years before he was succeeded by his son. The Lambakannas would later rise to power in 65 CE, bringing an end to the Vijaya Dynasty that had ruled since 543 BCE.

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

Mahanama, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger. For the Pali Text Society by Henry Frowde.
Senaveratne, J. M. (1930). The Story of the Sinhalese : From the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of “The Mahavansa” or Great Dynasty. W. M. A. Wahid & Brothers.

Predecessor		Successor
King Ilanaga [35 CE] -House of Vijaya-	Lambakarna Clan (Interregnum) [35-38 CE]	King Ilanaga [38-44 CE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA