King Ilanaga [35 CE, 38-44 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Queen Sivali [35 CE] -House of Vijaya-	King Ilanaga [35 CE] [38-44 CE] -House of Vijaya-	Lambakarna Clan (Interregnum)[35-38 CE] King Candamukha Siva [44-52 CE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Ilanga rose to power by dethroning Queen Sivali and taking the throne of Anuradhapura. He was the son of the sister of King Amanda-Gamini Abhaya and further strengthened his position by making Sivali his Queen (Senaveratne, 1930). However, before he could fully establish his authority, he faced significant challenges from the influential Lambakanna Clan.

The Lambakanna Clan

This powerful group opposed his rule and managed to imprison him, seizing control of the administrative functions of Anuradhapura for a period of three years. Despite these obstacles, King Ilanga’s eventual restoration and consolidation of power marked a notable chapter in the history of the ancient Sri Lankan monarchy.

The Lambakanna clan is believed to trace its lineage to the princes who arrived in Sri Lanka with Theri Sanghamitta, who brought the sacred sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi in 306 BCE. Mahavamsa, The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka, first mentions this influential clan during the reign of King Ilanga. By this period, the Lambakannas had likely grown into a formidable political and administrative force, playing key roles in managing the kingdom’s affairs.

After his consecration, it was tradition for the king to take part in a ceremonial bath in the Tissa Wewa, accompanied by prominent dignitaries. Once the king completed his bath and prepared to return to the palace, he noticed that the Lambakannas had departed ahead of him.

The new King Ilanga, furious over this incident, ordered manual labour from the Lambakannas on a road that was being constructed to Maha Thupa (Ruwanweli Maha Seya). To humiliate them further, Ilanga ordered the Chandalas, a very low caste considered ‘untouchable,’ to supervise the work of the Lambakannas.

The Lambakannas, deeply offended by their humiliation, revolted against King Ilanga, capturing him and confining him to the palace. According to Mahavamsa, Queen Sivali, fearing for the safety of their infant son, Prince Candamukha Siva, dressed him in royal attire and entrusted him to a servant woman. She sent the child to the royal elephant stables, declaring that since the king was imprisoned, it was better for the infant to be trampled by the royal elephant than to fall into the hands of the rebels.

Escape and the Return of King Ilanaga

When the infant was placed before the royal elephant, expecting it to trample him, the elephant instead recognized the danger faced by its master. Showing remarkable loyalty, it gently lifted the infant onto its back and hurried to the palace where King Ilanaga was imprisoned. The elephant broke through the palace walls, found the king, and carried both father and son to the seaport of Mahatitta (modern-day Mannar).

From there, the king escaped to India, where he remained in exile for three years. The royal elephant went to the jungles of Malaya Rata (hill country). This was the first time that a king of Sri Lanka had sought refuge in a foreign country during its long history.

After three years, Ilanaga, along with his Queen Sivali and two sons, Candamukha Siva and Yasalalaka Tissa (born while in exile in India) returned and landed at Sakkharasobbha, likely on the east coast of Ceylon, accompanied by an Indian force. This marked the first recorded instance of a Sri Lankan monarch enlisting the help of Indian mercenaries for warfare (Paranavitana, 1969).

His army was bolstered by additional recruits from the region of Rohana. The royal elephant, which had shown its loyalty earlier, rejoined Ilanaga in Rohana, having come from the southern Malaya Rata.

The battle between King Ilanaga and the Lambakanna clan occurred at Kapallakhanda, on the field of Hankarapitthi (a location that is not identifiable today). The Lambakannas were defeated, and the king initially decreed their execution. However, persuaded by his mother, he refrained from killing them. Instead, he ordered that their noses and toes be cut off as punishment. The district known as Hatthibhoga, where the royal elephant had resided, was allocated to the elephant as a reward.

King Ilanga ruled for six years and was succeeded by his son upon his death. Lambakannas would eventually come into power in 65 CE, ending the Vijaya Dynasty, which had lasted since 543 BCE.

Works of King Ilanga

Naga Maha Viharaya Stupa: While in exile in the Rohana kingdom, he restored this viharaya and donated land extending 100 unbent bows in length. Now known as the Tissamaharamaya.
Tissa Wewa :
Dura Wewa: probably Duratissa Wewa, now known as the Yodha Wewa in Tissamaharamaya.

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.
Oldenberg, H. (2001). The Dipavamsa : An Ancient Buddhist Historical Record. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1879)
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.

Predecessor		Successor
Queen Sivali [35 CE] -House of Vijaya-	King Ilanaga [35 CE] [38-44 CE] -House of Vijaya-	Lambakarna Clan (Interregnum)[35-38 CE] King Candamukha Siva [44-52 CE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA