Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Vatuka [46 BCE]

King Vatuka, of Tamil origin and by profession a carpenter, became the next figure drawn into the ambitious and ruthless succession maneuvers of Queen Anula in ancient Anuradhapura. Initially, Anula had poisoned her husband, King Coranaga, and installed Prince Tissa, the son of King Mahaculi Mahatissa, as ruler. Then her loyalties shifted, and within a year she poisoned King Tissa, elevating her lover Siva to the throne. However, a year and two months into Siva’s rule, she poisoned him to place her latest love interest, Vatuka, on the throne.

Reign and Historical References

Some historical sources, such as the Dipavamsa, suggest that Vatuka may have been a ruler from a foreign land prior to his arrival in Anuradhapura. Nevertheless, his reign proved equally short-lived. After one year and two months in power, he too was poisoned by Queen Anula, whose affections had by then shifted to a woodcutter from the city, continuing the cycle of political intrigue and change of power within the royal court.

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:

1. Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
2. 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
3. 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.
4. Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
5. 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

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

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