King Moggallana I [495-512 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Kashyapa I [477-495 CE] -House of Moriya-	King Moggallana I [495-512 CE] -House of Moriya-	King Kumara Dhatusena [512-520 CE] -House of Moriya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Moggallana I (also known as Mugalan I) ascended to the throne in 495 CE after defeating the forces of his brother, King Kashyapa, who had usurped the throne by killing their father. Following Kashyapa’s death in battle, Moggallana relocated the capital from Sigiriya back to Anuradhapura.

When Kashyapa, influenced by Migara, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, killed his father, his brother Moggallana fled to India with his loyal companions. As Moggallana gathered forces to reclaim the throne, Migara, having fallen out with Kashyapa, began conspiring with Moggallana to depose Kashyapa.

In the 18th year of King Kashyapa’s reign, Moggallana (Mugalan) returned to Sri Lanka with a powerful army from India, determined to reclaim the throne. Moggallana’s forces marched toward Sigiriya, Kashyapa’s newly established capital. The decisive confrontation occurred at Ambakatthakola, a location roughly midway in Kurunegala.

During the confrontation, Kashyapa’s army was defeated. Facing inevitable capture, Kashyapa chose to end his own life. Moggallana carried out the last rights for his brother and moved the capital and the royal treasures back to Anuradhapura from Sigiriya.

After establishing himself as the ruler, King Moggallana I punished those who had sided with his brother Kassapa in the betrayal and murder of their father, King Dhatusena, while rewarding those who had remained loyal to his father. He ordered the noses and ears of the officials who had betrayed Dhatusena to be cut off and exiled them. However, after listening to religious sermons, the king adopted a more compassionate approach.

The waggon driver who had given Dhatusena his final meal delivered a message from the late king to Moggallana. Upon reading the message, the king wept and, in recognition of the driver’s service, promoted him to the position of gatekeeper. Additionally, Moggallana honored Senapati Migara, who had supported him against Kassapa during his time in India.

Arrival of the Hair Relic of Buddha

One of the most significant events during the reign of King Moggallana I was the arrival of the Kesha Dhatu, the Hair Relic of the Buddha, to Sri Lanka. A close associate of Moggallana from the Lambakanna clan, named Silakala, had fled to India with Moggallana and entered the priesthood under the name Ambasamanera.

While in India, Ambasamanera came into possession of the Hair Relic of the Buddha and later brought it to Sri Lanka. Culavamsa points to Keshadhatuvamsa for details in the acquiring of the relic, a text that is now lost to history.

Upon its arrival, King Moggallana organized a grand procession for the relic, enshrining it in a crystal casket and housing it in a magnificent structure. Ambasamanera, who renounced the priesthood, was entrusted with the guardianship of the relic and appointed as the king’s sword-bearer (Asiggahasilakala). The Culavamsa also mentions that Moggallana gave his sister in marriage to Silakala. It is unclear whether the sister was Migara’s wife or another younger daughter of King Dhatusena.

Sri Lanka’s First Navy

King Moggallana I ruled the country with a strong commitment to religion and made significant efforts to purify the Buddhist Sangha. Having spent time in India and returned with an army, he was acutely aware of the threats Sri Lanka faced from potential invasions by the sea. To address this, he became the first ruler to conceive the idea of a naval force to guard the island’s coastline—a precursor to a Sri Lankan navy. Unfortunately, this initiative did not survive beyond his reign.

Works of King Moggallana I

Dalha and Dathakondanna in Sigiriya were given to the Dhammaruci and Sagali bhikkhus.
Dighasana Viharaya : built and donated to Mahanama Thero. Some believe this Mahanama Thero is the author of Mahavamsa, the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka.
Rajini Aramaya : donated to the Bhikkuni of Sagalika Sect

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

Blaze, L. E. (2004). History of Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1933)
Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society.
Gnanawimala Thero, K. (1960). මයුරපාද පරිවේණාධිපති බුද්ධ පුත්‍රයන් විසින් රචිත පූජාවලිය.
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.
Suraweera, A. V. (2014). රාජාවලිය. Education Publication Department of Sri Lanka. (Original book published in 1976 from the original documents from the 17th century)

Predecessor		Successor
King Kashyapa I [477-495 CE] -House of Moriya-	King Moggallana I [495-512 CE] -House of Moriya-	King Kumara Dhatusena [512-520 CE] -House of Moriya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA