Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Niliya [44 BCE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Darubhatika Tissa [45 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Niliya [44 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	Queen Anula [43 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

Niliya was a Damila (Tamil) by ethnicity and a Brahmin by caste. Before ascending the throne, he served as the palace priest in the court of Anuradhapura.

Queen Anula had fallen in love with him just a few months after killing her third husband and placing Darubhatika Tissa, originally a wood carrier, on the throne. Historical sources note that Anula became “enslaved by passion” for Niliya. Queen Anula poisoned Darubhatika Tissa and subsequently transferred royal authority to Niliya.

The Mahavamsa identifies Niliya as a Tamil Brahmin, while the earlier Dipavamsa presents a different perspective, describing him as a Tamil (Damila) king.

Reign and Downfall

Niliya’s reign was brief and marked by the same instability that characterized the period. After ruling for only six months, he too fell victim to Queen Anula’s intrigue. Having served her immediate purpose, he was poisoned, becoming the fifth of her consorts to meet such a fate.

Restoration of Order

Following Niliya’s death, Queen Anula ruled independently for a period of four months. This phase of direct rule came to an end when she was overthrown and executed by Kutakanna Tissa, the second son of King Mahaculi Mahatissa. With his accession, a measure of stability and orderly governance was restored to Anuradhapura.

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

Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya or a historical narrative of Sinhalese kings from Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
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.
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.
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
King Darubhatika Tissa [45 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	King Niliya [44 BCE] -House of Vijaya-	Queen Anula [43 BCE] -House of Vijaya-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

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Reign and Downfall

Restoration of Order

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

References

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