King Parakrama Pandu [1210-1211 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Queen Leelavathi [1197-1200, 1209-1210, 1211-1212 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Parakrama Pandu [1212-1215] -Pandyan Dynasty-	Kalinga Magha [1211-1212 CE] -House of Chodaganga-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The reign of King Parākrama Pāṇḍu (also known as Parakkamapaṇḍu II or Parākrama Pāṇḍi) constitutes the final and tragic chapter of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom before its irreversible collapse. Ruling from 1212 to 1215 CE, he ascended the throne as a foreign conqueror whose attempts to restore order were ultimately extinguished by the cataclysmic invasion of Kāḷiṅga Māgha, marking the end of the ancient Rajarata civilization.

Royal Lineage and Early Background

Parākrama Pāṇḍu was a prince of the Pāṇḍya dynasty (Pāṇḍu-vaṁsa) of South India. The Pāṇḍyas were one of the great ruling houses of the southern subcontinent and had maintained long-standing, often contentious, relations with the Sinhalese monarchy over several centuries. Contemporary sources describe him as a “glorious” ruler belonging to both the Solar and Lunar dynasties, a prestigious pedigree that conferred a legitimate—though contested—claim to the throne of Lanka at a time when dynastic purity was considered essential for sovereignty.

By 1212 CE, Parākrama Pāṇḍu had assembled a “great Pāṇḍu army” on the Indian mainland, preparing to assert control over an island that had degenerated into a battleground dominated by military kingmakers and short-lived puppet rulers.

Rise to Power: The Invasion of 1212 CE

The ascent of Parākrama Pāṇḍu was achieved through a direct military invasion from the South Indian coast. At the time of his arrival, the throne was occupied by Queen Līlāvatī, the widow of King Parākramabāhu I, who was serving her third and final reign as a figurehead under the authority of General Parākrama of the Kālakanāgara (Kaḷunnaru) clan.

In 1212 CE, Parākrama Pāṇḍu landed in Lanka at the head of his formidable forces. He swiftly deposed Queen Līlāvatī and her general, capturing the capital Pulatthinagara (Polonnaruwa). His victory was momentous, as it briefly united the kingdom under a single “umbrella of dominion,” bringing a temporary end to the internecine conflicts among rival military factions that had plagued the realm for nearly fifteen years. Historians observe that his accession momentarily resolved the Kāḷiṅga–Pāṇḍya rivalry by establishing a strong, centralized authority.

The Reign

King Parākrama Pāṇḍu ruled for three years. Despite the short duration of his reign and the constant threat of renewed invasions, the chronicles attest that he governed in accordance with traditional Sinhalese legal and religious norms.

Restoration of Order

Assuming control of a kingdom ravaged by nearly two decades of near-anarchy, the king’s principal task was the pacification of the island. He is credited in the sources with having “cleared Lanka from the briers,” a figurative expression denoting the suppression of rebellion, the elimination of internal discord, and the re-establishment of centralized military authority.

The Cataclysm: The Invasion of Kāḷiṅga Māgha

The defining tragedy of Parākrama Pāṇḍu’s reign was its violent end in 1215 CE. While the king was still consolidating his authority, an even more destructive threat emerged from the Kāḷiṅga homeland, identified by some modern scholars with the Śrīvijaya empire of Malaysia and Sumatra.

Kāḷiṅga Māgha arrived in Lanka at the head of a fearsome force numbering 24,000 warriors. Unlike earlier invaders who often sought accommodation within the Sinhalese religious and social order, Māgha pursued the ruthless restoration of Kāḷiṅga supremacy. His forces stormed Polonnaruwa and captured King Parākrama Pāṇḍu within his own capital.

In a brutal act characteristic of contemporary dynastic warfare, Māgha had the king blinded, a calculated mutilation intended to disqualify him permanently from kingship. Following the deposition of Parākrama Pāṇḍu, Māgha’s troops subjected Polonnaruwa to systematic devastation, looting royal treasuries, destroying libraries, and ravaging the great monasteries established by King Parākramabāhu I and King Niśśaṅka Malla. This destruction effectively extinguished the Polonnaruwa Kingdom and brought the ancient Rajarata civilization to its end.

Royal Dynasty in Plonnaruwa after Parakaramabahu the Great

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

Codrington, H. W. (1960). The decline of the medieval Sinhalese kingdom. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 7(1), 93-103.
Fernando, P. E. E. (1978). Allai Copper Plate Charter of King Nissankamalla. The Sri Lanka Journal of the Humanities, IV(1 & 2), 73–91.
Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part II–II. Pali Text Society. (Original work published 1815)
Gunasekara, B. (1895). A Contribution to the History of Ceylon: Translated from Pujavaliya. H.C. Cottle.
Gunasekara, B. (1900). The Rajavaliya, a Historical Narrative of Sinhalese Kings Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
Mendis, O. (1998). The story of the Sri Lankans. Sridevi Publication.
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.
Obeyesekere, D. (1911). Outlines of Ceylon history. Times of Ceylon.
Perera, J. (1957). An Examination of the Political Troubles That Followed the Death of King Parakramabāhu I. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume V (Special Number), 173–182.

Predecessor		Successor
Queen Leelavathi [1197-1200, 1209-1210, 1211-1212 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Parakrama Pandu [1212-1215] -Pandyan Dynasty-	Kalinga Magha [1211-1212 CE] -House of Chodaganga-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA