King Parakramabahu IV [1302-1326 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Bhuvanekabahu II [1293–1302 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu IV [1302-1326 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu III [1226–1335 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The reign of King Parakramabahu IV (also known as Paṇḍita Parākramabāhu II), who ruled ancient Sri Lanka from 1302 to 1326 CE, represents a chapter of cultural and literary revival during the terminal years of the Dambadeniya dynasty’s dominance. Ruling from the Kurunegala Kingdom (also referred to as Hatthigiripura or Hatthiselapura), he succeeded his father, Bhuvanekabahu II, and is celebrated in the national chronicles as a monarch of exceptional learning, piety, and administrative vision.

Royal Lineage and Early Context

Parakramabahu IV was a descendant of the prestigious Dambadeniya dynasty, a royal house that claimed descent from the legendary Solar and Moon dynasties and the Sirisanghabodhi line. He was the son of King Bhuvanekabahu II and the grandson of King Bhuvanekabahu I. His heritage connected him to the great scholar-king Parakramabahu II, whose intellectual legacy he would eventually emulate and surpass.

Rise to Power and Accession

Parakramabahu IV ascended the throne in approximately 1302 or 1303 CE following the death of his father. His rise to power was a peaceful transition of hereditary succession. According to some traditions, he initially resided at Dambadeniya but was forced to establish Kurunegala as his capital due to an insurrection in the north or pressure from the Arya Cakravarti, who sought to enforce the payment of tribute. His coronation marked a period of stability, and he is recorded as being on the throne as late as 1326 CE.

Patronage of Buddhism and the Tooth Relic

The most defining feature of Parakramabahu IV’s reign was his devotion to the Sacred Tooth Relic, which had become the essential palladium of Sinhalese sovereignty. He undertook the construction of a magnificent three-story temple for the relic in the royal courtyard of Kurunegala.

The temple was an architectural marvel, featuring walls and pillars adorned with bright-hued pictures, golden spires, and golden gateposts. Within this structure, he fashioned a costly jeweled casket for the relic, placing it upon a throne radiant with colored draperies and golden vases. To ensure the permanence of the relic’s veneration, the king authored the Dalada-sirita (Ceremonial of the Tooth Relic) in the Sinhalese tongue.

The Paṇḍita and Literary Contributions

Parakramabahu IV’s title, Paṇḍita (The Scholar), was well earned through his monumental contributions to Sinhalese literature and his personal mastery of the scriptures. He appointed a distinguished Grand Thera from the Coḷa country as his royal teacher, studying under him to become versed in various tongues and philosophical systems.

His greatest literary achievement was the translation of the 550 Jātakas (the birth stories of the Buddha) from the Pāli language into Sinhalese. Recognizing that the Pāli texts were inaccessible to many, he oversaw a team of scholars to render these stories into the native idiom, corrected the drafts in the presence of the Grand Theras, and had them distributed throughout the island. These narratives became a cornerstone of Sinhalese moral and social life for centuries.

His reign also saw the composition of the Dalada-sirita and other religious works that consolidated the intellectual life of the Kurunegala era.

The Fall and the End of the Dynasty

The end of Parakramabahu IV’s reign was marked by internal strife and the eventual decline of the Kurunegala Kingdom. Historical traditions record a formidable rebellion headed by a personage named Bōdā-māpāṇan-da. This conflict was so severe that it forced the established community of monks to flee the capital, and it is likely that the king himself was compelled to abandon Kurunegala.

While the exact fate of Parakramabahu IV following this rebellion remains obscure in the chronicles, his reign effectively concluded the direct line of the Dambadeniya dynasty at Kurunegala. Following his fall, the political center of the Sinhalese drifted further toward the central highlands, eventually leading to the rise of the Gampola Kingdom under Bhuvanekabahu IV.

Works of King Parakramabahu IV

Beyond his capital, Parakramabahu IV extended his patronage to various regions of the Island. His works included:

Constructed a magnificent three-story shrine for the Daladā (Sacred Tooth Relic) within his palace courtyard.
Restored the grand three-story shrine at the Toṭagamu Vihāraya in Galle, a structure originally established by King Vijayabāhu IV.
Established the town of Māyādhanu (modern-day Sītāwaka), where he built a temple for the “lotus-hued god” (Viṣṇu) and hosted a grand sacrificial festival.
Built an expansive two-story image house for a reclining Buddha statue in Devundara and dedicated the village of Ganthimāna for its perpetual maintenance.
Erected the two-story Parakkamabāhu-pāsāda at Weligama and donated the village of Saligiri to the Mahā Saṅgha (the Great Community).
Founded a vihāra and the Sirighanānanda-parivena at Viddumagāma specifically for his Coḷa teacher.

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

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.
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.
Mendis, O. (1998). The Story of the Sri Lankans: A Small People with a Great History of Over 2500 Years from the Tiny Island in the Indian Ocean. A Sridevi Publication.
Paranavitana, S. (1961). The Arya Kingdom in North Ceylon. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 7(2), 174–224. [121–144]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu III [1287-1293 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Bhuvanekabahu II [1293–1302 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu IV [1302-1326 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA