King Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Buwanekabahu IV [1341-1354 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo–	Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The mid-fourteenth century in Sri Lanka was marked by severe political fragmentation. After the collapse of the Kurunegala Kingdom, the Sinhalese monarchy retreated into the more defensible wet zone and central highlands.

King Parākramabāhu V (r. 1344–1359 CE), also known as Savuļu Parakum, ruled from the fortified capital of Dedigama (Puṅkhagāma). His reign unfolded under a system of shared sovereignty with his brother Bhuvanaikabāhu IV, who governed from Gampola, and was dominated by a determined effort to preserve Sinhalese authority against the expanding naval and military power of the northern Arya Cakravarti.

Royal Lineage and Early Context

Parākramabāhu V was the son of King Vijayabāhu V (known as Savuļu Vijayabāhu) and Queen Sumitradevi. He belonged to the Savuļu dynasty, which replaced the direct line of the Dambadeniya kings. Modern scholarship, especially the work of S. Paranavitana, identifies the Savuļu lineage as having Jāvaka (Malay) or Kalinga origins, possibly connected to the earlier regime of Kalinga Māgha. The name Savuļu is widely regarded as a Sinhalese derivative of Jāvaka, reflecting the permanent presence of these Kalinga-Javaka factions within the island.

Rise to Power and Joint Sovereignty

Parākramabāhu V ascended the throne in 1344 CE. This date is confirmed by the Hapugastenna inscription, which equates his fifteenth regnal year with the Saka year 1281 (1359 CE). Unlike most Sinhalese rulers, his reign was characterized by a dual kingship shared with his brother Bhuvanaikabāhu IV. While Bhuvanaikabāhu IV established his capital at Gampola (Gaṅgāsiripura), Parākramabāhu V ruled from Dedigama (Puṅkhagāma) in the Four Korales.

This arrangement was a practical response to the island’s political instability. By maintaining two centers of power, the Savuļu brothers sought to defend the remaining Sinhalese territories more effectively against both internal rivals and the growing northern threat posed by Arya Chakravarthi.

Contributions to Buddhism and Literature

Despite constant military pressure, Parākramabāhu V continued the long-standing tradition of royal patronage of the Buddhist Sangha. He was closely associated with Nagala Vanaratana Sami, a distinguished monk who had fled Kurunegala during the Bōdā-māpāṇan-da rebellion. Records indicate that this monk expressed his intention to restore the Mädavala Vihāraya to the “king of Dädigama”, which he possibly did.

In literary history, his reign is commemorated by the Pāli poem Vuttamālā, composed by the Anunāyaka of the Gatāra pariveṇa, who was both a pupil and maternal nephew of the renowned Vilgammula Mahā sāmi. This work explicitly praises Parākramabāhu V and illustrates how intellectual and monastic life endured even as the political centers of the Rajarata disintegrated, with scholars finding refuge at the courts of Dedigama and Gampola.

The Fall: Invasion and Retreat to Ruhuna

The decline of Parākramabāhu V at Dedigama resulted from overwhelming pressure from the north. Around 1359 CE, Arya Cakravarti launched a major campaign against the southern kingdoms. The Kotagama inscription, located about 21 km (13 miles) from Dedigama, records this successful northern advance against the king residing there.

Compelled to abandon his capital, Parākramabāhu V fled southward. An inscription from Magul-maha-vihara near Lahugala refers to a queen named Viharamaha-devī, who was the consort of two brother kings, the latter being Parākramabāhu V, then ruling in Ruhuna after having vanquished the Tamil army. This record confirms that Parākramabāhu V had withdrawn to Ruhuna, where he sought to maintain a limited sphere of authority.

After his withdrawal, the main seat of Sinhalese power consolidated at Gampola under his successor, Vikramabāhu III, supported by the rising Alagakkonāra family. Parākramabāhu V died around 1359 or 1360 CE, bringing the Dedigama phase to an end and confirming the final shift of political authority into the central highlands.

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.
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.
Paranavitana, S. (1933). Gampola period of Ceylon history. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 32(86), 260-309.
Paranavitana, S. (1961). The Arya Kingdom in North Ceylon. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 7(2), 174–224. [121–144]
Wickremasinghe, D. M. de Z. (Ed.). (1908). Nikāya Saṅgrahaya. Ceylon Government Printer.

Predecessor		Successor
Buwanekabahu IV [1341-1354 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo–	Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA