King Rajasuriya of Sitawaka [1592 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Rajasinghe I [1581-1592 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Rajasuriya [1592-1593 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Nikapitiye Bandara [1593-1594 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The death of King Rājasinha I in 1593 marked the conclusion of the most formidable military phase in the history of the Sītāvaka Kingdom. Having brought most of the island under his martial authority, Rājasinha left behind a powerful military machine but an unstable succession. His eldest son, Prince Rājasūriya (also known as Rajastriya), ascended the throne during this political vacuum, inaugurating a reign characterized by scandal, accusations of parricide, and a rapid, violent end that heralded the final collapse of the Sītāvaka dynasty.

Royal Lineage and Early Life

Rājasūriya was born into the Savuļu dynasty as the son of the celebrated “Lion King,” Rājasinghe I. His childhood unfolded against the backdrop of his father’s relentless campaigns against the Portuguese and the Kandyan Kingdom.

He was the eldest of Rājasinghe’s children and had at least one younger brother, identified in the Rājāvaliya as Jayasūriya, as well as a sister named Menniok Biso Bandāra (or Meninik Biso Bandara). This sister was married to a Malabar ruler known as Araatie Sowara (Tiragam Bandāra), illustrating the international alliances pursued by the Sītāvaka royal house.

The Rise to Power: A Kingdom in Shock

At the time of his father’s death, Rājasūriya was residing at Ellāwala. After the king’s demise, the administration of the realm was formally entrusted to him. He was proclaimed king and immediately began consolidating authority. His first recorded actions included presenting himself to the people and securing the loyalty of the army by distributing pay to the soldiers. He personally visited the strategic outposts at Kadudevola and Raggahawatta to supervise the payment of the garrisons. In order to strengthen familial control, he appointed his younger brother, Jayasūriya, as ruler of Tuntota in the Beligal Kōralē.

Political Role and the Shadow of Parricide

The political environment inherited by Rājasūriya was deeply unstable. Although he bore the royal title, effective power lay with those who commanded the Sītāvaka military establishment, particularly Manamperuma Mohotti (also known as Arittakīvendu Perumāl), a South Indian favorite of the late Rājasinha.

Almost immediately, Rājasūriya’s rule was clouded by allegations concerning his father’s death. Sources claim that he was accused of orchestrating Rājasinha’s demise through witchcraft. It was alleged that he colluded with the astrologer Dodampé Ganitaya, using magical means to prevent the removal of the bamboo splinter that had poisoned the king, thereby ensuring a fatal infection.

His personal behavior further weakened his position. According to the Rājāvaliya, although he remained in the palace by day, he secretly travelled each night to the village of Maniyangama to visit the daughter of Dodampé Ganitaya, the astrologer suspected of regicide. This relationship with the family of a perceived traitor alienated both the court and the wider population.

The Coup and Violent End

The combination of accusations of using black magic to expedite his father’s death and his nocturnal absences triggered a conspiracy involving the people of Sītāvaka and Rājasinha’s elder sister, who resided at Mattamagoda and harbored deep resentment over her brother’s death. The conspirators appealed to Manamperuma Mohotti, then stationed at Kadurugas-kapalla, urging him to intervene and “save” the kingdom.

The downfall of Rājasūriya was swift and brutal. In a coordinated assault, Manamperuma’s men broke into the residence of Jayasūriya at Tuntota and stabbed him to death. At the same time, Manamperuma advanced on Sītāvaka, where King Rājasūriya himself was assassinated. His reign, which some chronological records place at less than a year between 1593 and 1594, ended in a bloodbath that effectively eliminated Rājasinha’s direct male heirs.

Aftermath and Legacy

Following the deaths of Rājasūriya and his brother, a five-year-old child named Nikapitiyé Bandāra, the grandson of Rājasinha’s sister, was installed as a puppet ruler. The political vacuum resulted in immediate fragmentation. Prominent Sītāvaka chiefs such as Pannikki Mudali and Kuruppu Mudali, either repelled by the internal violence or fearful of Manamperuma’s ambitions, defected to the Portuguese in Colombo with seven hundred followers.

The death of Rājasūriya thus marked the definitive end of Sītāvaka’s independence, as the kingdom soon fell under the authority of King Dharmapāla of Kotte, who ultimately transferred sovereignty of the entire realm to the Portuguese Crown.

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

Abeyasinghe, T. B. H. (1995). Portuguese rule in Kōṭṭe, 1594-1638. In K. M. de Silva (Ed.), History of Ceylon: Volume II (pp. 123-143). University of Peradeniya.
Codrington, H. W., & Hocart, A. M. (1926). A Short History of Ceylon. MacMillan and Co. Limited.
De Queyroz, F. (1930). The Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Account of Ceylon (S. G. Perera, Trans.; Vols. 3–3). (Original work published 1687)
De Silva, C. R. (1977). The rise and fall of the Kingdom of Sitawaka. The Ceylon Journal of Historical and Social Studies, 7(1), 1-43.
De Silva, K. M. (Ed.). (1995). History of Sri Lanka (Vols. 2–3). The University of Peradeniya.
Fonseka, P. (2010). The ancient city of Kōṭṭe and its fortification. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, 56, 57-117.
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. (1900). The Rajavaliya, a Historical Narrative of Sinhalese Kings Vijaya to Vimala Dharma Suriya II. George J. A. Skeen.
Ilangasinha, H. B. M. (1992). Buddhism in medieval Sri Lanka. Sri Satguru Publications.
Obeyesekere, D. (1911). Outlines of Ceylon history. Times of Ceylon.
Somaratna, G. P. V. (1969). Political history of the Kingdom of Kötte (c. A.D. 1400-1521) [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of London.
Valentijn, F. (1978). François Valentijn’s Description of Ceylon (S. Arasaratnam, Trans.). Hakluyt Society. (Original work published 1724)

Predecessor		Successor
Rajasinghe I [1581-1592 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Rajasuriya [1592-1593 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Nikapitiye Bandara [1593-1594 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA