King Vankanasika Tissa [109-112 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Vasabha [65-109 CE] -Lambbakanna Dynasty-	King Vankanasika Tissa [109-112 CE] -Lambbakanna Dynasty-	King Gajabahu I [112-134 CE] -Lambbakanna Dynasty-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

About King Vankanasika Tissa

King Vankanasika Tissa, also known as Tissa, was a ruler of the Anuradhapura Kingdom in Sri Lanka and the son of King Vasabha, founder of the Lambakanna dynasty. Vankanasika Tissa, whose epithet means “Hook-Nosed Tissa,” succeeded his father and continued his lineage’s rule over Anuradhapura.

Princess Mahamatta

Just before King Vasabha defeated Suba, his daughter Mahamatta was entrusted to a brickmaker he had known since his early days as a castle doorkeeper. Along with his daughter, he entrusted his mantle and
insignia to him. The brickmaker raised Princess Mahamatta as if she were his own child. Over time, Mahamatta grew into a strikingly beautiful woman. During her life with the brickmaker, she attended a dying ascetic on her way to her stepfather with his meals. Just before his death, he uttered the words “When Royal rank has fallen to thy lot, then bethink thee, O’ maiden, of this place.” to her.

When Prince Vankanasika Tissa reached maturity, the royal family began searching for an appropriate bride. They learned of a beautiful young woman from a brickmaker’s village who possessed all the auspicious qualities and noble signs indicative of a prosperous and distinguished individual. Upon confirming her identity as Princess Mahamatta, the daughter of Suba, through the royal insignia kept by the brickmaker, King Vasabha arranged for her to marry his son, Vankanasika Tissa.

After Vankanasika Tissa‘s ascension to the throne, his consort, Queen Mahamatta, began raising funds for the construction of a vihara, fulfilling the wish of a dying ascetic who had urged her to remember this task when she attained “royal rank.” However, before the construction could commence, King Vankanasika Tissa passed away in the third year of his reign, leaving the project unfulfilled.

Brothers of King Vankanasika Tissa

According to ancient chronicles, King Vasabha is noted to have had only one recorded son. However, archaeological findings provide more context to his lineage. At Tammannava in the Kurunegala District, a second-century rock inscription in Brahmi script refers to a ruler named Dutaga-Maharaja, who is identified as a son of the “great King Vahaba” (Vasabha). Another inscription at Habessa in Buttala, Monaragala District, mentions an Upa-Raja named Naga, identified as Vasabha‘s grandson and the son of King Uttara.

These inscriptions led historian Paranavitana (1969) to propose that Vasabha had three sons: Tissa (also known as Vankanasika Tissa), Dutuga, and Uttara. Following Vasabha’s death, it appears that the kingdom was divided among these three, with Tissa ruling from the capital, Anuradhapura; Dutuga governing the Kurunegala region; and Uttara ruling Ruhuna.

South Indian Invasions

The Mahavamsa does not record any foreign invasions during the reign of King Vankanasika Tissa. However, later historical texts such as the Rajavaliya and Pujavaliya reference an incident involving a Chola king who reportedly captured and transported 12,000 Sinhalese prisoners to India. The Pujavaliya suggest that these captives were used as labourers in a project along the Kaveri River.

It is speculated that King Vankanasika Tissa may have died during an engagement with the Chola forces, although definitive evidence is lacking. The Cholas did not appear to gain lasting control or cause significant damage to the island, aside from the capture of a substantial number of prisoners.

Works of King Vankanasika Tissa

Mahamangala Viharaya: which was built on the bank of the Gona river.

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

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.
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.
Senaveratne, J. M. (1930). The Story of the Sinhalese : From the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of “The Mahavansa” or Great Dynasty. W. M. A. Wahid & Brothers.
Gnanawimala Thero, K. (1960). මයුරපාද පරිවේණාධිපති බුද්ධ පුත්‍රයන් විසින් රචිත පූජාවලිය.