King Vijayabahu II [1186-1187 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu I [1153-1186 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Vijayabahu II [1186-1187 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Nissanka Malla [1187-1196 CE] -House of Kalinga-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Vijayabāhu II, widely known as Paṇḍita Vijayabāhu (r. 1186–1187 CE), was a ruler of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom whose short reign marked the opening of a complex and ultimately tragic phase in Sri Lanka’s medieval history. He ascended the throne after the death of his renowned uncle, Parākramabāhu I, and attempted to steer the kingdom away from decades of intense militarization and centralized control toward an era defined by royal compassion, literary refinement, and diplomatic reconciliation.

Royal Lineage and Early Life in Kalinga

Vijayabāhu II was the son of one of the sisters of Parākramabāhu I. While Parākramabāhu himself was born to Princess Ratanāvalī, daughter of the liberator Vijayabāhu I, Vijayabāhu II’s mother was another daughter of the same princess, making him a direct descendant of the royal line of Vijayabāhu I.

He was born and raised in Siṁhapura, the capital of the kingdom of Kalinga. Earlier historians often identified this Kalinga with eastern India, but modern scholarship reflected in the sources associates it with the Śrīvijaya empire of Southeast Asia, a powerful Buddhist realm encompassing much of the Malay Peninsula and parts of present-day Indonesia.

Summons to Lanka and the Succession Crisis

Vijayabāhu II’s elevation to the throne was prompted by a crisis in the male succession of the Sinhalese royal house. The prolonged civil wars, purges, and strict administrative measures carried out during the reign of Parākramabāhu I had drastically reduced the number of eligible heirs. Having no sons of his own, Parākramabāhu turned to his sister’s son in Kalinga as the most suitable successor.

Accordingly, Vijayabāhu was formally summoned from Siṁhapura to Lanka to ensure an orderly transfer of power. However, his accession in 1186 CE was immediately challenged. On the very next day after he assumed the throne, a group of ministers attempted to depose him. This conspiracy was thwarted only through the loyalty and timely intervention of a chief named Vijayāyantannāvan, who safeguarded the throne for the Kalinga prince. Despite this turbulent beginning, Vijayabāhu II was duly consecrated, adopting the regnal title Sirisaṅghabodhi in keeping with the established tradition of alternating royal names.

A Reign Marked by Mercy and Legal Reform

Vijayabāhu II is chiefly remembered for the “great mercy” that characterized his rule and for his efforts to soften what were perceived as the harsher aspects of his uncle’s long reign. Although Parākramabāhu I had presided over a period of immense power and prosperity, the chronicles portray it as an age of heavy taxation and severe punishment for political opposition.

Upon ascending the throne, Vijayabāhu II instituted a broad policy of compassion. Many inhabitants of the island who had been imprisoned or subjected to corporal punishment and confinement were released. Villages and hereditary lands confiscated during the previous thirty-three years were restored to their original owners. In matters of justice, he is described as adhering closely to the ordinances of Manu and ancient political doctrine, administering law without yielding to affection, hatred, fear, or ignorance. Through these measures, he sought to win popular support and heal the social wounds left by decades of internal strain.

Religious Devotion and Diplomatic Reconciliation

A devout Buddhist, Vijayabāhu II continued the royal role of protector of the faith. The sources credit him with enhancing the splendor of the Buddha Sāsana and preserving the religious order established by his predecessor.

One of his most significant achievements lay in the realm of foreign relations. During the reign of Parākramabāhu I, relations with Burma had deteriorated, culminating in a naval expedition against the Burma. Seeking to restore harmony between two major Buddhist kingdoms, Vijayabāhu II composed a letter in the Magadha (Pali) language, the international medium of Buddhist diplomacy, and dispatched it to the Burmese king. This initiative resulted in a renewed treaty of friendship, allowing the Saṅgha of both lands to resume peaceful interaction.

Within Lanka, Vijayabāhu II showed particular devotion to the Tooth Relic. He is recorded as having instituted a special annual ceremony at the Temple of the Tooth, during which the eyes of a stone Buddha image were removed, treated with medicinal collyrium, and ceremonially replaced. He also maintained the Atadāgē, the Temple of the Tooth at Polonnaruwa, originally constructed by Vijayabāhu I.

The Scholar King and Literary Patronage

Vijayabāhu II earned the epithet “Paṇḍita Vijayabāhu” because of his exceptional learning and literary talent. He was celebrated as a skilled poet who delighted in composition in the Magadha tongue. His reputation as a “poet sovereign” reflects both his personal erudition and his encouragement of literary and artistic pursuits at court, even as political tensions simmered beneath the surface.

Assassination and the Beginning of Decline

Despite the righteousness of his rule and the joy he inspired among his subjects, Vijayabāhu II’s reign lasted barely a year. In 1187 CE, he was assassinated by a man he trusted: Mahinda of the Kuliṅga clan, also known as Kilinkesdā Mihindu. This ambitious noble of the kesadhātu sought txo overthrow the foreign-born Kalinga line and seize power for himself.

The murder of Vijayabāhu II had catastrophic consequences for the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. It shattered the fragile stability inherited from Parākramabāhu I and plunged the realm into violent internal conflict. Although the assassin, known as Mahinda VI, ruled for only five days before being killed by the legitimate successor Niśśaṅkamalla, the decline of Rajarata had begun. Within three decades of Vijayabāhu II’s death, the kingdom would collapse entirely in the face of the invasion of Māgha.

Royal Dynasty in Plonnaruwa after Parakaramabahu the Great

References

Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society. (Original work published 1815)
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.
Obeyesekere, D. (1911). History of Ceylon : Outlines of Ceylon History. The Times of Ceylon Colombo.
Wijesekera, N. (1990). The Sinhalese. M. D. Gunasena & Co Ltd.

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu I [1153-1186 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Vijayabahu II [1186-1187 CE] -House of Vijayabahu-	Nissanka Malla [1187-1196 CE] -House of Kalinga-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA