King Vijayabahu III [1232-1236 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Kalinga Magha [1215-1236 CE] -House of Chodaganga-	Vijayabahu III [1232-1236 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu II [1236 -1270 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

After the devastating invasion of Kāḷiṅga Māgha in 1215 CE, the traditional centers of power at Anurādhapura and Polonnaruwa were subjected to unparalleled destruction, religious persecution, and social dislocation.

Amid this collapse of centralized authority, King Vijayabāhu III emerged as the restorer of Sinhalese sovereignty. By establishing a new capital at Dambadeniya, he laid the foundations for the survival of both the Sinhalese state and Buddhism. Despite his brief four-year rule, his attempts to bring a divided country back together and revitalize its spiritual legacy marked the beginning of a new era in history.

Early Childhood and Royal Lineage

The sources describing the early life and ancestry of Vijayabāhu III are marked by uncertainty, reflecting the political chaos of the period. According to the Attanagalu Vaṁsa, he was the son of Vijayamalla, who belonged to the prestigious Siri Saṅgabo lineage, traditionally associated with the arrival of the Sacred Bodhi Tree.

The Dambadeni Asna, which recounts the reign of his son, King Parākramabāhu II (1236–1270 CE), refers to him as Naṇbambara Kāḷiṅga Vijayabāhu (නන්බඹර කාලිංග විජයබාහු), thereby linking him to the Kāḷiṅga dynasty and connecting his lineage to Nembara, a locality near Dambadeniya.

According to Paranavitana (1963), Sanskrit genealogies compiled in the 15th century, including those recorded on the Bōlāna slab, further clarify this descent by identifying Vijayamalla as the son of King Gajabāhu II (1132–1159 CE). This association directly links Vijayabāhu III with the earlier royal house of Polonnaruwa.

In his youth, Vijayabāhu functioned as a Vanni chieftain (Vanni Rāja), exercising authority over forested regions; thus, he is also known as Vanni Vijayabahu. During the height of Māgha’s rule, he lived in hiding among remote forests and mountain refuges. This phase was likely devoted to organizing resistance and subduing rival local leaders who resisted his growing influence.

Rise to Power and the Founding of Dambadeniya Kingdom

While Māgha retained control of Polonnaruwa, Vijayabāhu consolidated power in the Māyāraṭa. He gathered a substantial Sinhalese force and initiated campaigns to eliminate dispersed Tamil settlements in the southwestern interior.

After clearing the Māyāraṭa of hostile forces, he selected a defensible site for a new capital. He chose the summit of Jambuddoṇi (Dambadeniya), where he constructed a fortified city with ramparts and gate towers. This choice represented a strategic shift from the exposed plains of the Rajarata toward the more secure terrain of the hill country and wet zone. His coronation at Dambadeniya as the first ruler of a new dynasty provided the Sinhalese with a renewed symbol of political legitimacy and resistance.

Contributions to the Country and Buddhism

During the initial phase of foreign domination, the high priest Vācissara and other theras had fled Polonnaruwa, secretly burying the Tooth Relic and Bowl Relic on Koṭṭhumala (Koṭmalē) mountain for protection. One of the king’s first major initiatives was to recover these relics. Accompanied by his army and a large assembly of monks, he retrieved them and transferred them to Dambadeniya in a ceremonial procession.

To secure the relics from future threats, he fortified the summit of Billasela (Beligala), rendering it inaccessible to enemies. He built a temple for the Tooth Relic and established a monastery below, now known as Beligala Rājamahā Vihāraya. Distressed by the destruction of Buddhist literature, he organized a major campaign to reproduce the 84,000 divisions of the Tipiṭaka, compensating scribes with gold and distributing the texts across the island.

He also worked to restore unity within the Saṅgha. Monks who had taken refuge in India during the interregnum were summoned back to Lanka. In 1232 CE, he convened a great assembly at the Vijayasundarārāma in Dambadeniya, where ecclesiastical disputes were resolved and new disciplinary regulations were introduced. A seven-day Upasampadā (higher ordination) ceremony was held, during which thousands of monks received full ordination with royal patronage.

Beyond the capital, Vijayabāhu oversaw the repair of numerous neglected vihāras in the Māyāraṭa, including the Kelaniya Vihāra, which had suffered damage during Tamil incursions. He also founded the Vijayabāhu Vihāra at Wattala. In matters of public welfare, he ensured food security and sought to improve the livelihoods of populations impoverished by years of warfare.

The Final Years and Succession

In his old age, King Vijayabāhu III turned his attention to succession. He examined his sons, Parākramabāhu and Bhuvanekabāhu, for the auspicious bodily marks associated with kingship. Concluding that Parākramabāhu bore the signs of a universal ruler destined to reunite Lanka and defeat remaining foreign powers, he designated him as heir.

The king summoned the senior monks and entrusted both the princes and the sacred relics to the guardianship of the Saṅgharāja Saṅgharakṣita. He urged his sons to remain united and to continue his mission of religious and national revival.

King Vijayabāhu III died in 1236 CE after a reign of four years. In accordance with royal tradition, his body was cremated at Attanagalla, a site sanctified by the sacrifice of King Siri Sanghabo (251-253 CE), and a stupa was erected over his remains. He bequeathed to his successors a consolidated kingdom, which his son Parākramabāhu II would later use as the base for reclaiming Polonnaruwa and reuniting the island.

Works of King Vijayabahu III

Built Wijayasundararamaya in Dambadeniya

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.
D’Alwis, J. (1866). The Attanagalu-vansa or the history of the temple of Attanagalla (1st ed.). Williams and Norgate.
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. (1963). Princess Ulakudaya’s Wedding. University of Ceylon Review, XXI(2), 103–138.
Perera, J. (1957). An Examination of the Political Troubles That Followed the Death of King Parakramabāhu I. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series Volume V (Special Number), 173–182.
Ranasinghe, D. D., & Dhammaratana Thero, B. (Eds.). (1928). දඹදෙණි අස්න. J. D. Fernando.

Predecessor		Successor
Kalinga Magha [1215-1236 CE] -House of Chodaganga-	Vijayabahu III [1232-1236 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Parakramabahu II [1236 -1270 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA