King Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu V [1372-1408 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

King Vikramabāhu III (r. 1357–1374 CE) ruled the Gampola Kingdom (Gaṅgāsiripura) during a phase of intricate political realignment and strategic adaptation in fourteenth-century Sri Lanka. Also known as Vikkamabāhu III, his reign is historically notable for its period of overlapping sovereignty with his predecessor, the emergence of influential royal families—especially the Alagakkonāras of Peradeniya (Peraddoṇi)—and the sustained resistance to the expansionist ambitions of the northern Ārya Cakravarti.

Early Context and Royal Lineage

Vikramabāhu III belonged to the Savuļu dynasty, a royal lineage that modern scholars, most notably S. Paranavitana, have identified as having Kalinga or Jāvaka (Malay) origins. He was the nephew, specifically the sister’s son, of the preceding monarchs, King Bhuvanaikabāhu IV and King Parākramabāhu V.

According to historical tradition, his mother was a sister of these two kings who had married the powerful minister Senālaṅkādhikāra Senevirat of the Meheṇavara family, thereby linking the royal house with one of the most influential aristocratic families of the period.

Rise to Power and Overlapping Reign with Parākramabāhu V

Vikramabāhu III ascended the throne around 1357 CE. One of the most distinctive features of his early rule was a phase of shared or overlapping sovereignty with his uncle, Parākramabāhu V.

Inscriptional evidence from the Hapugastänna and Mädavala records demonstrates that Parākramabāhu V was still exercising royal authority and issuing grants as late as 1359 CE. During this transitional period, Vikramabāhu III emerged as king at Gampola, likely serving initially as co-regent before becoming the principal ruler following his uncle’s retreat southwards. This political shift was hastened by external pressure, as the “Ariyan of Cinkai-nagar” (the Ārya Cakravarti of Jaffna) launched a successful invasion of the Four Korales, compelling Parākramabāhu V to abandon Gampola and seek refuge in the forests of Ruhuna.

The Alagakkonāras of Peradeniya

As the formal authority of the Savuļu kings weakened in the face of the growing power of the Jaffna Kingdom, effective control increasingly passed to the Alagakkonāra (Alakeśvara) family. Niśśaṅka Alagakkonāra established his power base at Peradeniya (Peraddoṇi) along the banks of the Mahaweli River.

The bond between the royal house and this noble lineage was reinforced through marriage, with Alagakkonāra and his two brothers becoming the “associated husbands” of Vikramabāhu III’s sister. By the latter part of the reign, a member of the Alagakkonāra family had effectively become the dominant authority in the Sinhalese heartland, assuming the exalted title of Prabhurāja.

Contributions to the Country and the Defiance of Jaffna

The central phase of Vikramabāhu III’s rule was marked by a brief but humiliating period of subordination to the Ārya Cakravarti. Accordinxxg to the Rājāvalīya and the Mädavala inscription, the ruler of Jaffna possessed superior military and economic resources and was able to station tax collectors within the Gampola territories, collecting tribute from both the upland and lowland regions.

Despite this, the era also witnessed determined resistance, with the Sinhalese political elite gradually reorganizing under the leadership of the Alagakkonāras, laying the foundations for a renewed assertion of autonomy in later years.

The Fall and Succession

The “fall” of Vikramabāhu III did not take the form of a violent overthrow but rather a gradual erosion of royal authority, as real power increasingly shifted into the hands of the Alakeśvara ministers. By the closing years of his reign, the king had become largely a symbolic figure, while Alagakkonāra carried the practical “burden of dominion.”

Vikramabāhu III ruled for at least eighteen years, with historical sources suggesting that his death or the effective end of his reign occurred around 1371 or 1372 CE. He was succeeded by King Bhuvanaikabāhu V, the son of Alakeśvara III and Queen Jayasiri, a succession that marked the definitive elevation of the Alagakkonāra family from ministerial power to royal status.

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. (1961). The Arya Kingdom in North Ceylon. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), 7(2), 174–224. [121–144]

Predecessor		Successor
Parakramabahu V [1344-1359 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Vikramabahu III [1357-1374 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Buwanekabahu V [1372-1408 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA