King Vimaladharmasuriya I [1592–1604 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
Rajasinghe I [1581-1592 CE] -House of Siri Sangabo-	Vimaladharmasuriya I [1592–1604] -House of Dinaraja-	Senarat [1604–1635 CE] -House of Dinaraja-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The rise of King Vimaladharmasūriya I (r. 1592–1604) represents one of the most dramatic political transformations in Sri Lankan history. His career traces a remarkable path from Portuguese-sponsored exile to the restorer of the Sinhalese monarchy. Born as Konappu Bandāra, his reign re-established the Kandyan Kingdom as the final center of independent Sinhala authority after the fall of Kotte and Sītāvaka.

Shortly before the accession of Vimaladharmasūriya I in Kandy, the reigning monarch of Jaffna was deposed, and in 1591 a Portuguese-backed candidate was installed in his place.

In 1593, following the death of Rājasimha I, the Sītāvaka kingdom fragmented. One portion fell under direct Portuguese control, while the remainder was absorbed into the Kandyan realm.

In 1597, Dharmapāla, the puppet ruler of Kōtte, died after executing a formal deed of gift by which he transferred his kingdom—together with the claimed overlordship of the island—to the King of Portugal.

From this point onward, Kandy assumed a decisive role in the political history of Sri Lanka, as Vimaladharmasūriya I stood as the sole surviving Sinhalese sovereign.

Royal Lineage and Early Childhood

Vimaladharmasūriya I was born as Konappu Bandāra, the son of Vīrasundara Mudali (also known as Bandāra) of Peradeniya, a leading noble connected to the royal house. His father initially supported King Rājasinha I of Sītāvaka and assisted in the conquest of Kandy. Over time, however, Rājasinha became suspicious of Vīrasundara’s growing influence and ordered his execution by luring him to a meeting and having him trapped in a pit.

After his father’s murder, the young Konappu Bandāra fled Kandy and sought protection from the Portuguese in Colombo, where he lived at the court of the puppet king Dharmapāla. He is recorded as having a brother named Yamasinha Bandāra, baptized as Dom Philip, though some sources instead identify Yamasinha as a nephew of the former Kandyan ruler Karalliyaddé Bandāra.

Life under the Portuguese and Exile in Goa

In Colombo, Konappu Bandāra impressed the Portuguese with his physical strength and military promise. He was baptized as Dom João of Austria, named after the celebrated European general. His fortunes changed abruptly after a violent quarrel in Colombo, reportedly involving the killing of a close associate named Salappu, which resulted in his banishment to Goa.

During his three-year exile, he gained a formidable reputation for skill in combat and personal bravery. He became legendary after defeating in single combat a Portuguese officer nicknamed Gajabāhu, whom he reportedly “clave in twain” after being insulted as a “Sinhalese fellow”. This feat won him considerable admiration and the favor of the Portuguese Viceroy, who began to see him as a valuable agent in their plans for Kandy.

Rise to Power: The Return and Rebellion

In 1590, the Portuguese sent an expedition to Kandy to place Dom Philip Yamasinha Bandāra on the throne as a client ruler. Konappu Bandāra accompanied the force as commander of the native lascarins. The arrangement soon collapsed when Dom Philip died suddenly under suspicious circumstances, widely rumored to have been caused by poison. His death created a political vacuum in the highlands.

Seizing this opportunity, Konappu Bandāra rebelled against his Portuguese patrons, expelled their troops from Kandy, and proclaimed himself king under the name Vimaladharmasūriya I. He renounced Catholicism, returned to Buddhism, and recast himself as the defender of the Sinhala people against foreign and Christian domination.

Battles and Relationships with Other Royals

In 1592, King Rājasinha I made a final attempt to reclaim Kandy but was defeated by Vimaladharmasūriya at the Balana Pass. Rājasinha died soon after from a septic wound, leading to the definitive collapse of the Sītāvaka Kingdom.

The most decisive moment of his reign came at the Battle of Danture in 1594. The Portuguese general Pero Lopes de Sousa invaded Kandy with a large army and the princess Dona Catherina, intending to place her on the throne. Vimaladharmasūriya exploited divisions within the Portuguese ranks and among their Sinhalese allies, surrounded the expedition, and destroyed it completely. He captured the princess and married her on the battlefield, thereby uniting rival royal claims. He later repelled another major Portuguese invasion led by Dom Jerónimo de Azevedo in 1602/03.

Relations with the Dutch

Seeking to counter Portuguese influence, Vimaladharmasūriya opened diplomatic relations with the Dutch. In May 1602, he received Admiral Joris van Spilbergen with great ceremony, discussed European affairs, and even offered to assist personally in constructing a Dutch fort to expel the Portuguese.

These relations deteriorated during the visit of Vice-Admiral Sebald de Weert in 1603. After excessive drinking, De Weert behaved disrespectfully and made insulting remarks about the Queen. Enraged, the king ordered his nobles to “bind that dog”, and in the struggle that followed, De Weert and several of his companions were killed. Despite this episode, Vimaladharmasūriya remained a highly cosmopolitan ruler, fluent in Portuguese and Dutch, builder of European-style fortifications, and patron of pleasure gardens, roads, and rest houses.

The Eventual End

King Vimaladharmasūriya I died in 1604 after a reign of twelve years. Accounts of his death differ: some chronicles suggest a fever or an internal “fire” that caused delirium, possibly linked to septic complications from an earlier wound. Popular legend even claimed that, in a moment of political frustration, he deliberately trod on a thorn or bamboo splinter, mirroring the fate attributed to his rival Rājasinha I.

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. Mac Millan 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-	Vimaladharmasuriya I [1592–1604] -House of Dinaraja-	Senarat [1604–1635 CE] -House of Dinaraja-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA