Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Yasalalaka Tissa [52-59 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Chandamukha Siva [44-52 CE] -House of Vijaya-	King Yasalalaka Tissa [52-59 CE] -House of Vijaya-	King Suba [59-65 CE]
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

About King Yasalalaka Tissa

Prince Yasalalaka Tissa, the younger son of King Ilanga and Queen Sivali, was born while the parents were in exile in South India after escaping from the Lambakannas of Anuradhapura, who had imprisoned them. Three years after the escape, King Ilanga would return to triumph over his enemies, and Prince Chandamukha Siva would claim the throne after his father.

He reigned for 8 years and 7 months before he was assassinated by his younger brother, Prince Yasalalaka Tissa. This act took place while the king was participating in water sports at Tissa Wewa. Following the assassination, Yasalalaka Tissa seized the throne and became the new ruler.

Yasalalaka Tissa, only 17 years old when he assassinated his brother and seized the throne, was regarded as immature both in thought and action. His reign lasted for 7 years and 8 months before it ended, largely due to the same impulsive and youthful behaviour that marked his rise to power.

The Deadly Joke

A palace guard named Batta had a son, Suba, who served as the doorkeeper to the throne room. Despite being a few years older than King Yasalalaka Tissa, Suba bore an uncanny resemblance to the king. One day, Yasalalaka Tissa noticed this striking similarity and decided to play a prank on the state ministers. He instructed Suba to dress in the king’s royal attire and sit on the throne, while he disguised himself as the doorkeeper. When the ministers gathered and, as customary, paid their respects to who they believed was the king (actually Suba in royal robes), Yasalalaka Tissa, dressed in the guard’s uniform, burst out in laughter, revealing the ruse.

The elderly ministers were displeased with the boy king’s prank but did not dare to show their discontent openly. King Yasalalaka Tissa, finding great amusement in the reaction, continued to repeat the prank multiple times, taking increasing pleasure in the deception.

One fateful day, King Yasalalaka Tissa repeated his prank once more, appearing in the guard’s uniform and laughing heartily. However, this time, Suba, sitting on the throne and dressed as the king, took the joke to a deadly level. He feigned anger and declared, “How dare this guard laugh in my presence?” and ordered the execution of the guard. The ministers, obligated to obey commands from the throne, carried out the order and executed King Yasalalaka Tissa, thus ending his reign.

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.

Also See

Full list of Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

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