Great Rebellion of 1817–1818: Difference between revisions

| commander1 = [[Keppetipola Disawe]]<br/>[[Madugalle Nilame]]<br/>[[Ehelepola Nilame]]

| units2 = [[Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)]] [[73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot]]

Following the annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom by the British under the terms of the [[Kandyan Convention]] in 1815, certain actions of the British antagonize the Kandyan Chiefs who now found them under their administration. The lack of respect shown by British of all ranks to high ranking Kandyan chiefs and priests further angered them. Two incidents are believed to have trigger the revolt. The first occurred in June 1816, when Madugalle Uda Gabada Nilame proposed to the chief priest the removal of the [[relic of the tooth of the Buddha]] from [[Kandy]] unknown to the [[Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy|John D'Oyly]] the British [[Resident minister#British and dominion residents|Resident]] in Kandy. This was followed in September 1816, when he publicly sent offerings to the deities at Bintenne and Kataragama to the overthrow of British and a return of a native king. Madugalle was tried by the British of treason, dismissed from office and exiled to Colombo. His walauwa (house) burnt and possessions were confiscated and sold with the proceededproceeds going to a pension fund for British officers. Another incident took place that angered the Kandyan Chiefs as it directly challenged their traditional rights that the British promised to protect under the Kandyan Convention. This was the appointment of Haji Marikkar Travala, a Moorman of Wellasse, as [[Muhandiram|Madige Muhandiram]] by the Governor on the recommendation of D'Oyly in September 1817. The post of Madige Muhandiram was traditionally held by families of Kandyan chiefs and it undermined the authority of the Millewa Dissawa. Local chiefs in [[Badulla]], Kivulegedara Mohottala, Kohu Kumbure Rate Rala, Butawe Rate Rala and Millawe Disawa organized local protests against the Madige Muhandiram's appointment.<ref>{{Cite webnews |date=11 December 2015 |url=httphttps://www.dailymirror.lk/opinionarticle/monarawila-keppetipola-maha nilame mahanilame-a-true - The Great Liberation War/172rebellion-99233.html|title=Monarawila Keppetipola MahaMahanilame nilame: A true Fighterrebellion |websitenewspaper=www.dailymirror.lk[[Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]] }}</ref><ref name="Tennakoon">{{cite news |last1=Tennakoon |first1=Dr. Dharmadasa |title=The brave attempt to regain the Kandyan Kingdom |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2018/11/26/features/169425/brave-attempt-regain-kandyan-kingdom |access-date=15 October 2021 |work=Daily News}}</ref>

The Uwa-Wellassa Uprising was launched by [[Keppetipola Disawe]]. With the exceptions of Molligoda and Ekneligoda, many chiefs joined the uprising. The fighters captured [[Matale]] and [[Kandy]] before Keppetipola fell ill and was captured and beheaded by the British. His skull was abnormal — as it was wider than usual — and was sent to [[Great Britain|Britain]] for testing. It was returned to Sri Lanka after independence and now rests in the Kandyan Museum. The uprising failed due to a number of reasons. It was not well-planned by the leaders. The areas controlled by some pro-British chiefs provided easy transport routes for British supplies. Wilbawe, who was said to have a claim to the Sinhalese throne, was found not to have any relation.<ref>[http://www.lankalibrary.com/geo/keppetipola2.htm Keppetipola and the Uva The Great Liberation War] Virtual Library Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2007-10-01.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2910|title=Uva Wellassa The Great Liberation War - 1817 -1818|access-date=23 October 2014|archive-date=26 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026025955/http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2910|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=599218&category=Politics&Country=SRI%20LANKA |title=Wellassa riots in 1818 |access-date=2009-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107164855/http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=599218&category=Politics&Country=SRI%20LANKA |archive-date=2017-11-07 |url-status=deadusurped }}</ref>

* [[KandyanMatale Warsrebellion]]

[[Category:Guerrilla19th-century guerrilla wars]]