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House of Vijaya

The House of Vijaya (also known as the Vijayan dynasty and sometimes referred to as the "Great Dynasty") was the first recorded Sinhalese royal dynasty that ruled over the island, Sri Lanka. According to Sri Lankan historical literature Prince Vijaya is the traditional first king of Sri Lanka, founding the Kingdom of Tambapanni and the dynasty subsequently founding the Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara and finally the Anuradhapura Kingdom.[2][3][4]

House of Vijaya
Vijayan dynasty
Royal house
House of Vijaya
Flag of King Dutugamunu, as depicted in the Dambulla Viharaya cave no.2[1]
CountryKingdom of Tambapanni
Kingdom of Anuradhapura
Founded543 BC (543 BC)
FounderPrince Vijaya
Current headExtinct
Final rulerSubharaja
TitlesKing of Tambapanni
King of Upatissa Nuwara
King of Anuradhapura
Dissolution66 AD (66 AD)

There were 37 Vijayan monarchs who reigned during a span of 609 years and ruled all but 80 of them. The dynasty ended when Vasabha of the House of Lambakanna I seized power in 66 AD.[5]

Origins

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A section of the mural at the Ajanta Caves depicts the 'coming of Sinhala'. Prince Vijaya is seen in both of groups of elephants and riders.

In 543 BC, prince Vijaya (543–505 BC) arrived in Sri Lanka, having been banished from his homeland in India. He eventually brought the island under his control and established himself as king. After this, his retinue established villages and colonies throughout the country. One of these was established by Anuradha, a minister of King Vijaya, on the banks of a stream called Kolon and was named Anuradhagama.[6]

Reign

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Tambapanni

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Main article: Kingdom of Tambapanni

According to popular tradition, the Kingdom of Tambapanni was founded by Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers after landing on the island, in a district near modern day Mannar which is believed to be the district of Chilaw,[7][8] after leaving Suppāraka.[9] It is recorded the Vijaya made his landing on the day of Buddha's death.[10] Vijaya claimed Tambapanni his capital and soon the whole island come under this name. Tambapanni was originally inhabited and governed by Yakkhas, having their capital at Sirīsavatthu and their queen Kuveni.[11] According to the Samyutta Commentary, Tambapanni was one hundred leagues in extent.

After landing in Tambapanni, Vijaya is believed to have met Kuveni, a legendary queen of the yakkhas, who was disguised as a beautiful woman but was really a yakkini (devil) named Sesapathi.[12]

During the end of his reign Vijaya, who was having trouble choosing a successor, sent a letter to the city of his ancestors, Sinhapura, in order to invite his brother Sumitta to take over the throne.[13] However Vijaya had died before the letter had reached its destination so the elected minister of the people[14] Upatissa, the Chief government minister or prime minister and leading chief among the Sinhalese became regent and acted as regent for a year. After his coronation which was held in the Kingdom of Tambapanni, he left it building another one bearing his own name. While his was king, Upatissa established the new capital Upatissagāma, in which the kingdom was moved to from the Kingdom of Tambapanni. When Vijaya's letter arrived Sumitta had already succeeded his father as king of his country, and so he sent his son Panduvasdeva to rule Upatissa Nuwara.[13]

Upatissagāma was seven or eight miles further north of Tambapanni.[15][8][16] It was named after the regent king Upatissa, who was the prime minister of Vijaya.

Anuradhapura

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Main article: Anuradhapura Kingdom

In 377 BC, King Pandukabhaya (437–367 BC) made Anuradhapura his capital and developed it into a prosperous city.[17][18] Anuradhapura (Anurapura) was named after the minister who first established the village and after a grandfather of Pandukabhaya who lived there. The name was also derived from the city's establishment on the auspicious asterism called Anura.[19] Anuradhapura was the capital of all the monarchs who ruled from the dynasty.[20]

The consecration ceremonies and rituals associated with kingship began during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa,[21] under the influence of Ashoka of India.[22] The whole country was brought under the rule of a single monarch by Dutthagamani for the first time. Before this, it had several principalities independent of the Anuradhapura Kingdom.[21] The king of Anuradhapura was seen as the supreme ruler throughout the island, even at times when he did not have absolute control over it.[23]

Several invasions have been made against the Anuradhapura Kingdom, all of which were launched from South India. The first invasion recorded in the history of the country is during the reign of Suratissa (247–237 BC), where he was overthrown by two horse dealers from South India named Sena and Guththika. After ruling the country for 22 years, they were defeated by Asela (215–205 BC), who was in turn overthrown by another invasion led by a Chola prince named Ellalan (205–161 BC).[24] Elara ruled for 44 years before being defeated by Dutthagamani.[25] The country was invaded again in 103 BC by five Dravidian chiefs, who ruled until 89 BC when they were defeated by Valagamba.

Genealogy

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See also: Sinhalese monarchs family tree

The House of Vijaya claimed a close relationship to the Shakya dynasty, family of the Gautama Buddha.[26]

King of KalingaMahasammata
line of Kings
King of VangaPrincessPrinceJayasena
[N 1]
The LionSuppadeviRoyal Standard BearerKacchanaSihahanuYasodharaAnjana
Sinhabahu
[N 2]		SinhasivaliAmitodanaGhattitdana Dhotodana
Sukkodana Pamita		Pajapati
[N 3]		Pajapati SuddhodanaMaya
[N 4]		AmitaSuppabuddhaPajapati
[N 3]		Maya
[N 4]		Dandapani
KuveniPrince Vijaya
(543–505 BC)		Vijaya of Pandava
[N 5]		Other IssuesSumitta
[N 6]		Princess of MadhaPanduSusimaSiddharthaSubhaddakacchanaDevadatta
JivatissaDissalaOther IssuePanduvasdeva
(504–474 BC)		BhaddakacchanaDighayaRama Uruvela
Anuradha Vigita
Rohana Gamani		Rāhula
Vedda peopleOther IssueAbhaya
(474–454 BC)		Tissa
(454–437 BC)		GirikandasivaChittraDighagamani
SuvannapaliPandukabhaya
(437–367 BC)
Mutasiva of Anuradhapura
(367–307 BC)
Devanampiya Tissa
(307–267 BC)		Uttiya
(267–257 BC)		MahanagaAnulaMahasiva
(257–247 BC)		Suratissa
(247–237 BC)		Asela
(215–205 BC)		MattabhayaAsokaUddhachulabhaya
SonIssueYatala Tissa
UttiyaTissaGothabhaya
Vihara DeviKakavanna TissaSecond wife
Dutugamunu
(161–137 BC)		AnulaSaddha Tissa
(137–119 BC)		Dighabhaya
AsokamalaSaliyaThulatthana
(119–119 BC)		Lanja Tissa
(119–109 BC)		Khallata Naga
(109–104 BC)		AnuladeviValagamba
(104–103 BC)
(89–76 BC)		Somadevi
Mahakuli Mahatissa
(76–62 BC)		Chora Naga
(62–50 BC)		Anula
(47–42 BC)		MahanagaSiva I
(47 BC)
[N 7]		Vatuka
(47 BC)
[N 8]		Darubhatika Tissa
(47 BC)
[N 9]		Niliya
(47 BC)
[N 10]
Kuda Tissa
(50–47 BC)		Kutakanna Tissa
(42–20 BC)
Bhatikabhaya Abhaya
(20 BC–9 AD)		Mahadathika Mahanaga
(9–21)
Amandagamani Abhaya
(21–30)		Kanirajanu Tissa
(30–33)
Chulabhaya
(33–35)		Sivali
(35–35)
Ilanaga
(38–44)		Mahamatta
Chandamukha
(44–52)		Yassalalaka Tissa
(52–60)

Timeline

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Kingdom of KandyKingdom of SitawakaKingdom of KotteKingdom of GampolaKingdom of DambadeniyaKingdom of PolonnaruwaChola occupation of AnuradhapuraAnuradhapura KingdomKingdom of Upatissa NuwaraKingdom of TambapanniNayaks of KandyHouse of DinajaraHouse of Siri Sanga BoHouse of KalingaHouse of VijayabahuHouse of Lambakanna IIHouse of MoriyaHouse of Lambakanna I

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ King of Kapilavastu
  2. ^ King of Sinhapura
  3. ^ Same Person
  4. ^ Same Person
  5. ^ King of Madhura
  6. ^ King of Sinhapura
  7. ^ Consort to Anula
  8. ^ Consort to Anula
  9. ^ Consort to Anula
  10. ^ Consort to Anula

References

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  1. ^ Seneviratna, Anuradha (1983). Golden Rock Temple of Dambulla: Caves of infinite Buddhas. Central Cultural Fund. p. 9.
  2. ^ Ratnatunga, Rhajiv. "Chapter I The Beginnings; And The Conversion To Buddhism". lakdiva.org.
  3. ^ M. Senaveratna, John (2000). Royalty in Ancient Ceylon: During the Period of the "great Dynasty". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-1530-1. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. ^ The story of the Sinhalese, pp. 5
  5. ^ Nicholas and Paranavitana (1961), p. 77
  6. ^ Wijesooriya (2006), p. 20
  7. ^ Mittal, J.P. (2006). "Other dynasties". History of Ancient India: From 4250 BC to 637 AD. Vol. 2 of History of Ancient India: A New Version. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 405. ISBN 81-269-0616-2. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  8. ^ a b "Pre-history of Sri Lanka". lankaemb-egypt.com. Embassy of Sri Lanka Cairo, Egypt. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  9. ^ "483 BC - Arrival of Aryans to Sri Lanka". scenicsrilanka.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  10. ^ "King Vijaya (B.C. 543-504) and his successors". lankalibrary.com. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  11. ^ "Tambapanni". palikanon.com. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  12. ^ Manathunga, Anura (4 February 2007). "The first battle for freedom". Ths Sunday Times. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  13. ^ a b Blaze, L. E. (1933). History of Ceylon. p. 12. ISBN 9788120618411.
  14. ^ The Mahávansi, the Rájá-ratnácari, and the Rájá-vali. Parbury, Allen, and Co. 1833.
  15. ^ Mittal, J.P. (2006). "Other dynasties". History of Ancient India: From 4250 BC to 637 AD. Vol. 2 of History of Ancient India: A New Version. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 405. ISBN 81-269-0616-2. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  16. ^ "CHAPTER I THE BEGINNINGS; AND THE CONVERSION TO BUDDHISM".
  17. ^ Blaze (1995), p. 19
  18. ^ Yogasundaram (2008), p. 41
  19. ^ Wijesooriya (2006), p. 27
  20. ^ Bandaranayake (2007), p. 6
  21. ^ a b Siriweera (2004), p. 86
  22. ^ Wijesooriya (2006), p. 30
  23. ^ Perera (2001), p. 48
  24. ^ Wijesooriya (2006), p. 47
  25. ^ Wijesooriya (2006), p. 49
  26. ^ "Geneology Of Kings". books.lakdiva.org/. Retrieved 13 August 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Blaze, L. E (1995). The Story of Lanka. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-1074-3.
  • Moratuwagama, H. M. (1996). සිංහල ථුපවංසය—Sinhala Thupavansaya [Sinhala Thupavamsa] (in Sinhala). Rathna Publishers. ISBN 978-955-569-068-3.
  • Perera, Lakshman S. (2001). The Institutions of Ancient Ceylon from Inscriptions. Vol. 1. International Centre for Ethnic Studies. ISBN 978-955-580-055-6.
  • Senaveratna, John M. (1997). The story of the Sinhalese. New Delhi: Asian Educational Series. ISBN 81-206-1271-X. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  • Siriweera, W. I. (2004). History of Sri Lanka. Dayawansa Jayakodi & Company. ISBN 978-955-551-257-2.
  • Wijesooriya, S. (2006). A Concise Sinhala Mahavamsa. Participatory Development Forum. ISBN 978-955-9140-31-3.
  • Yogasundaram, Nath (2008). A Comprehensive History of Sri Lanka. Vijitha Yapa Publishers. ISBN 978-955-665-002-0.
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House of Vijaya
Preceded by
None
 Ruling house of the
Sinhala Kingdom
543 BC – 237 BC 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ruling house of the
Sinhala Kingdom
215 – 205 BC 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ruling house of the
Sinhala Kingdom
161 – 103 BC 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ruling house of the
Sinhala Kingdom
89 BC – 66 AD 		Succeeded by
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