King Parakramabahu I - House of Vijayabahu | Polonnaruwa - (1153 - 1186) - Sri Lankan History - Kings - Governors - Prisidents

King Parakramabahu I

House of Vijayabahu | Polonnaruwa - (1153 - 1186)

After the death of King Vijayabahu I, we know that Princess Ratnavali, one of his daughters, was married to Prince Manabharana, who was the son of the king’s own sister. He was also well known by the name Virabahu. To this couple were born two daughters named Mitra and Prabhavati. The Mahavamsa clearly states that King Vijayabahu placed his trust regarding the future sovereignty of the kingdom in a child who might be born to Virabahu and Ratnavali. That child was none other than the great monarch who ascended the throne under the name (Parakramabahu I). As with other heroic kings, many legends woven around the life of King Parakramabahu have been included in the chronicles. The Mahavamsa describes the circumstances of his birth as follows. Among all royal lineages, the Lunar Dynasty is the most noble. We who were born into that lineage are endowed with every kind of strength and are skilled in the arts such as the handling of elephants and horses. Even so, the three of us—Manabharana, Sirivallabha, and Kittisirimegha—have been defeated by King Vikramabahu alone and have fallen into disgrace. There appears to be no sign of a virtuous son who could rescue us from this impurity. Our misfortune is great. There is no purpose in a defiled kingdom. Therefore, renouncing all pleasures, I shall observe a life of virtue. Having entertained these thoughts, Prince Manabharana, after a few days, went to a shrine and slept there at night. Although the Mahavamsa does not reveal which shrine this was, the Selalihini Sandeshaya, composed during the Kotte period, clarifies this. According to it, Manabharana spent the night at the Vibishana Devalaya in Kelaniya, which belonged to his realm. There he had a dream, and following the guidance received from it, he returned to reside in his palace. After some time, he saw another dream—an omen foretelling the conception of a child. Although such stories, described with great relish, may be thought to lack historical importance, it is unavoidable that narratives of this nature gather around heroic figures in order to emphasize the greatness of the hero who is to be born. After these dreams, Ratnavali Devi, the wife of Prince Manabharana, conceived. The delighted prince performed protective rituals for the pregnancy. In due time, the queen gave birth to a virtuous son. The child was named Parakramabahu. Not long after the birth of Prince Parakumba, Prince Manabharana died of an illness. Thereafter, Prince Kittisirimegha came to the Dakkhina Desa and became its ruler, assuming guardianship of the prince. However, Ratnavali Devi, together with her son and two daughters, went to Mahanagakulapura and lived under the protection of Prince Sirivallabha, who was then ruling there and had summoned her. Ceremonies such as the Silumangala connected with Prince Parakumba took place there. During these events, King Vikramabahu died, and his son Prince Gajabahu ascended the throne. We have already explained earlier that Princes Kittisirimegha and Sirivallabha repeatedly clashed with King Gajabahu, and that eventually these conflicts were temporarily resolved. Meanwhile, Prince Parakramabahu, who was living in Manahulu Pura, considered it inappropriate to remain in the countryside and came to Sankhatthaliya, where he lived for some time with Prince Kittisirimegha. In order to assess the political situation and fulfill his future ambitions, he set out from home. When he arrived at Badalatthaliya, he encountered Sankhaya, a general who was friendly with his uncle. Perceiving Sankhaya’s intentions, Prince Parakumba killed him. After Gokanī, a general of King Gajabahu who had been summoned, fled in fear after a dream, Prince Parakumba left Badalatthaliya and entered King Gajabahu’s kingdom. King Gajabahu welcomed the prince warmly. To establish trust, the prince gave his sister Princess Bhadravati in marriage to King Gajabahu. However, after learning all the king’s secret political information, which was his true political objective, the prince departed once again from Gajabahu’s kingdom. The conduct of Prince Parakumba became a matter of concern to both Prince Kittisirimegha and the queen mother. Ratnavali Devi came from Ruhuna to Badalatthaliya, met Prince Kittisirimegha, and then went to Vilgama to find the prince. She brought the prince back to Badalatthaliya and, summoning the divine general stationed there, went to Prince Kittisirimegha and presented the prince to him. He convened the ministers, instructed them to act in accordance with the prince, and entrusted the prince to their care. A few days later, Prince Kittisirimegha died. By this time, Prince Sirivallabha of Ruhuna had also died, and his son Prince Manabharana became ruler there. As a result of this development, Prince Parakramabahu became the lord of the Dakkhina Desa. After completing the funeral rites of his deceased uncle, he conducted the ceremony of assuming the title of Mahadipāda and informed King Gajabahu and Prince Manabharana of Ruhuna of this fact. Thereafter, his aim was to develop his kingdom. The prince clearly understood that strong economic power would be essential to achieve his future objectives. The economic development carried out by Prince Parakumba in the Dakkhina Desa is a matter that even present-day rulers of this country should seriously consider. The Dakkhina Desa comprised lands belonging to both the dry zone and the wet zone. The Deduru Oya valley belonged to the dry zone. Two tributaries flowing from the upper regions—the Sankhavaddhamana Oya (Hakvatuna Oya) and the Kumbhilavahana Oya (Kimbulwana)—fed the Jajjara River. Slightly downstream from the confluence of these two rivers, at a place now called Demodara, a dam was built at a site called Sukara Nijjara, and water was conveyed through a main canal to the Tilagulla (modern Talagalla) reservoir. The surplus water from the tank was carried along what is still known as the Talagalla Canal and released back into the Deduru Oya at a place now called Ebawalapitiya. The Doradattika embankment was built at this location, and the canal cut to carry the water was known as the Ridibandi Ela, which conveyed water to the Magalla tank near Nikaweratiya. From ancient times, the Deduru Oya had been used to some extent for agricultural development. The Kottabaddha Amuna in its lower reaches was one such example. Because the floodwaters of the Deduru Oya could become swift at certain times, building and maintaining this embankment was extremely difficult. Even the prince’s engineers were uncertain about this task, but the prince showed keen interest. Before strengthening the embankment, a canal was cut to release water for cultivation up to a place called Ratta Kuravaka. Afterward, the embankment was reinforced. Using the water that flowed through this canal, now called Sengal Oya, the Kottabaddha region was developed. This appears to have been the large area located between the present Ratambala Oya and the Deduru Oya. The Mahavamsa states that because granaries were filled with rice harvested from thousands of paddy fields, the region came to be known as Kottabaddha. The ancient Pandavapiya tank, now known as Padaviya Nuwara Wewa, was enlarged and named the Parakrama Samudra, paving the way for regional development. Professor Senarath Paranavitana states that this was also known as Bana Samudra. Prince Parakumba paid special attention to developing the marshy Panchayojana Ratta (Five-Yojana Country), which no one had previously focused on. Deep ponds were dug in the marshlands to drain water, converting them into paddy fields. Every reclaimed piece of land was planted with trees and beautified. Thus, the entire Dakkhina Desa was transformed into fertile farmland filled with gardens. Another objective of this endeavor was to make his region more prosperous than others. Evidence suggests that maritime activities had taken place in the coastal belt from the Kelani River mouth to the Kala Oya mouth in ancient times. The ports of Kelaniya, Kammaltota at the mouth of the Maha Oya, and the Deduru Oya mouth were regarded as ancient harbors. Kammaltota appears to have been the harbor where King Parakramabahu’s ships were docked. Commercial activities conducted through this port contributed to economic development. Kelaniya and the Yapahuwa region appear to have been international trading centers at that time. The capital of Mahadipada Parakramabahu was present-day Padaviya Nuwara, known as Parakrama Pura. Many ruins of this ancient city near Hettipola can still be seen today. Filled with heroic resolve, the Mahadipada next turned his attention to unifying the island. At this time, King Gajabahu ruled Polonnaruwa, while the Rohana region was under the control of Princes Manabharana and Sirivallabha. Considering that multiple leadership under three independent princes would lead to ruin, he decided that the country must be unified. The plans organized by Prince Parakumba in this regard were of great importance. He first summoned provincial governors and vassals, instructing them to gather troops and weapons. At that time, Malaya Raja was the general in charge of the Rattakuravaka region, commanding a Tamil force. This area, nourished by the Kottabaddha Amuna, was agriculturally important and strategically vital during war. Malaya Raja was entrusted with its defense. There were nine provincial chiefs in the Dakkhina Desa at that time, ruling Tambaratta, Giribaratta, Moravapi, Mahipalarratta, Pilavitthika, Buddhagama, Ambavana, Bodhigama, and Kantakapetaka. The prince instructed them and supplied troops and weapons. Additionally, five powerful merchant leaders resided in the Moriya country. They belonged to the Lambakarna lineage and were wealthy. Known as Lanka Mahalana Sikhanayaka, Jayamahalana, Setthinayaka, and Mahinda, they were instructed to gather troops and arms. Twelve regiments of two thousand soldiers each were retained under his direct command, along with eighty-four divisions of one thousand soldiers each, forming a separate force of eighty-four thousand. Specialized units, including mace-bearing troops, foreign mercenaries, archers, and forest-dwelling Vedda warriors, were organized and trained. A military training center was established in the royal palace. New administrative offices, including ministers of finance and war, were created. Thus fully organizing both major and minor aspects, Prince Parakumba embarked upon the task of unifying the country. As previously described, after battles with King Gajabahu and the temporary return of Polonnaruwa, a treaty was inscribed specifying future succession. According to this historic agreement, after the death of King Gajabahu, sovereignty over Rajarata would pass to Prince Parakramabahu. However, after the king’s death, ministers took the body to Kotthasara and summoned Prince Manabharana from Ruhuna. He arrived with an army. Prince Parakramabahu also came to Polonnaruwa and learned of these events. Preventing Manabharana from crossing the Mahaweli River, the ministers crowned Prince Parakramabahu as king in Polonnaruwa. His name was Parakramabahu, and since he was the first to bear this name, he is known as Parakramabahu I or Parakramabahu the Great. Some inscriptions refer to him as the Universal Emperor of all Sinhalese. The Nainativu inscription is particularly notable. King Parakramabahu was not allowed to rule peacefully. His enemies stirred rebellions from various places. Prince Manabharana, believing Rajarata was rightfully his, advanced from Ruhuna with an army, but King Parakramabahu took steps to block him. There were about twenty-six major river crossings along the Mahaweli River, all of which were guarded. Manabharana first attempted to cross at Vilgam Ford but was repelled. He was defeated at every crossing and failed each time. During these conflicts, a commander named Narayana in Anuradhapura attempted to seize power. While the king’s attention was diverted, Manabharana crossed the Mahaweli at an unguarded ford on the advice of a spy. King Parakramabahu sent General Rakkha to confront him at Mayura Pasana. In the ensuing battles, Rakkha was killed, and Parakramabahu’s forces were forced to retreat. Further campaigns followed, involving complex strategies, fortifications, ambushes, and prolonged warfare, culminating in the decisive defeat of Manabharana. Fleeing to Ruhuna, Manabharana died of an illness brought on by fear of King Parakramabahu, according to the Mahavamsa. Before his death, he advised his followers to submit to King Parakramabahu. After Manabharana’s defeat, the wars in Rajarata ended. King Parakramabahu’s second coronation was held in Polonnaruwa with great splendor, marking his proclamation as ruler of the entire island.