Queen Leelawathie - House of Vijayabahu | Polonnaruwa - (1197 - 1200) - Sri Lankan History - Kings - Governors - Prisidents

Queen Leelawathie

House of Vijayabahu | Polonnaruwa - (1197 - 1200)

The three-month reign of King Chodaganga ended in a tragically unfortunate manner. A very powerful official named Keerthi gouged out his eyes, seized the kingdom, and placed Leelawathi Bisso on the throne. She had been the chief consort (Agra Mahesiya) of King Parakramabahu I and, after the reigns of seven kings following her husband, she ascended to the throne for the first time. Her entire reign lasted about eleven years. Some speculate that her right to the throne derived from her position as the chief consort of King Parakramabahu I. This was not a new precedent. In the history of Lanka, there are instances of queens ascending the throne. If there was no prince, a queen could be placed on the throne, as indicated in the Nissankamalla royal inscriptions. Queen Leelawathi is sometimes described as belonging to the Solar dynasty and at other times to the Lunar dynasty. The Mahavamsa states that she was born into a branch of the Lunar-Solar line (Chandradi-ccha kula). The Pali Dathavamsa, which records the history of the Tooth Relic, states that she belonged to the Pandya dynasty. Poetry also mentions that she was born into the Nimal Pandya lineage. Her father was Prince Siri Vallabha, a son of a Pandya prince. According to Professor Senerath Paranavitana, with Queen Leelawathi ascending the throne, the previously dominant Kalinga power was temporarily subdued. Leelawathi Bisso ascended the throne three times, and I intend to clarify this sequence here. The first time she ascended, it is clear that it was with the support of a powerful commander named Kitti. The Mahavamsa describes him as very influential. It is unclear from the chronicles which king he had served. Some sources indicate that several commanders named Kitti served among King Parakramabahu’s generals. At times, a royal consort’s ascension to the throne could lead one of the king’s former generals to be recognized as Kitti. A poem called Sasadawatha, composed during Leelawathi’s time, mentions a commander named Kitti Senavi. His valorous acts are described metaphorically as a lion striking with a mirror-like tusk (Sadap Soli Gajamulu Dala Dap Sun Kesara Van). It is also mentioned that he belonged to the Rupa-pa lineage. Further, Sasadawatha describes that Queen Leelawathi worked for the welfare of the world and administered the kingdom with vision. According to Professor Senerath Paranavitana, there appears to have been no overall prosperity in the country during Queen Leelawathi’s reign. The period was marked by turmoil due to various individuals attempting to seize power and some officials ready to assist them. However, an inscription found near Abhayagiri, Anuradhapura, confirms that her reign lasted three years, and she is referred to as Leelawathi Swamin, with Lak Vijaya Singha Kitti Senavi as her prime minister. The dating of the reign is presented differently here: it mentions the queen’s name along with the minister Kitti Senavi. The inscription states: “Leelawathi Swamin’s prime minister was Lak Vijaya Singha Kitti Senavi.” It records that offerings, such as the golden umbrella (Ruwan Paya) and golden platform, were made under his supervision. Another inscription from Puliyankulam clarifies this situation further. Her reign at this time lasted three years. This period is longer than that of Nissankamalla and other kings who ruled after Parakramabahu. No clear record of her activities exists in the chronicles. Considering the Abhayagiri inscription, it is reasonable to assume that Queen Leelawathi entrusted governance to Kitti Senavi while she was on the throne. During this time, after removing Sahasamalla, she once again placed Kalyanawathi Bisso on the throne, then after him, Dharmashoka, and later Aneekanga. Subsequently, Queen Leelawathi returned to power. On this occasion, her support came from a powerful official named Vikkantha Chamu Nakka, who was previously associated with the rule of Aneekanga. The Pujavaliya records his name as Vanik, and he, like Kitti Senavi, was likely a Kalinga opponent. After her second ascension, there is no record in the chronicles of any notable acts performed by Queen Leelawathi. A person named Lokeshwara removed her from the throne. This second reign lasted one year. She ascended for the third time, supported by Parakram Senavi, who was powerful, born in the Kalanagara lineage, known in Sinhala as Kalunnaru. The Dathavamsa also notes her establishment in the Lanka kingdom and highlights her as a person of high intellect. During this time, a prince named Madhurinda, born of the Pandya lineage, was trained, and through Buddhist teachings and arts, he helped remove the stigma of being an incompetent ruler (arajaka) in Sinhala society. This was accomplished under the guidance of Parakram Senavi. The question arises: the statement that Queen Leelawathi trained Madhurinda to remove the stigma of incompetence—what does it signify? By this time, the queen would have been of considerable age. Possibly, if she had passed away, Madhurinda was trained to ascend in her place, or he administered the kingdom under her supervision while she was alive. During this period, the composition of Dathavamsa and Sasadawatha shows that Queen Leelawathi’s patronage of monastic and scholarly activities was effective. Two inscriptions from this period survive. The Puliyankulam inscription describes: “All arts came under the service of the auspicious Leelawathi Swamin.” It notes that she built a hall named Medhavi to provide alms to the needy, along with necessary facilities for local merchants. Her governance is described as: “The three-Sinhala kingdom, led by the wise and virtuous ministers, maintained the world’s teachings.” Another inscription, found in Rakithipe, Nuwara Eliya, is incomplete. It records that Queen Leelawathi was the chief consort of King Parakramabahu I. Her first reign lasted three years, the second one year, and the third seven months, totaling four years and seven months. Although the chronicles provide a brief account, the inscriptions show that Queen Leelawathi’s reign during the Polonnaruwa period was significant.