Thammanna Nuwara
Upatissa Nuwara
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura Chola
Ruhuna
Polonnaruwa
Dambadeniya
Yapahuwa
Kurunegala
Gampola
Kotte
Sitawaka
Kandy
Portuguese
Dutch
British
Monarch of Ceylon
157
King Parakramabahu II
Kingdom of Dambadeniya
1236 AC - 1272 AC

After King Vijayabahu III entrusted the kingdom to his eldest son, Prince Parakramabahu, the prince was crowned ruler of the Kingdom of Dambadeniya. He became known as King Parakramabahu II. Thus began the reign of a great monarch who is remembered with immense pride in Sri Lankan history for liberating the country from the cruel rule of Kalinga Magha.

Immediately after ascending the throne, the king brought the Sacred Tooth Relic to Dambadeniya and performed a great act of truth (Sathya Kriya). He vowed that he would destroy the invaders and reunify the country.

The Tamil forces of King Magha were terrified by the courage and strength of the Sinhala army led by King Parakramabahu. Believing they could not withstand the king’s forces, many abandoned their camps and fled. Eventually, at Kala Wewa, Magha’s army encountered the Sinhala forces and was decisively defeated. The remnants fled to the north.

As a result, King Parakramabahu II succeeded in liberating the people of Rajarata, who had suffered immensely for about twenty-one years, and reunifying the motherland.

In the eleventh year of his reign, the king successfully repelled the invasion of King Chandrabhanu. Chandrabhanu is said to have come from the kingdom of Tambralinga on the Malay Peninsula. Prince Virabahu, who was the king’s son-in-law, played a leading role in this campaign. Defeated in battle, Chandrabhanu fled the island.

The next major invasion occurred when Chandrabhanu of Javaka, who had previously been defeated, invaded Sri Lanka once again. With assistance from the Pandyan Emperor, King Parakramabahu II defeated him and had Chandrabhanu killed in AD 1261. As compensation for this assistance, inscriptions indicate that the Pandyan Emperor appointed one of Chandrabhanu’s sons as his representative in northern Sri Lanka.

Thereafter, King Parakramabahu devoted himself to the development and prosperity of the kingdom. He initiated social, cultural, and religious reforms and reconstruction projects. Many religious sites that had been destroyed over the years were restored.

Around AD 1258, King Parakramabahu II fell seriously ill. During this period, the minister Devapatiraja assumed responsibility for administering the affairs of the state. Around AD 1262, the king’s eldest son, Prince Vijayabahu, began managing the affairs of government, although Parakramabahu remained the official monarch.

Following the death of King Parakramabahu II, Prince Vijayabahu ascended the throne in AD 1272 under the regnal name King Vijayabahu IV.

Principal Officials of the Royal Court

The King's Daily Routine

4:00 a.m. – Awakening

4:00 a.m. – 5:12 a.m. – Meditation

5:12 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. – Recitation and contemplation of Buddhist teachings and verses

6:00 a.m. – Sunrise

6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. – Attending to personal health, receiving advice from royal priests, and performing personal duties.
Paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic, conducting offerings at the Temple of the Tooth, observing religious precepts, distributing religious texts, listening to Dhamma sermons, and making charitable donations.

7:00 a.m. – 8:12 a.m. – Religious activities and acts of compassion toward living beings

8:12 a.m. – Arrival at the royal palace

8:12 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Taking breakfast, dressing in royal attire, and reviewing reports from the alms hall and the royal treasury

9:00 a.m. – Ascending the throne

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Affairs of the Royal Council

10:00 a.m. – 10:48 a.m. – Weapons and military training

10:48 a.m. – Announcement of the auspicious time for the midday meal

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Offering alms to one hundred monks

12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Taking lunch and walking for exercise

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Rest

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Recreation and leisure

3:00 p.m. – Ascending the throne

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Receiving and approving official reports

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Bathing

6:00 p.m. – 6:24 p.m. – Paying homage to the Buddha

6:24 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Watching performances of dance, music, and entertainment

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Taking the evening royal meal

9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Spending time with the queen

11:00 p.m. – 12:00 midnight – Participating in military drills, inspecting palace night guards, and issuing instructions

12:00 midnight – 4:00 a.m. – Sleep

Note:
This schedule is derived from the medieval Sri Lankan text Kandavuru Siritha. The times have been reconstructed on the assumption that sunrise occurred at 6:00 a.m., and certain periods have been estimated through calculation and interpretation.

Isura Wickramaarachchi, author of Mahavansa Pradeepikawa.

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