1521 AC - 1551 AC

Due to the king’s attempt to grant succession to the prince born of his second queen—rather than to his rightful heir—the sons became deeply dissatisfied. As a result, they are said to have killed their father, King Vijayabahu VI, and seized power themselves. Following this event, the Kingdom of Kotte was divided into three parts.
For a time, they ruled in relative harmony. However, this unity later collapsed when plans emerged to grant kingship to the grandson of the king, Prince Dharmapala. Fearing an attack from his brothers, King Bhuvanekabahu VII sought assistance from the Portuguese.
The Portuguese took advantage of this situation and gradually turned the king into a puppet ruler under their influence. Although the king was forced to comply with their demands, he strongly resisted their attempts to convert him to Christianity. Even when they pressured him to send his grandson to Portugal for coronation, and to accept conversion, he did not fully comply while he was alive.
Frustrated by his resistance, the Portuguese allegedly conspired against him. Meanwhile, Mayadunne, despite his strong anti-Portuguese stance, also engaged in conflict against Kotte with foreign military assistance. A series of battles followed between the factions.
Both sides sought foreign military support, and the internal conflict eventually resulted in increasing foreign dominance over the island.
Ultimately, on 29 December 1550, King Bhuvanekabahu VII is said to have died after being shot by an unknown gunman. Historical interpretations suggest that in his final years, the king experienced deep disappointment due to the breakdown of tradition and the perceived betrayal of the kingdom for personal and foreign interests.
Isura Wickramarachchi
Mahawansa Pradeepikawa