Vimaladharmasuriya I

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Vimaladharmasuriya I (ruled 1591-1604)(died 1604) was a late 16th century–early 17th century King of the Kandyan Kingdom, located in the central hills of the present-day island nation of Sri Lanka. His influence was considerably diminished by the intrusions of the Portuguese.

King Vimaladharmasuriya is regarded by some historians as the Kandyan Kingdom's second founder, responsible for its revival. Born Konnappu Bandara, he was baptized under the Portuguese name of Don João da Austria. In 1594 he married Princess Kusmasana Devi who, as Dona Catherina, was put forward by the Portuguese as the rightful claimant to the throne and became king. After renouncing Christianity and embracing Buddhism, Vimaladharmasuriya constructed a two-tiered shrine close to his palace in order to sanctify his capital Kandy and accommodate the politically important relic known as Buddha’s Tooth.^[1][2]

The Dutch explorer Joris van Spilbergen offered an alliance to fight off the Portuguese. Following these negotiations, Sebald de Weert was sent officially by Admiral Wybrand van Warwijck to mount a joint counter-attack against the Portuguese. The alliance ended in disaster however during a drinking party, where the Dutch became rowdy, insulted the king, with the consequence that they were all killed. An alliance would not be possible again until 1612, when a new Dutch envoy, Marcelis Boschouwer, established a treaty with King Senarat, ultimately leading to the eviction of the Portuguese from the island, and about one century of Dutch rule, until the British in turn took the island.

Vimala is depicted in Western sources meeting with the Dutch explorer Joris van Spilbergen in 1602.

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Kandian Kingdom List of rulers of Sri Lanka

Vimaladharmasuriya I Konnapu Bandara Dynasty
Regnal titles
Preceded by Dom João	King of Kandy 1592 –1604	Succeeded by Senarat I