Valagamba of Anuradhapura

Walagamba
King of Sri Lanka
Reign 103 BC, 89 BC–77BC
Full name wattagamani Abhaya
Died 77 BC
Predecessor Dathika
Successor Mahakuli Mahatissa
Consort Anuladevi
Somadevi
Offspring Mahanaga

Valagamba, also known as Vattagamani Abhaya[1] and Valagambahu, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years. He is also known for the construction of the Abhayagiri Dagaba.

Contents

Ascension to the throne

Valagamba was the fourth son of King Saddha Tissa, the brother of Dutthagamani. His three elder brothers Thulatthana, Lanja Tissa and Khallata Naga ruled the country before him.[2] A General of the army named Kammaharattaka (Maharattaka) killed Khallatanaga, the last of them and seized power. Valagamba in turn killed Kammaharattaka and took the throne himself in 103 BC.[3]

He kept Mahaculika, the son of Khallatanaga, as his own son, and took Anuladevi, Mahaculika's mother, as his queen. He also had another queen named Somadevi.[2]

Rebellion and invasion

Five months after his coronation as king, a Brahmin in Rohana named Tissa rebelled against him. At the same time, an invading army from South India led by seven Tamil leaders landed in Mahatittha. Tissa and the seven Tamil leaders all sent messages to Valagamba, telling him to hand over power to them.[3] Valagamba informed the Brahmin Tissa that the kingdom will be his and told him to defeat the invading army. Accepting this, Tissa tried to fight but was defeated by the Tamils.[2]

After this, the seven Tamil leaders waged war against Valagamba, and defeated him after a battle at Kolambalaka. While the king was fleeing in a chariot, a nirgrantha (Jain named Giri shouted that the king was fleeing. Valagamba resolved to build a temple there, and later built the Abhayagiriya after he regained the throne.[2] When the pursuers were gaining on them, Queen Somadevi got down from the chariot to lighten it and give the king a chance to escape, and was captured.[3]

Valagamba, in hiding, organized a large army in order to attack Anuradhapura and defeat the invading army. However, a rift between him and his ministers resulted in them leaving him and thus weakening the army.[3] However, the sangha brought about a reconciliation and Valagamba resumed his preparations for attacking Anuradhapura.[2]

Regaining power

In 89 BC, Valagamba regained the throne after defeating Dathika, the last of the invading Tamil leaders, and ruled the country for twelve years until his death in 77 BC.[4] He sent for Somadevi and restored her as queen, and built a temple named Somarama in her honour.[2]

Services

The king built Abhayagiri Dagaba and stupa, which has a height of about 70 metres (230 ft).[5] The Abhayagiri temple became one of the three main Buddhist institutions in the country.[4] Valagamba also built several other temples. The Tripiṭaka, which was handed down orally in the Bhikkhu order until then, was recorded on palm leaves during his reign.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Obeyesekere, Gananath. The Cult of the Goddess Pattini. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226616029. http://books.google.lk/books?id=Sm3xBCrA7cgC&pg=RA1-PA369&lpg=RA1-PA369&dq=Valagamba%2BVattagamani&source=bl&ots=HuxybjW_ub&sig=ewBIvb4d8-2pmXiHlTnnncw6q3s&hl=en&ei=AFthSuygDafg6gPQstCrDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f Geiger, Wilhelm. "Mahavamsa - The Ten Kings". http://mahavamsa.org/2008/05/33-ten-kings/. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  3. ^ a b c d Wijesooriya, S. (2006). A Concise Sinhala Mahavamsa. Participatory Development Forum. ISBN 955-9140-31-0. 
  4. ^ a b Siriweera, W. I. (2004). History of Sri Lanka. Dayawansa Jayakodi & Company. ISBN 955-551-257-4. 
  5. ^ "Anuradhapura". Sacred Destinations. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/sri-lanka/anuradhapura.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  6. ^ Ellawala, H. (1969). Social Hostory of Early Ceylon. Department of Cultural Affairs. 

External links

Valagamba of Anuradhapura
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Dathika		 King of Anuradhapura
103 BC and 89 BC–77 AD		 Succeeded by
Mahakuli Mahatissa
House of Vijaya
(477 BC-237 BC, 215 BC–205 BC)
Pandukabhaya (437 BC-367 BC) • Mutasiva (367 BC-307 BC) • Devanampiya Tissa (307 BC-267 BC) • Uttiya (267 BC-257 BC) • Mahasiva (257 BC-247 BC) • Suratissa (247 BC-237 BC) • Asela (215 BC-205 BC)
Chola invaders
(237 BC–215 BC, 205 BC–161 BC)
Sena and Guttika (237 BC-215 BC) • Elara (205 BC-161 BC)
House of Vijaya
(161 BC–103 BC)
Dutthagamani (161 BC-137 BC) • Saddha Tissa (137 BC-119 BC) • Thulatthana (119 BC-119 BC) • Lanja Tissa (119 BC-109 BC) • Khallata Naga (109 BC-104 BC) • Valagamba (104 BC-103 BC)
The Five Dravida
(103 BC–89 BC)
Pulahatta (103 BC-100 BC) • Bahiya (100 BC-98 BC) • Panya Mara (98 BC-91 BC) • Pilaya Mara (91 BC-90 BC) • Dathika (90 BC-88 BC)
House of Vijaya
(89 BC–66 AD)
Valagamba (104 BC-103 BC) • Mahakuli Mahatissa (76 BC-62 BC) • Chora Naga (62 BC-50 BC) • Kuda Tissa (50 BC-47 BC) • Siva I (47 BC-47 BC) • Vatuka (47 BC-47 BC) • Darubhatika Tissa (47 BC-47 BC) • Niliya (47 BC-47 BC) • Anula (47 BC-42 BC) • Kutakanna Tissa (42 BC-20 BC) • Bhatikabhaya Abhaya (20 BC-9 AD) • Mahadathika Mahanaga (9-21) • Amandagamani Abhaya (21-30) • Kanirajanu Tissa (30-33) • Chulabhaya (33-35) • Sivali (35-35) • Interregnum (35-38) • Ilanaga (38-44) • Chandamukha (44-52) • Yassalalaka (52-60) • Subharaja (60-66)
House of Lambakanna I
(66–436)
Vasabha (66-110) • Vankanasika Tissa (110-113) • Gajabahu I (113-135) • Mahallaka Naga (135-141) • Bhatika Tissa (141-165) • Kanittha Tissa (165-193) • Cula Naga (193-195) • Kuda Naga (195-196) • Siri Naga I (196-215) • Voharika Tissa (215-237) • Abhaya Naga (237-245) • Siri Naga II (245-247) • Vijaya Kumara (247-248) • Sangha Tissa I (248-252) • Siri Sangha Bodhi I (252-254) • Gothabhaya (254-267) • Jettha Tissa I (267-277) • Mahasena (277-304) • Sirimeghavanna (304-332) • Jettha Tissa II (332-341) • Buddhadasa (341-370) • Upatissa I (370-412) • |Mahanama (412-434) • Soththisena (434-434) • Chattagahaka Jantu (434-435) • Mittasena (435-436)
The Six Dravidas
(436–463)
Pandu (436-441) • Parindu (441-441) • Khudda Parinda (441-447) • Tiritara (447-447) • Dathiya (447-450) • Pithiya (450-452)
House of Moriya
(463–691)
Dhatusena (463-479) • Kashyapa I (479-497) • Moggallana I (497-515) • Kumara Dhatusena (515-524) • Kittisena (524-524) • Siva II (524-525) • Upatissa II (525-526) • Silakala Ambosamanera (526-539) • Dathappabhuti (539-540) • Moggallana II (540-560) • Kittisiri Meghavanna (560-561) • Maha Naga (561-564) • Aggabodhi I (564-598) • Aggabodhi II (598-608) • Sangha Tissa II (608-608) • Moggallana III (608-614) • Silameghavanna (614-623) • Aggabodhi III (623-623) • Jettha Tissa III (623-624) • Aggabodhi III (624-640) • Dathopa Tissa I (640-652) • Kassapa II (652-661) • Dappula I (661-664) • Dathopa Tissa II (664-673) • Aggabodhi IV (673-689) • Unhanagara Hatthadatha (691-691)
House of Lambakanna II
(691-1017)
Manavanna (691-726) • Aggabodhi V (726-732) • Kassapa III (732-738) • Mahinda I (738-741) • Aggabodhi VI (741-781) • Aggabodhi VII (781-787) • Mahinda II (787-807) • Dappula II (807-812) • Mahinda III (812-816) • Aggabodhi VIII (816-827) • Dappula III (827-843) • Aggabodhi IX (843-846) • Sena I (846-866) • Sena II (866-901) • Udaya I (901-912) • Kassapa IV (912-929) • Kassapa V (929-939) • Dappula IV (939-940) • Dappula V (940-952) • Udaya II (952-955) • Sena III (955-964) • Udaya III (964-972) • Sena IV (972-975) • Mahinda IV (975-991) • Sena V (991-1001) • Mahinda V (1001-1017)
Italics indicate regent.