House of Siri Sanga Bo

House of Siri Sanga Bo was a powerful dynasty which ruled parts of Sri Lanka from Vijayabahu III of Dambadeniya (1220–1224) until Rajasinha I of Sitawaka (1581–1591). Vijayabahu III of Dambadeniya routed Kalinga Magha's armies from Maya Rata and established his fortress at Dambadeniya. This dynasty was able to protect their independence by facing so many foreign invasions thereafter. They had to change their capital city to Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa and Kurunagala because of continuous invasions from southern India.^[2]

Rise of Dambadeniya

In the reign of Kalinga Magha, native sinhalese people moved to south and Maya Rata because of his remorseless governance in Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Meanwhile, this reign, a descendant of King Sirisangabo called "Vijayabahu III", fought against Kalinga Magha's armies and became the king of Dambadeniya. He obtained Lord Buddha's tooth relic and alms chalice to Dambadeniya from the place which Magha's people had buried them in Kotmale. He helped to reconstruct the destroyed Buddhist dispensation. He was the founder of the House of Siri Sanga Bo.^[3]

Rajasinha I of Sitawaka (Prince Tikiri Bandara)

The decline of the Kingdom of Sitawaka

The Last King of this dynasty was Rajasinha I of Sitawaka. He was a warrior and a great king of Sitawaka. He was also the son of Mayadunne. Later, He designated a South Indian, called "Aritta Kivendu" (Mannamperuma Mohottala) as his chief advisor. Kivendu influenced him to be converted to Hinduism. Rajasinha was advised by Kivendu to destroy significant Buddhist sites such as Sigiriya and Sri pada. These attacks caused to a discontent among Buddhist people and prelates about the king. It was one of the main reasons of the decline of the Kingdom of Sitawaka and House of Siri Sanga Bo. Because of his actions Buddhists led a rebellion against Rajasinha. He suppressed the rebellion and the leaders who supported the rebellion were caught. Most of them were Buddhist prelates. Over hundreds of Buddhist monks (with the chief prelate of Sitawaka) were killed by Rajasinha. These acts created a huge resentment among the Buddhists and the King.

After the annexation of Kandy, Rajasinha killed "Weerasundara Bandara", his agent (Samantha) of Kandy. Weerasundara Bandara's son escaped to Portuguese army in Mannar from Sitawaka. His name was Konappu Bandara. Later, He returned to Kandy and rebelled against Rajasinha with the help of Portuguese army. He captured Kandy from Rajasinha and became the King of Kandy. Even though, Rajasinha didn't stop his attempts to recapture Kandy. The last attempt of Rajasinha (Battle of Balana) was defeated by Konappu Bandara. While he was returning from Balana, he was wounded by a pointed bamboo segment and died at the garden of Pethangoda in March 1592. Rajasinha had no heirs to the throne of Sitawaka. His kingdom was sacked by Konappu Bandara (Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy) and the Portuguese.

Monarchs of House of Siri Sanga Bo

Kingdom of Dambadeniya (1220–1345)

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	King From	King Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Vijayabahu III	-	-	1220	1224	*A patriotic Prince of Sinhala Royal blood
	Parakkamabahu II	-	-	1234	1269	*Eldest son of Vijaya Bahu III
	Vijayabahu IV	-	October 1270	1267/8	October 1270	*Eldest son of Panditha Parakrama Bahu II
	Bhuvanaikabahu I (from Yapahuwa)	-	-	1271	1283	*Brother of Vijaya Bahu IV
	Interregnum	-	-	1283	1302
	Parakkamabahu III (from Polonnaruwa)	-	-	1302	1310	*Nephew of Buvaneka Bahu I *Son of Vijaya Bahu IV
	Bhuvanaikabahu II (from Kurunagala)	-	-	1310	1325/6	*Son of Buvaneka Bahu I *Cousin of Parakrama Bahu III
	Parakkamabahu IV (from Kurunagala)	-	-	1325/6	1325/6	*Son of Buvanekka Bahu II
	Bhuvanaikabahu III (from Kurunagala)	-	-	1325/6	1325/6	*Known as Vanni Buvaneka Bahu
	Vijayabahu V (from Kurunagala)	-	-	1325/6	1344/5	*Second son of Chandra Banu of Jaffnapatnam

Kingdom of Gampola (1345–1412)

Kingdom of Kotte (1412–1597)

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	King From	King Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Parakramabahu VI	-	-	1412	1467	*Son of Vijaya Bahu VI and his Queen Sunetra Devi *Or the third son of Chandra Banu of Yapa Patuna (Jaffnapatnam)
	Jayabahu II (Vira Parakrama Bahu VII)	-	-	1467	1472	*Son of Parakrama Bahu II’s natural daughter, Ulakudaya Devi
	Bhuvanekabahu VI (a.k.a. Sapumal Kumara)	-	-	1472	1480	*Son of Parakrama Bahu VI
	Parakramabahu VII	-	-	1480	1484
	Parakramabahu VIII	-	-	1484	1518	*Ambulagala Kumara *Son of Parakrama Bahu VI
	Dharma Parakramabahu IX (from Kelaniya)	-	-	1509	1528	*Son of Vira Parakrama Bahu VIII
	Vijayabahu VII	-	1521	1509	1521	*Brother of Dharma Parakrama Bahu IX *Rajah of Menik Kadavara
	Bhuvanekabahu VII	-	1551	1521	1551	*Eldest son of Vijaya Bahu
	Dharmapala (a.k.a. Dom Joaõ Dharmapala)	-	May 27, 1597	1551	May 27, 1597	*Grandson and heir of Bhuvanekabãhu VII

Kingdom of Sitawaka (1521–1593)

Portrait	Name	Birth	Death	King From	King Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Mayadunne	1501	1581	1521	1581	*Brother of Bhuvaneka Bahu VII *Son of Vijaya Bahu VII
	Rajasinha I (a.k.a. Tikiri Banda)	1544	1593	1581	1593	*Son of Mayadunne

See also

• Vijayabahu III of Dambadeniya
• Kingdom of Dambadeniya
• Rajasinha I of Sitawaka
• Sitawaka
• Battle of Balana
• Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy

References