Cankili II
Encyclopedia
Cankili II (died 1619) was the self-proclaimed last king of the Jaffna kingdom
and was a usurper who came to throne with a palace
massacre of the royal princess and the regent Arasakesari in 1617. His regency was rejected by the Portuguese
colonials in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. He precipitated the end of the Jaffna kingdom by inviting military forces from Thanjavur Nayaks
and Malabari
Corsairs. He was defeated by the Portuguese in 1619 and was taken to Goa
and hanged. With his death the Aryacakravarti line of Kings who had ruled the kingdom for over 300 years came to an end.
or Colombo to agree to his over rule and regency due to opposition for him from the pro Portuguese Mudaliars, he invited the Thanjavur Nayaks to send military help. He also allowed corsairs from Malabar to use a base in Neduntivu that posed a threat to Portuguese shipping through Palk Straight.
where he was executed . Every surviving direct royal family member was taken to Goa and most were "encouraged" to become monks and nuns in various holy orders and most obliged. This was to avoid any further claimants to the Jaffna throne.
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
and was a usurper who came to throne with a palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
massacre of the royal princess and the regent Arasakesari in 1617. His regency was rejected by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonials in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He precipitated the end of the Jaffna kingdom by inviting military forces from Thanjavur Nayaks
Thanjavur Nayaks
Thanjavur Nayaks were the rulers of Thanjavur principality of Tamil Nadu between the 16th to the 17th century C.E. The Nayaks were subordinates of the imperial Vijayanagara emperors, and were appointed as provincial governors by the Vijayanagar Emperor who divided the Tamil country into three...
and Malabari
Malabars
Malabars is an appellation originating from the colonial era that was used by Westerners to refer to all the people of South India...
Corsairs. He was defeated by the Portuguese in 1619 and was taken to Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and hanged. With his death the Aryacakravarti line of Kings who had ruled the kingdom for over 300 years came to an end.
Precipitous actions
With the death of Ethirimana Cinkam in 1617, there were three claimants to the throne. One was Cankili II, a nephew of the king. The other the claimants were the king’s young son and a group of pro-Portuguese Mudaliyars. Eventually Cankili II became the king under the name Segarasasekaran VIII (1617–1619) through a palace massacre. As he was not able to get the Portuguese authorities in MannarMannar, Sri Lanka
Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior...
or Colombo to agree to his over rule and regency due to opposition for him from the pro Portuguese Mudaliars, he invited the Thanjavur Nayaks to send military help. He also allowed corsairs from Malabar to use a base in Neduntivu that posed a threat to Portuguese shipping through Palk Straight.
Downfall
By June of 1619, there were two expeditions; one naval that was defeated by the Malabari corsairs but the land expedition by Phillippe de Oliveira with 5,000 men was able to defeat Cankili II and his troops. Cankili was captured and taken to GoaGoa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
where he was executed . Every surviving direct royal family member was taken to Goa and most were "encouraged" to become monks and nuns in various holy orders and most obliged. This was to avoid any further claimants to the Jaffna throne.