Vijayabahu I
Encyclopedia
Vijayabahu I (ruled 1055–1110) was a medieval king of Sri Lanka
. Born to a royal bloodline, he grew up at a time which parts of the country were ruled by the invaders from the Chola dynasty
of India
. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna
principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055. Following a seventeen year long campaign, he successfully drove the Chola out of Sri Lanka in 1070, reuniting the country for the first time in over a century. During his reign, he re-established Buddhism in Sri Lanka
and repaired much of the damage caused to infrastructure during the wars.
principality, the southern part of the country. He was the son of King Moggallana, a ruler of Ruhuna and Queen Lokitha. Sri Lanka was then under control of Chola invaders from South India
, but Ruhuna was controlled by Sinhala
kings resisting the Chola rule. When he was fifteen years of age Kitti defeated the last of such rulers, Lokissara, with the aim of becoming the king of Ruhuna. Subsequently in 1055, he became king of Ruhuna and attained the name of ‘’’Vijayabahu’’’.
The Chola army frequently attacked Vijayabahu’s troops in Ruhuna. However, he managed to free Ruhuna from the Chola invaders by 1058 and take it under his complete control.
He established himself in Wakirigala after this and concentrated on organizing his army for a fresh attempt to capture Polonnaruwa. During this time, he also had to face rebellions from other Sinhala leaders fighting for the throne. Overcoming these rebellions, Vijayabahu continued to muster his armies in order to retake the Capital, but was not strong enough to attempt another attack against the Chola army.
Civil war broke out during 1069-1070 in the Chola empire in South India, throwing the country into turmoil. The concerns within India prevented the empire from focusing on Sri Lanka, providing an opportunity for Vijayabahu to attack again while the Chola forces in Polonnaruwa were more or less isolated.
Starting from Mahanagakula on the south of the Walawe river, Vijayabahu dispatched three armies to attack Polonnaruwa from three fronts. One army was sent along the western shore of the country to Mahathittha port to deal with any reinforcements arriving from South India. Afterwards, part of this army moved towards Polonnaruwa and attacked from the North-west, while the other part held the ports to prevent reinforcements from arriving. A second army was sent from the east across Magama to attack Polonnaruwa from the east. The third and main force advanced across the country, led by the king. Surrounded by these three armies, Polonnaruwa was besieged for seven months before king Vijayabahu’s forces entered the city. In 1070, Vijayabahu became the ruler of Polonnaruwa.
that lasted seventeen years. Polonnaruwa was renamed “Vijayarajapura” and chosen as the capital, making Vijayabahu the first Sinhala king of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom
. The coronation ceremony was held in a palace built for this purpose in Anuradhapura
, the former capital of the country. Vijayabahu took Lilavati, the daughter of Jagatipala of Kanauj as his queen. He also married Tilokasundari, a princess from Kalinga
, with the view of strengthening ties with the Kalingas.
During the Chola rule and the wars, Buddhism in the country had suffered a lot and Buddhist monks were few. Five ordained monks—necessary for the upasampada
(ordination) of Buddhist monks—could not be found in the whole country. To re-establish Buddhism in the country, Vijayabahu sought help from Burma. As a result, ordained monks were sent from Burma to Sri Lanka. These monks helped to re-establish Buddhism by ordaining new monks and teaching the Pitaka. In addition to this, Vijayabahu also repaired several Buddhist temples that were abandoned and destroyed. A new temple was also constructed in Polonnaruwa for the keeping of the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha
.
Vijayabahu also reconstructed a number of tanks
in Rajarata
destroyed during the wars, in addition to constructing several new tanks. This reconstruction of the irrigation system
in Rajarata area was important to the development of the country since the country depended mainly on paddy cultivation
.
Around 1084/1085, another quarrel with the Chola kingdom erupted when some ambassadors of Vijayabahu sent to West Chaiukya were harassed by them. However, the king’s decision for another war against the Chola Empire caused the Velakkara
mercenaries serving in Vijayabahu’s army to rebel against him. Several generals of the army were killed by the mutineers and the royal palace was burnt down. Vijayabahu fled to Wakirigala again but returned to Polonnaruwa and recaptured it, suppressing the rebellion. The rebel leaders were captured and executed.
Vijayabahu is also noted for constructing roads to Sri Pada and building resting places called ‘’ambalama’’ for the benefit of the pilgrims. He also granted villages and cultivations for the service of the pilgrims and the shrine.
Vijayabahu died in 1110, having reigned as king of Sri Lanka for fifty-five years. He was then known as “Mahalu Vijayabahu” (Vijayabahu the old) due to his age and long rule of the country. He is also commonly referred to as Maha Vijayabahu (Vijayabahu the great). The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
of the Sri Lanka Army is named after him.
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...
. Born to a royal bloodline, he grew up at a time which parts of the country were ruled by the invaders from the Chola dynasty
Chola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna is a region of southern Sri Lanka. It was the centre of a flourishing civilization and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka, Magama, Tissamaharama and Mahanagakula , were established here....
principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055. Following a seventeen year long campaign, he successfully drove the Chola out of Sri Lanka in 1070, reuniting the country for the first time in over a century. During his reign, he re-established Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Buddhism
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school, and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population.- History :...
and repaired much of the damage caused to infrastructure during the wars.
Early life
Vijayabahu was born around 1039, by the name of Kitti (Keethi) in RuhunaRuhuna
Ruhuna is a region of southern Sri Lanka. It was the centre of a flourishing civilization and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka, Magama, Tissamaharama and Mahanagakula , were established here....
principality, the southern part of the country. He was the son of King Moggallana, a ruler of Ruhuna and Queen Lokitha. Sri Lanka was then under control of Chola invaders from South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, but Ruhuna was controlled by Sinhala
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
kings resisting the Chola rule. When he was fifteen years of age Kitti defeated the last of such rulers, Lokissara, with the aim of becoming the king of Ruhuna. Subsequently in 1055, he became king of Ruhuna and attained the name of ‘’’Vijayabahu’’’.
The Chola army frequently attacked Vijayabahu’s troops in Ruhuna. However, he managed to free Ruhuna from the Chola invaders by 1058 and take it under his complete control.
First attempt to capture Polonnaruwa
After securing Ruhuna, his intention was to capture Polonnaruwa, the capital of the country. In 1066, he launched the first attack on Polonnaruwa, and captured and held the city for a brief time. However, after receiving reinforcements from South India, the strengthened Chola army attacked again, forcing Vijayabahu to flee.He established himself in Wakirigala after this and concentrated on organizing his army for a fresh attempt to capture Polonnaruwa. During this time, he also had to face rebellions from other Sinhala leaders fighting for the throne. Overcoming these rebellions, Vijayabahu continued to muster his armies in order to retake the Capital, but was not strong enough to attempt another attack against the Chola army.
Second attack on Polonnaruwa
Starting from Mahanagakula on the south of the Walawe river, Vijayabahu dispatched three armies to attack Polonnaruwa from three fronts. One army was sent along the western shore of the country to Mahathittha port to deal with any reinforcements arriving from South India. Afterwards, part of this army moved towards Polonnaruwa and attacked from the North-west, while the other part held the ports to prevent reinforcements from arriving. A second army was sent from the east across Magama to attack Polonnaruwa from the east. The third and main force advanced across the country, led by the king. Surrounded by these three armies, Polonnaruwa was besieged for seven months before king Vijayabahu’s forces entered the city. In 1070, Vijayabahu became the ruler of Polonnaruwa.
Ruling of the country
After the victory at Polonnaruwa, Vijayabahu had to face more rebellions. This caused him to delay his coronation, which took place in 1072 or 1073, eighteen years after being crowned as Vijayabahu in Ruhuna and after a military campaignMilitary campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
that lasted seventeen years. Polonnaruwa was renamed “Vijayarajapura” and chosen as the capital, making Vijayabahu the first Sinhala king of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom
Polonnaruwa Kingdom
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was the kingdom from which Sri Lankan kings ruled the island from the 8th century until 1310 CE.-Founding:The city is situated on the left bank of River Mahaweli...
. The coronation ceremony was held in a palace built for this purpose in Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
, the former capital of the country. Vijayabahu took Lilavati, the daughter of Jagatipala of Kanauj as his queen. He also married Tilokasundari, a princess from Kalinga
Kalinga
Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north...
, with the view of strengthening ties with the Kalingas.
During the Chola rule and the wars, Buddhism in the country had suffered a lot and Buddhist monks were few. Five ordained monks—necessary for the upasampada
Upasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
(ordination) of Buddhist monks—could not be found in the whole country. To re-establish Buddhism in the country, Vijayabahu sought help from Burma. As a result, ordained monks were sent from Burma to Sri Lanka. These monks helped to re-establish Buddhism by ordaining new monks and teaching the Pitaka. In addition to this, Vijayabahu also repaired several Buddhist temples that were abandoned and destroyed. A new temple was also constructed in Polonnaruwa for the keeping of the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha
Relic of the tooth of the Buddha
The Sacred Relic of the tooth of Buddha is venerated in Sri Lanka as a relic of the founder of Buddhism.-The relic in India:...
.
Vijayabahu also reconstructed a number of tanks
Irrigation tank
For etymology, see Storage tank#Etymology.In India, an irrigation tank or tank is an artificial reservoir of any size. . It can also have a natural or man-made spring included as part of a structure...
in Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata is the name given to the region of Sri Lanka from which monarchs ruled the country from approximately the 5th Century BCE to the early 13th Century CE...
destroyed during the wars, in addition to constructing several new tanks. This reconstruction of the irrigation system
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
in Rajarata area was important to the development of the country since the country depended mainly on paddy cultivation
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
.
Around 1084/1085, another quarrel with the Chola kingdom erupted when some ambassadors of Vijayabahu sent to West Chaiukya were harassed by them. However, the king’s decision for another war against the Chola Empire caused the Velakkara
Velakkara
Velakkaras are royal guards mentioned in various historical accounts of Sri Lanka. The general prevailing notion is that they were Tamil mercenaries employed by the Sinhala and Tamil kings...
mercenaries serving in Vijayabahu’s army to rebel against him. Several generals of the army were killed by the mutineers and the royal palace was burnt down. Vijayabahu fled to Wakirigala again but returned to Polonnaruwa and recaptured it, suppressing the rebellion. The rebel leaders were captured and executed.
Vijayabahu is also noted for constructing roads to Sri Pada and building resting places called ‘’ambalama’’ for the benefit of the pilgrims. He also granted villages and cultivations for the service of the pilgrims and the shrine.
Vijayabahu died in 1110, having reigned as king of Sri Lanka for fifty-five years. He was then known as “Mahalu Vijayabahu” (Vijayabahu the old) due to his age and long rule of the country. He is also commonly referred to as Maha Vijayabahu (Vijayabahu the great). The Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
The king Vijayabahu was the one of the greatest rulers who ruled Sri Lanka from 1055 AD to 1110 AD. His heroic action is very popular among the Sri Lankans. Our Regiment is privilege to name as the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment to give the honour and respect to this great king...
of the Sri Lanka Army is named after him.
See also
- MahavamsaMahavamsaThe Mahavamsa is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka...
- List of monarchs of Sri Lanka
- History of Sri LankaHistory of Sri LankaThe History of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipavamsa, the Culavamsa and the Rajaveliya, record events from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC; through the arrival of European...
- Vijayabahu Infantry RegimentVijayabahu Infantry RegimentThe king Vijayabahu was the one of the greatest rulers who ruled Sri Lanka from 1055 AD to 1110 AD. His heroic action is very popular among the Sri Lankans. Our Regiment is privilege to name as the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment to give the honour and respect to this great king...