King of Ceylon (1153 86). He was the son of the eldest of the three brothers, Mánábharana, Kittisirimegha and Sirivallabha, who ruled over Dakkhinadesa and Rohana. He was born at Punkhagáma in the Dakkhinadesa, where Mánábharana was ruler. His birth was accompanied by various miracles. Vikkamabáhu II., the then reigning king at Pulatthipura, hearing of this, wished to bring the boy up at his own court and make him his heir in place of his own son. But Mánábharana refused to consent to this, and soon after died. Thereupon his brother Kittisirimegha took over Dakkhinadesa and left Rohana to Sirivallabha, who brought Mánábharana's widow Ratnávalí with her two daughters Mittá and Pabhávatí and her son Parakkama, to his capital of Mahánágakula. Meanwhile Vikkamabáhu dies and is succeeded by his son Gajabáhu, who maintains his position in spite of the attacks of Kittisirimegha and Sirivallabha. Parakkama, finding no scope for his talents in Rohana, seeks his uncle Kittisirimegha, who receives him joyfully and takes him to live in his capital at Sankhatthalí. There Parakkama finishes his education, and his coming of age is celebrated under the direction of the Senápati Sankha of Badalatthalí. Sirivallabha dies in Rohana and is succeeded by his son, the younger Mánábharana. Parakkama's ambitious spirit makes him restless, and he is discontented at the prospect of serving a petty principality. He wishes to seek royal dignity in Rájarattha, and refuses to listen to his uncle's dissuasion, who assures him that he is only influenced by his love for him and fears for his safety. But Parakkama leaves Sankhatthalí secretly and goes to Badalatthalí, where the general Sankha is slain because he informed the king of Parakkama's flight. Parakkama then goes to Buddhagáma 'near the frontiers of the Rájarattha. The inhabitants make repeated attempts to check his advance, but he repels these by his valour.
Meanwhile Kittisirimegha, after consultation with his ministers, sends a stronger force to try and overcome him, but the force is ambushed by the prince and completely routed after a night assault in Khíravápi. Parakkama then goes to Rájarattha, where messengers with gifts from Gajabáhu meet him, the latter following to greet him in person and bring him to the capital. Parakkama lives at the court in Pulatthipura, but spends his time in spying out the country and intriguing with his host's subjects. In order to lull the suspicions of Gajabáhu, he gives him his sister Bhaddavatí in marriage, keeping her dowry in his own hands. Later, feeling his position insecure, he returns to Dakkhinadesa, meeting on the way with all kinds of adventures which put his courage to the test. Kittisirimegha, delighted to hear of his return, sends messengers to Saraggáma to meet him. But Parakkama hesitates to enter the capital until persuaded by his mother to do so. Shortly after, Kittisirimegha dies and Parakkama succeeds to the throne. He consolidates his position by various captures, including that of Gajabáhu, which follows on the storming of Pulatthipura. But Mánábharana comes to the rescue, defeats Parakkama's army, and sets Gajabáhu free; but the latter, finding him unbearable, appeals to Parakkama for help. War ensues, and Gajabáhu, again at liberty, flees, while his officers fight with Parakkama. Utimately he abdicates in favour of the latter, and dies at Gangátata. His ministers, however, send for Mánábharana, while Parakkama hastens to Pulatthipura, where he is crowned. A campaign of varying fortunes ensues ending in the defeat of Mánábharana, who flees to his own country, where he dies. Parakkama is then crowned a second time. Parakkama is now sole monarch, but his rule is not universally acceptable. In the fourth year of his reign, Sugalá, mother of Mánábharana, raises the standard of revolt in Rohana. The campaign against her is a protracted one and is conducted by the general Rakkha. In the early part of the campaign the Tooth and Bowl Relies are recovered and brought with great ceremony to Pulatthipura. The rebels are gradually cornered and defeated. Sugalá is captured, and the revolt collapses. Rohana is quiet for a time, but rises again after some years.
In the twelfth year of his reign, Parakkama goes to war with the king of Rámańńa, disputes having arisen about the elephant trade and the treatment of the Sinhalese ambassadors, the crowning offence being the seizing of a princess who was being sent from Ceylon to Kamboja. A fleet is collected at Pallavavanka, and the soldiers are landed at the port of Kusumí, with the Nagaragiri Kitti at their head, a further attack being made by the Damiládhikarin Ádicca at Papphálama. After five months the Rámańńa king is slain and peace again restored.
Soon after, the Pandu king Parakkama being besieged by the Cola king Kulasekhara, appeals for help from Ceylon. Parakkamabáhu sends an army under his general Lankápura, but, in the meantime, the Pandu king has been slain and his capital Madhurá taken. The Sinhalese army, however, landed on the opposite coast and carried on a war against the Colas, and built a fortress called Parakkamapura. As a result of this campaign, Kulasekhara was defeated and the Pandu king's son, Vírapandu, was crowned in the ancient capital. The Cola prisoners were sent to Ceylon and employed in repairing the Ratanaváluka cetiya. The village of Panduvijaya was founded by Parakkama to commemorate the victory. The ultimate outcome of this expedition is not certain. The Cola records claim that Lankápura was defeated, and that his head was nailed to the gates of Madhurá together with those of his generals. The war of the Pandyan succession did not end there.
Parakkamabáhu now engaged in more peaceful pursuits and, after some trouble, he succeeded in reconciling the three sects of monks the Mahávihára, the Abhayagiri and the Jetavana and held a convocation under a thera called Mahá Kassapa. The Vaitulya heresy now finally disappeared from Ceylon. The king built for the use of the monks the Jetavanáráma, including a round Temple of the Tooth, in the vicinity of the royal palace, and, further to the north, he constructed the Áláhana Parivena, the Lankátilaka vihára and the Baddhasímápásáda. He also built the Pacchimáráma, the Uttáráráma and the Mahá Thúpa (or Damila Thúpa).
In the three suburbs he built the Isipatana, the Kusináráráma and the Veluvana viháras, and, in addition, the Kapila vihára, while he restored the shrines at Anurádhapura.
Parakkamabáhu also enlarged and fortified Pulatthipura and adorned the city with numerous palaces and pleasure gardens. He paid great attention to irrigation, opening the Ákásagangá and forming or improving a system of irrigation, its centre being in the Parakkama samudda, and building numerous tanks throughout the country.
The internal peace of the latter half of his reign was disturbed only by a rebellion near Mahátittha, this being easily quelled.
Parakkamabáhu I. was succeeded by his sister's son, Vijayabahu II. According to the Nikáyasangraha, Parakkama was born after death as the god Naradeva in the Himálaya.
Chaps. 62 79 of the Cv. are devoted to a description of Parakkamabáhu and his reign. The above is a very concise account of the contents of these chapters.
Son of Vijayabáhu III. and brother of Bhuvanekabáhu. He was born at Sirivaddhana, and, in his youth, was entrusted to the care of the monks under Sangharakkhita. On the death of his father he ascended the throne, and reigned for thirty three years (1236 68), at Jambuddoni, as Parakkamabáhu II. On account of his profound erudition, he received the sobriquet of Kalikála Sáhicca sabbańńupandita ("the scholar entirely familiar with literature in the Dark Age"). The first act of his reign was the bringing of the Tooth Relic from the Billa mountain to the capital, amidst the exhibition of various miracles. He then set about regaining Pulatthipura from the Tamils, with Mághinda and Jayabáhu at their head, and this was accomplished by 1244. In the eleventh year of his reign Ceylon was invaded by a Jávaka (Javanese) named Candabhánu, probably a sea robber with a large force. The attack was repulsed by Vírabáhu, the king's nephew, but Candabhánu appeared again later. The rest of Parakkama's life was devoted to pious works. He invited Cola monks over to Ceylon and held a convocation, with the object of reforming the priesthood, and showed special honour to Dhammakitti, a monk of Tambarattha. Among buildings erected by him were the Bhuvenakabáhu parivena at Billasela and the Mahámahindabáhu parivena at Hatthiselapura. He also restored the viháras at Kalyáni and at Hatthavangalla. He added to the Sirivijayasundaravihára built by his father and inaugurated a yearly festival in Devanagara. He made a pilgrimage to Samantakúta and erected a bridge, so that pilgrims might reach it more easily. In all these works he was assisted by his minister Devappatirája. Parakkama had five sons: Vijayabáhu, Bhuvanekabáhu, Tibhuvanamalla, Parakkamabáhu and Jayabáhu. In his old age he abdicated in favour of his son Vijayabáhu, who, because of his piety, was called Bodhisatta. Cv., chaps. 81 9.
One of the five sons of Parakkamabáhu II. Nothing further is known of him. Cv.lxxxvii.16.
Son of Vijayabáhu IV. and grandson of Parakkamabáhu II. He became king about 1302 A.C., but the length of his reign is not known: He paid a visit to the Pándyan king and recovered the Tooth and Bowl Relies which had been carried away by Ariyacakkavatti. They were restored to Pulatthipura (Cv.xc.48ff). It may be conjectured that Parakkama secured the Relies at the price of vassalage to the Pándyan court.
Son of Bhuvanekabáhu II. He became king in Hatthiselapura as Parakkamabáhu IV. in about 1325 A.C. The length of his reign is unknown. He paid great honour to the Tooth Relic and is said to have written, in Sinhalese, a work called the Ceremonial of the Tooth Relic (Dáthádhátucáritta). Cv. xc.64f.
King of Ceylon (Cv.xc.1; see Codrington, op. cit., 83, 89, and Cv. Trs. ii. 212, n. 1). He was, perhaps, the brother of Bhuvanekabáhu IV., and, probably, had his capital at Gangásiripura. The period of his reign is not definitely known, but it was somewhere between 1348 and 1360 A.C.
King of Ceylon (Cv.xci.16ff.; see also Cv. Trs., ii.215, n. 1; and Codrington, op. cit., 90f). He ruled at Jayavaddhanapura. The Cúlavamsa tells us nothing of importance except that his mother was Sunettá. We gather from other sources that his father was Vijayabáhu, but the authenticity of this information is doubtful. The date of his accession is also uncertain. Some place it at 1412 A.C., others at 1415 A.C. At the beginning of his reign he lived for three years at Rájagáma, moving later to Jayavaddhanapura. Among his religious works were the restoration of the monasteries at Gandáladoni and Lankátilaka, and the building of a temple of the Tooth in his capital, Also the founding of the Sunettá parivena in honour of his mother. He abdicated in favour of his sister's son, Vira Parakkamabáhu, and died after a reign of fifty five years. His reign is noted for a great output of Sinhalese literature, particularly of poetry.
Also called Pandita Parakkamabáhu, son of Bhuvanekabáhu VI. (Cv.xcii.3). He reigned for four years (circa 1480 84 A.C.), and was slain by his uncle who became king as Víra Parakkamabáhu. Codrington, op. cit., 94f.
Also called Víra Parakkamabáhu, uncle of Parakkamabáhu VII. (Cv.xcii.3). He seems to have ruled from about 1484-1509 A.C. He had constant trouble with his relations. His successor's name is uncertain. Codrington, op. cit., 94f.
Also called Dhamma Parakkamabáhu. He is not mentioned in the Cúlavamsa, but probably ruled somewhere about 1509 28 A.C. Codrington, op. cit., 95f.