König of Ceylon (1153 86). He was the son of the eldest of the three brothers, Mānābharana, Kittisirimegha und Sirivallabha, who ruled over Dakkhinadesa und Rohana. He was born at Punkhagāma in the Dakkhinadesa, where Mānābharana was ruler. His birth was accompanied by various miracles. Vikkamabāhu II., the then reigning König at Pulatthipura, hearing of this, wished to bring the boy up at his own court und make him his heir in place of his own son. But Mānābharana refused to consent to this, und soon after died. Thereupon his brother Kittisirimegha took over Dakkhinadesa und left Rohana to Sirivallabha, who brought Mānābharana's widow Ratnāvalī mit her two daughters Mittā und Pabhāvatī und her son Parakkama, to his capital of Mahānāgakula. Meanwhile Vikkamabāhu dies und is succeeded by his son Gajabāhu, who maintains his position in spite of the attacks of Kittisirimegha und Sirivallabha. Parakkama, finding no scope for his talents in Rohana, seeks his uncle Kittisirimegha, who receives him joyfully und takes him to live in his capital at Sankhatthalī. There Parakkama finishes his education, und his coming of age is celebrated under the direction of the Senāpati Sankha of Badalatthalī. Sirivallabha dies in Rohana und is succeeded by his son, the younger Mānābharana. Parakkama's ambitious spirit makes him restless, und he is discontented at the prospect of serving a petty principality. He wishes to seek royal dignity in Rājarattha, und refuses to listen to his uncle's dissuasion, who assures him that he is only influenced by his love for him und fears for his safety. But Parakkama leaves Sankhatthalī secretly und goes to Badalatthalī, where the general Sankha is slain because he informed the König of Parakkama's flight. Parakkama then goes to Buddhagāma 'near the frontiers of the Rājarattha. The inhabitants make repeated attempts to check his advance, but he repels these by his valour.
Meanwhile Kittisirimegha, after consultation mit his ministers, sends a stronger force to try und overcome him, but the force is ambushed by the prince und completely routed after a night assault in Khīravāpi. Parakkama then goes to Rājarattha, where messengers mit gifts from Gajabāhu meet him, the latter following to greet him in person und bring him to the capital. Parakkama lives at the court in Pulatthipura, but spends his time in spying out the country und intriguing mit his host's subjects. In order to lull the suspicions of Gajabāhu, he gives him his sister Bhaddavatī in marriage, keeping her dowry in his own hands. Later, feeling his position insecure, he returns to Dakkhinadesa, meeting on the way mit all kinds of adventures which put his courage to the test. Kittisirimegha, delighted to hear of his return, sends messengers to Saraggāma to meet him. But Parakkama hesitates to enter the capital until persuaded by his Mutter to do so. Shortly after, Kittisirimegha dies und Parakkama succeeds to the throne. He consolidates his position by various captures, including that of Gajabāhu, which follows on the storming of Pulatthipura. But Mānābharana comes to the rescue, defeats Parakkama's army, und sets Gajabāhu free; but the latter, finding him unbearable, appeals to Parakkama for help. War ensues, und Gajabāhu, again at liberty, flees, while his officers fight mit Parakkama. Utimately he abdicates in favour of the latter, und dies at Gangātata. His ministers, however, send for Mānābharana, while Parakkama hastens to Pulatthipura, where he is crowned. A campaign of varying fortunes ensues ending in the defeat of Mānābharana, 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, Sugalā, Mutter of Mānābharana, raises the standard of revolt in Rohana. The campaign against her is a protracted one und is conducted by the general Rakkha. In the early part of the campaign the Tooth und Bowl Relies are recovered und brought mit great ceremony to Pulatthipura. The rebels are gradually cornered und defeated. Sugalā is captured, und 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 mit the König of Rāmañña, disputes having arisen about the elephant trade und 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, und the soldiers are landed at the port of Kusumī, mit the Nagaragiri Kitti at their head, a further attack being made by the Damilādhikarin ādicca at Papphālama. After fünf months the Rāmañña König is slain und peace again restored.
Soon after, the Pandu König Parakkama being besieged by the Cola König Kulasekhara, appeals for help from Ceylon. Parakkamabāhu sends an army under his general Lankāpura, but, in the meantime, the Pandu König has been slain und his capital Madhurā taken. The Sinhalese army, however, landed on the opposite coast und carried on a war against the Colas, und built a fortress called Parakkamapura. As a result of this campaign, Kulasekhara was defeated und the Pandu König's son, Vīrapandu, was crowned in the ancient capital. The Cola prisoners were sent to Ceylon und employed in repairing the Ratanavāluka 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 Lankāpura was defeated, und that his head was nailed to the gates of Madhurā together mit those of his generals. The war of the Pandyan succession did not end there.
Parakkamabāhu now engaged in more peaceful pursuits und, after some trouble, he succeeded in reconciling the three sects of monks the Mahāvihāra, the Abhayagiri und the Jetavana und held a convocation under a thera called Mahā Kassapa. The Vaitulya heresy now finally disappeared from Ceylon. Der König built for the use of the monks the Jetavanārāma, including a round Temple of the Tooth, in the vicinity of the royal palace, und, further to the north, he constructed the ālāhana Parivena, the Lankātilaka vihāra und the Baddhasīmāpāsāda. He also built the Pacchimārāma, the Uttārārāma und the Mahā Thūpa (or Damila Thūpa).
In the three suburbs he built the Isipatana, the Kusinārārāma und the Veluvana vihāras, und, in addition, the Kapila vihāra, while he restored the shrines at Anurādhapura.
Parakkamabāhu also enlarged und fortified Pulatthipura und adorned the city mit numerous palaces und pleasure gardens. He paid great attention to irrigation, opening the ākāsagangā und forming or improving a system of irrigation, its centre being in the Parakkama samudda, und building numerous tanks throughout the country.
The internal peace of the latter half of his reign was disturbed only by a rebellion near Mahātittha, this being easily quelled.
Parakkamabāhu I. was succeeded by his sister's son, Vijayabahu II. According to the Nikāyasangraha, Parakkama was born after death as the god Naradeva in the Himālaya.
Chaps. 62 79 of the Cv. are devoted to a description of Parakkamabāhu und his reign. The above is a very concise account of the contents of these chapters.
Son of Vijayabāhu III. und brother of Bhuvanekabāhu. He was born at Sirivaddhana, und, in his youth, was entrusted to the care of the monks under Sangharakkhita. On the death of his father he ascended the throne, und reigned for thirty three years (1236 68), at Jambuddoni, as Parakkamabāhu II. On account of his profound erudition, he received the sobriquet of Kalikāla Sāhicca sabbaññupandita ("the scholar entirely familiar mit 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, mit Māghinda und Jayabāhu at their head, und this was accomplished by 1244. In the eleventh year of his reign Ceylon was invaded by a Jāvaka (Javanese) named Candabhānu, probably a sea robber mit a large force. The attack was repulsed by Vīrabāhu, the König's nephew, but Candabhānu appeared again later. The rest of Parakkama's life was devoted to pious works. He invited Cola monks over to Ceylon und held a convocation, mit the object of reforming the priesthood, und showed special honour to Dhammakitti, a monk of Tambarattha. Among buildings erected by him were the Bhuvenakabāhu parivena at Billasela und the Mahāmahindabāhu parivena at Hatthiselapura. He also restored the vihāras at Kalyāni und at Hatthavangalla. He added to the Sirivijayasundaravihāra built by his father und inaugurated a yearly festival in Devanagara. He made a pilgrimage to Samantakūta und erected a bridge, so that pilgrims might reach it more easily. In all these works he was assisted by his minister Devappatirāja. Parakkama had fünf sons: Vijayabāhu, Bhuvanekabāhu, Tibhuvanamalla, Parakkamabāhu und Jayabāhu. In his old age he abdicated in favour of his son Vijayabāhu, who, because of his piety, was called Bodhisatta. Cv., chaps. 81 9.
One of the fünf sons of Parakkamabāhu II. Nothing further is known of him. Cv.lxxxvii.16.
Son of Vijayabāhu IV. und grandson of Parakkamabāhu II. He became König about 1302 A.C., but the length of his reign is not known: He paid a visit to the Pāndyan König und recovered the Tooth und 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 Pāndyan court.
Son of Bhuvanekabāhu II. He became König in Hatthiselapura as Parakkamabāhu IV. in about 1325 A.C. The length of his reign is unknown. He paid great honour to the Tooth Relic und is said to have written, in Sinhalese, a work called the Ceremonial of the Tooth Relic (Dāthādhātucāritta). Cv. xc.64f.
König of Ceylon (Cv.xc.1; see Codrington, op. cit., 83, 89, und Cv. Trs. ii. 212, n. 1). He was, perhaps, the brother of Bhuvanekabāhu IV., und, probably, had his capital at Gangāsiripura. The period of his reign is not definitely known, but it was somewhere between 1348 und 1360 A.C.
König of Ceylon (Cv.xci.16ff.; see also Cv. Trs., ii.215, n. 1; und Codrington, op. cit., 90f). He ruled at Jayavaddhanapura. The Cūlavamsa tells us nothing of importance except that his Mutter was Sunettā. We gather from other sources that his father was Vijayabāhu, 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 Rājagāma, moving later to Jayavaddhanapura. Among his religious works were the restoration of the monasteries at Gandāladoni und Lankātilaka, und the building of a temple of the Tooth in his capital, Also the founding of the Sunettā parivena in honour of his Mutter. He abdicated in favour of his sister's son, Vira Parakkamabāhu, und died after a reign of fifty fünf years. His reign is noted for a great output of Sinhalese literature, particularly of poetry.
Also called Pandita Parakkamabāhu, son of Bhuvanekabāhu VI. (Cv.xcii.3). He reigned for four years (circa 1480 84 A.C.), und was slain by his uncle who became König as Vīra Parakkamabāhu. Codrington, op. cit., 94f.
Also called Vīra Parakkamabāhu, uncle of Parakkamabāhu VII. (Cv.xcii.3). He seems to have ruled from about 1484-1509 A.C. He had constant trouble mit his relations. His successor's name is uncertain. Codrington, op. cit., 94f.
Also called Dhamma Parakkamabāhu. He is not erwähnt in the Cūlavamsa, but probably ruled somewhere about 1509 28 A.C. Codrington, op. cit., 95f.