King Gotabhaya - House of Lambakarna I | Anuradhapura - (253 - 266) - Sri Lankan History - Kings - Governors - Prisidents

King Gotabhaya

House of Lambakarna I | Anuradhapura - (253 - 266)

Gothabhaya, also known as Meghavannabhaya, Gothakabhaya and Goluaba, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka whose reign lasted from 254 to 267. During his reign, Gothabhaya renovated several temples and monasteries and also built a new temple. He is the last of three friends who seized the throne from King Vijaya Kumara and ruled the country. He is known for banishing 60 Buddhist monks who followed teaching contradictory to Theravada, and also for rebelling against his friend Samghabodhi to seize the throne himself.

Gothabhaya had two sons named Jetthatissa and Mahasena. He entrusted the education of his sons to a South Indian monk named Sanghamitta who had befriended him. This turned out to be a key point in Sri Lankan history since Mahasena, who had embraced Vaitulya doctrines taught by Sanghamitta, constructed the Jetavana temple which became one of the country's three main schools of Buddhism of the Anuradhapura period despite Gothabhaya's efforts to arrest the spread of Vaitulyavada.

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Thuparamaya Temple
Anuradhapura,

Thuparamaya is an ancient Buddhist temple in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Located in the sacred area of Mahamewna park, the Thuparamaya Stupa is the earliest Dagoba to be constructed in the island, dating back to the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (247-207 BC). The temple has been formally recognised by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri...

Built : King Devanampiya Tissa,
Some Construction : King Lanja Tissa,
Some Construction : King Vasabha,
Some Construction : King Gotabhaya,
Some Construction : King Dhathusena,
Some Construction : King Aggabodhi II,
Some Construction : King Datopathissa,
Some Construction : King Datopathissa II,
Some Construction : King Kassapa II,
Some Construction : King Manavamma,
Some Construction : King Aggabodhi VI,
Some Construction : King Mahinda II,
Some Construction : King Dappula II,
Some Construction : King Sena I,