Thammanna Nuwara
Upatissa Nuwara
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura Chola
Ruhuna
Polonnaruwa
Dambadeniya
Yapahuwa
Kurunegala
Gampola
Kotte
Sitawaka
Kandy
Portuguese
Dutch
British
Monarch of Ceylon
186
King Wimaladharmasuriya I
Kingdom of Kandy
1591 AC - 1604 AC

King Vimaladharmasuriya I and the Establishment of the Kandyan Kingdom

After his father Veerasundara Bandara was killed by King Rajasinghe I, the prince fled to Portugal. There he is said to have received military training and later returned to Sri Lanka with enhanced warfare skills.

Upon his return, he defeated Rajasinghe I and established control over the Kandyan highlands. With this victory, the Kingdom of Kandy was consolidated, and he is regarded as its first ruler, Vimaladharmasuriya I.


Consolidation of Power in Kandy

Since he did not originally possess a direct and uncontested royal lineage, he strengthened his legitimacy by marrying Queen Kusumasana Devi, who held the rightful claim to the Kandyan throne. Through this marriage, his rule gained formal legitimacy.


Conflicts with the Portuguese

During his reign, he successfully resisted Portuguese invasions of the Kandyan Kingdom in both 1594 CE and 1602 CE, inflicting significant defeats on their forces and strengthening the stability of his kingdom.

These victories marked an important phase in establishing Kandy as a resilient inland kingdom against coastal colonial powers.


Death of Vimaladharmasuriya I

King Vimaladharmasuriya I, who remained engaged in continuous resistance against the Portuguese, died in 1604 CE after suffering from a severe fever.

His reign is considered a foundational period in the establishment of the Kandyan Kingdom as an independent and durable political entity.


Isura Wickramarachchi
Mahawansa Pradeepikawa

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