1707 AC - 1739 AC

After the death of King Vimaladharmasuriya II, his son Prince Narendrasinghe ascended the throne of the Kandyan Kingdom. He is identified as Sri Vira Parakrama Narendrasinghe.
At the time of his coronation, he was approximately 17 years old.
He is often described in historical tradition as a ruler who was more inclined toward leisure than governance. Because of his preference for drinking and women, he became popularly known among the people as “Sellam Nirindu” (the “playful king”).
During his reign, many regional chieftains (radalas) exercised a high degree of autonomy in their own territories.
Although the Dutch did not exert strong direct pressure on the Kandyan interior during his reign, internal political instability gradually increased within the kingdom.
There were attempts by certain ministers to remove the king and install a figure named Pattiyabandara as ruler. However, these attempts were successfully blocked by loyal courtiers.
At the same time, increasing influence of the Nayakkar elite within the royal court created tensions. Their growing power, combined with the king’s reliance on them, is considered one of the key internal issues of the period.
King Narendrasinghe died in 1739 CE.
His death is traditionally considered a major turning point in Sri Lankan history, as he is often regarded as the last Sinhalese king of the Kandyan royal lineage, which had begun with King Vimaladharmasuriya I (Konappu Bandara).
After his reign, the Kandyan throne transitioned more firmly into the Nayakkar dynastic line, marking the end of the Sinhalese royal lineage in Kandy.
Isura Wickramarachchi
Mahawansa Pradeepikawa