Ancient Kingdom'S
Of Sri Lanka
·Polonnaruwa (History)
· Anuradapura (History)
· Sigiriya (History)
· Kandy (History)
Polonnaruwa (08th century AD - 13th century AD)
After facing several repeated invasions from South India, at the end of 10th century AD Vijayabahu I decided to abandon Anuradhapura and moved further south-east to established Polonnaruwa as his capital and it continuously became a capital of the Sinhalese over the next two centuries. After Vijayabahu I, the founder of this kingdom, there were other two great kings in this kingdom, the first king was Parakramabahu I, the Vijayabahu I's successor, who indulged in building his capital and constructing many tanks around the country. During his period, Polonnaruwa and the country achieved its triumph as a civilization center with a genius network of hydraulic engineering -- the construction of water tanks and irrigation canals -- and architectural buildings. However, these constructions had resulted in a massive extravagance and probably wore the country out.
Nissanka Malla, also the Parakramabahu I's successor, was the second and the last great king of Polonnaruwa who was followed by a series of weak rulers. During the declining period, the internal conflicts that occurred in the country welcomed several incursions from many parties, from 1247 to 1258, the island suffered from raids from Malay pirates, and in 1411, the Chinese admiral kidnapped a local king, and finally the Indian invasion that arose again in the north region of the island.
By the end of the kingdom, in 16th century, tanks were neglected or destroyed and malaria started to spread out as a result of the decay of the irrigation system. Additionally, the internal divisions and factional quarrels had divided the island into three kingdoms which were a Tamil kingdom of Jaffna in the north (which originated from south India), the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy in the central highlands and the Kotte kingdom in the south-west which was the most
Anuradhapura (4th century BC - 10th century AD)
The Sinhalese people first developed in the dry, north plain region and then took root across the island to the west and the south during the 4th century BC. The strongest Sinhalese group in this period was the Sinhalese kingdom of Anuradhapura in the north.
In the 3rd century BC, Buddhism was introduced to the people of Anuradhapura by Arahat Mahinda, the son of Ashoka Mauryan emperor of India, and it was him that convinced the Anuradhapura king and his followers to convert to Buddhism. During this century that Buddhism went through rejuvenation in Sri Lanka evidenced by which the sacred Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa) -- the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya in northern India -- and the Theravada school of Buddhism can still be seen in Anuradhapura today. Following the teaching of Buddhism, Anuradhapura people were getting a strong sense of national purpose and national identity. It also inspired the development of culture and arts of Sinhalese people.
For almost 1500 years of Anuradhapura as a center of Sinhalese kingdom, Buddhism had flourished the kingdom with cultural greatness and civilization, however, as a result of its proximity to South India, it suffered from the repeated invasion and takeover of Anuradhapura by South Indian kingdom which was a major struggle to the state progression.
Between the mid-2nd century BC and the end of 6th century AD, a large part of Sri Lanka came under the rule of an Indian invader whose dynasty called Lambakarna and who paid attention to the development of irrigation. Today, the remnants of the enormous 'Tanks' -- artificial lakes developed for irrigation purposes in the dry regions -- that are scattered over the country are the reminders of this period of Sri Lanka history.
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