List of Sinhalese female monarchs
Although over 180 monarchs have ruled the Sinhalese monarchy, only been four of them were female. This article lists those four monarchs. Two ruled during the Anuradhapura Period and the other two during the Polonnaruwa Period.
Anuradhapura Kingdom
Anula of Anuradhapura (47–42 BCE)
Anula was the first known queen regnant in both Sri Lankan history and the Anuradhapura period. She is also believed to be the first female head of state in all of Asia. She was from the House of Vijaya. First known to the public as the queen consort of King Chora Naga, son of King Valagambahu of Anuradhapura, she was infamous for murdering at least 6 of her husbands or consorts by poisoning them. Her second husband, Kuda Tissa, was actually the son of the brother of Chora Naga and ascended to the throne as his legal successor. Anula's other husbands who ascended to the throne were not legal successors of Chora Naga, but were merely husbands of then-present legal successor, Anula. They include (in chronological order) Siva I, Vatuka, Darubhatika Tissa and Niliya, who all ruled the country in the span of just one year. After the death of her final husband Niliya, she became the sole ruler of the kingdom for about 5 years, thus becoming the first known female monarch of Sri Lanka, however, she was also the real power behind the throne during the tenures of all her husbands. At the end of her tenure, she was deposed by Mahakuli Mahatissa's second son, Kutakanna Tissa. The Mahavamsa states that Kutakanna Tissa had Anula burnt on a funeral pyre.[1] Other sources indicate that Anula was burnt alive in the palace where she had committed her murders.[2]
Sivali of Anuradhapura (35 CE)
Sivali was the second known female monarch within Sri Lankan history and succeeded her brother Chulabhaya. She ruled the country only for about 4 months in the year 35 CE and was overthrown and succeeded by her nephew Ilanaga, presumably the son of her brother Chulabhaya, after an interregnum of 3 years.[3] She was also from the House of Vijaya.
Polonnaruwa Kingdom
Lilavati of Polonnaruwa (1197–1200, 1209–1210, 1211–1212)
Lilavati was the fourth woman in Sri Lankan history to rule as sovereign in her own right. Lilavati rose to prominence as the wife of king Parakramabahu I. Being of royal descent herself, she then ruled as sole monarch on three occasions in the near-anarchy following Parakramabahu's death, with the backing of various generals.
Kalyanavati was the second female monarch to rule the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. A member of the House of Kalinga, she was the widow of king Nissanka Malla. In 1202, the chief of the army, Ayasmanta, deposed king Sahassa Malla, and placed queen Kalyanavati on the throne as his successor.[4] Her reign was described as a peaceful one. Ayasmanta managed most of the affairs of state in her place, Queen Kalyanavati is known to have founded religious monuments, most notably the vihara at Pannasalaka.[5]
She was succeeded by king Dharmasoka, who was only three months old at the time of his ascension. It is unknown how her reign ended, but it is assumed that she was deposed. The reign of Ayasmanta continued, however, since he continued to serve as regent during the reign of Dharmasoka.[6]
Others
See also
References
- ^ "Mahavamsa - 33". www.budsas.org. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
- ^ "Mahavamsa - 34". www.budsas.org. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
- ^ Iriyagolle, Indrani (1989). "The unique position of Sinhala women: A historical perspective". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. 34: 78–101. JSTOR 23731114.
- ^ Outlines of Ceylon History p 176
- ^ Outlines of Ceylon History p 176
- ^ Outlines of Ceylon History p 176
External links
- Lakdiva, List of sovereigns of Lanka
- Vijaya and the Lankan Monarchs
- Complete list of Sri Lankan Leaders
- The Mahavamsa History of Sri Lanka
- v
- t
- e
House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE)
- Prince Vijaya (543 BCE–505 BCE)
- Upatissa (505 BCE–504 BCE)
- Panduvasdeva (504 BCE–474 BCE)
- Abhaya (474 BCE–454 BCE)
- Tissa (454 BCE–437 BCE)
House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE)
Chola dynasty (237–215 BCE)
House of Vijaya (215–205 BCE)
Chola dynasty (205–161 BCE)
House of Vijaya (161–103 BCE)
The Five Dravidians (103–89 BCE)
House of Vijaya (89 BCE–66 CE)
House of Lambakanna I (66–436)
The Six Dravidians (436–463)
House of Moriya (463–691)
House of Lambakanna II (691–1017)
- Pandukabhaya (437–367 BCE)
- Mutasiva (367–307 BCE)
- Devanampiya Tissa (307–267 BCE)
- Uttiya (267–257 BCE)
- Mahasiva (257–247 BCE)
- Suratissa (247–237 BCE)
- Sena and Guttika (237–215 BCE)
- Asela (215–205 BCE)
- Elara (205–161 BCE)
- Dutugamunu (161–137 BCE)
- Saddha Tissa (137–119 BCE)
- Thulatthana (119 BCE)
- Lanja Tissa (119–109 BCE)
- Khallata Naga (109–104 BCE)
- Valagamba (104–103 BCE)
- Pulahatta (103–100 BCE)
- Bahiya (100–98 BCE)
- Panya Mara (98–91 BCE)
- Pilaya Mara (91–90 BCE)
- Dathika (90–88 BCE)
- Valagamba (89–76 BCE)
- Mahakuli Mahatissa (76–62 BCE)
- Chora Naga (62–50 BCE)
- Kuda Tissa (50–47 BCE)
- Siva I (47 BCE)
- Vatuka (47 BCE)
- Darubhatika Tissa (47 BCE)
- Niliya (47 BCE)
- Anula (47 BCE)
- Kutakanna Tissa (42–20 BCE)
- Bhatikabhaya Abhaya (20 BCE–9 CE)
- Mahadathika Mahanaga (9–21)
- Amandagamani Abhaya (21–30)
- Kanirajanu Tissa (30–33)
- Chulabhaya (33–35)
- Sivali (35–35)
- Interregnum (35–38)
- Ilanaga (38–44)
- Chandamukha (44–52)
- Yassalalaka Tissa (52–60)
- Subharaja (60–66)
- Vasabha (66–110)
- Vankanasika Tissa (110–113)
- Gajabahu I (113–135)
- Mahallaka Naga (135–141)
- Bhatika Tissa (141–165)
- Kanittha Tissa (165–193)
- Cula Naga (193–195)
- Kuda Naga (195–196)
- Siri Naga I (196–215)
- Voharika Tissa (215–237)
- Abhaya Naga (237–245)
- Siri Naga II (245–247)
- Vijaya Kumara (247–248)
- Sangha Tissa I (248–252)
- Siri Sangha Bodhi I (252–254)
- Gothabhaya (254–267)
- Jettha Tissa I (267–277)
- Mahasena (277–304)
- Sirimeghavanna (304–332)
- Jettha Tissa II (332–341)
- Buddhadasa (341–370)
- Upatissa I (370–412)
- Mahanama (412–434)
- Soththisena (434)
- Chattagahaka Jantu (434–435)
- Mittasena (435–436)
- Pandu (436–441)
- Parindu (441)
- Khudda Parinda (441–447)
- Tiritara (447)
- Dathiya (447–450)
- Pithiya (450–452)
- Dhatusena (463–479)
- Kashyapa I (479–497)
- Moggallana I (497–515)
- Kumara Dhatusena (515–524)
- Kittisena (524)
- Siva II (524–525)
- Upatissa II (525–526)
- Silakala Ambosamanera (526–539)
- Dathappabhuti (539–540)
- Moggallana II (540–560)
- Kittisiri Meghavanna (560–561)
- Maha Naga (561–564)
- Aggabodhi I (564–598)
- Aggabodhi II (598–608)
- Sangha Tissa II (608)
- Moggallana III (608–614)
- Silameghavanna (614–623)
- Aggabodhi III (623)
- Jettha Tissa III (623–624)
- Aggabodhi III (624–640)
- Dathopa Tissa I (640–652)
- Kassapa II (652–661)
- Dappula I (661–664)
- Dathopa Tissa II (664–673)
- Aggabodhi IV (673–689)
- Unhanagara Hatthadatha (691)
- Manavanna (691–726)
- Aggabodhi V (726–732)
- Kassapa III (732–738)
- Mahinda I (738–741)
- Aggabodhi VI (741–781)
- Aggabodhi VII (781–787)
- Mahinda II (787–807)
- Dappula II (807–812)
- Mahinda III (812–816)
- Aggabodhi VIII (816–827)
- Dappula III (827–843)
- Aggabodhi IX (843–846)
- Sena I (846–866)
- Sena II (866–901)
- Udaya I (901–912)
- Kassapa IV (912–929)
- Kassapa V (929–939)
- Dappula IV (939–940)
- Dappula V (940–952)
- Udaya II (952–955)
- Sena III (955–964)
- Udaya III (964–972)
- Sena IV (972–975)
- Mahinda IV (975–991)
- Sena V (991–1001)
- Mahinda V (1001–1029)
- Kassapa VI (1029–1040)
- Mahalana–Kitti (1040–1042)
- Vikrama Pandu (1042–1043)
- Jagatipala (1043–1046)
- Parakrama Pandu (1046–1048)
- Loka (1048–1054)
- Kassapa VII (1054–1055)
House of Vijayabahu (1055–1187)
House of Kalinga (1187–1197)
House of Vijayabahu (1197–1200)
House of Kalinga (1200–1209)
House of Vijayabahu (1209–1210)
Lokissara (1210–1211)
House of Vijayabahu (1211–1212)
Pandyan dynasty (1212–1215)
Eastern Ganga dynasty (1215–1236)
- Vijayabahu I (1055–1110)
- Jayabahu I (1110–1111)
- Vikramabahu I (1111–1132)
- Gajabahu II (1132–1153)
- Parakramabahu I (1153–1186)
- Vijayabahu II (1186–1187)
- Mahinda VI (1187)
- Nissanka Malla (1187–1196)
- Vira Bahu I (1196)
- Vikramabahu II (1196)
- Chodaganga (1196–1197)
- Lilavati (1197–1200)
- Sahassa Malla (1200–1202)
- Kalyanavati (1202–1208)
- Dharmasoka (1208–1209)
- Anikanga (1209)
- Lilavati (1209–1210)
- Lokissara (1210–1211)
- Lilavati (1211–1212)
- Parakrama Pandya (1212–1215)
- Kalinga Magha (1215–1236)
House of Siri Sanga Bo (1220–1505)
- Vijayabahu III (1220–1234)
- Parakramabahu II (1234–1270)
- Vijayabahu IV (1270–1272)
- Bhuvanaikabahu I (1272–1284)
- Interregnum (1285–1286)
- Parakramabahu III (1287–1293)
- Bhuvanaikabahu II (1293–1302)
- Parakramabahu IV (1302–1326)
- Bhuvanaikabahu III (1326–1335)
- Vijayabahu V (1335–1341)
- Bhuvanaikabahu IV (1341–1351)
- Parakramabahu V (1344–1359)
- Vikramabahu III (1357–1374)
- Bhuvanaikabahu V (1371–1408)
- Vira Bahu II (1391/92–1397)
- Vijayabahu VI (1397–1409)
- Parakramabahu Epa (1409–1412)
- Parakramabahu VI (1410–1467)
- Jayabahu II (1467–1472)
- Bhuvanaikabahu VI (1469–1477)
- Parakramabahu VII (1477)
- Parakramabahu VIII (1477–1489)
- Parakramabahu IX (1489–1513)
- Vijayabahu VII (1513–1521)
- Bhuvanaikabahu VII (1521–1551)
- Dharmapala (1551–1597)
- Kingdom of Sitawaka
- Mayadunne (1521–1581)
- Rajasinha I (1581–1593)
- Rajasuriya (1593–1594)
House of Dinajara (1591–1739)
Nayaks of Kandy (1739–1815)
- Vimaladharmasuriya I (1591–1604)
- Senarat (1604–1635)
- Rajasinha II (1635–1687)
- Vimaladharmasuriya II (1687–1707)
- Vira Narendra Sinha (1707–1739)
- Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (1739–1747)
- Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747–1782)
- Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha (1782–1798)
- Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798–1815)
- Category