Funday Times - Mahavamsa

King Buwanekabahu
This article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa,’ the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history
By Halaliye Karunathilake, Edited and translated by Kamala Silva, Illustrated by Saman Kalubowila

1. The Arya army, in certain places is termed as the Rajput army. They are undoubtedly South Indian mercenaries. Whatever it may be, the reason for this army to kill the king, is worth investigating. The reason put forward has been that the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Buwanekabahu, had got them to do so. The Sinhala army too accepted what they did. Both armies joined and marched to Yapahuwa.

2. These armies went and met Prince Buwanekabahu. They brought the prince to Dambadeniya, with all the glamour and honour and coronated him as the king. The king praised the Arya army for being supportive of him. He showered them with gifts. If Thakuraka did not kill Commander Mitra, on that fateful day, the line of kings of Dambadeniya would have come to an end there. Though things looked alright for the time being, many more were the obstacles King Buwanekabahu had to face.

3. He had to face opposition from all sides. Many were the challenges he had to meet. A number of Sinhala Vanni chiefs went against him. They began to revolt. He also had to face an invasion, under a Kalinga commander named Rayar. The king however, was able to suppress that. Again another prince named Choda Ganga came to attack him. The king managed to defeat him too. A number of contingents of Tamil soldiers came to fight King Buwanekabahu.

4. The king was successful in defeating all these enemy forces. Scholars are of the opinion that all these armies who came to fight against the king, would have been friends of Commander Mitra. They go further to say, that these would have been arranged previously. Some others believe that it would have been a plot hatched by the Javaka ruler in the north. Whatever it may be, none of these enemy forces succeeded in gaining their end.

5. Ultimately, King Buwanekabahu decided to change his capital to Yapahuwa. Yapahuwa had been a well-fortified city from the time of the rule of Magha. Magha, with all his terror, could not expand his power to the North-Western part, because of Yapahuwa. Then the ruler of Yapahuwa was Commander Subha. He was a clever warrior. Furthermore, Yapahuwa was situated on top of the rock, where no one could have had easy access.

6.Commander Subha built the fortress there and organized an army, to fight against Magha. To the south of the fortress, there was a trench and a huge wall. This fortification was sufficient to face any invasion of the city. It may be, because of this situation, that King Buwanekabahu, selected Yapahuwa, to be his capital city. Another reason for this choice was, the increase in Javaka power in the north. To face them too, Yapahuwa was a good spot.

7. The first king of Yapahuwa was King Buwanekabahu. He never defaulted in extending his patronage to the Buddhist priests. Like his father, this king too was religious. He was kind to his subjects. He received the love and respect of his people. The country too prospered during his regime. Those days, the sea trade route was managed by Arabian merchants. King Buwanekabahu maintained close relations with them.

8.This king sent a group of envoys to the Sultan of Egypt. In the month of April, in 1283 AD, those envoys had been welcomed by that country. It is said that King Buwanekabahu sent a letter to the Court of Egypt.

 
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