Prince Vijaya

Vijaya
Cave painting of prince Vijaya
Coronation of Prince Vijaya; detail from the Ajanta Caves mural of Cave 17[1]
Reignc. 543 – c. 505 BCE
SuccessorUpatissa
BornSinhapura
Died505 BC
Tambapanni
Wives
  • Kuveni,
  • Vijai (A Pandyan princess)
Issue
  • Jivahata
  • Disala
DynastyHouse of Vijaya
FatherSinhabahu
MotherSinhasivali

Prince Vijaya (c. 543–505 BCE) was a legendary king of Tambapanni, based in modern day Sri Lanka. His reign was first mentioned in Mahāvaṃsa. He is said to have came to Sri Lanka with seven hundred followers after being banished from Sinhapura. However, there is no archaeological evidence of this.

After arriving on the island, Vijaya and his settlers defeated a yaksha near "Thammena" (Tambapaṇṇī) displacing the inhabitants. Eventually Vijaya's married Kuveni, a daughter of a yaksha leader legitimizing Vijaya’s rule over the region.

  1. ^ "Simhala Avadana, Cave 17". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2012.