House of Vijaya

House of Vijaya
Vijayan dynasty
Royal house
House of Vijaya
Flag of King Dutugamunu, as depicted in the Dambulla Viharaya cave no.2[1]
CountryKingdom of Tambapanni
Kingdom of Anuradhapura
Founded543 BC (543 BC)
FounderPrince Vijaya
Current headExtinct
Final rulerSubharaja
TitlesKing of Tambapanni
King of Upatissa Nuwara
King of Anuradhapura
Dissolution66 AD (66 AD)
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The House of Vijaya (also known as the Vijayan dynasty and sometimes referred to as the "Great Dynasty") was the first recorded Sinhalese royal dynasty that ruled over the island, Sri Lanka. According to Sri Lankan historical literature Prince Vijaya is the traditional first king of Sri Lanka, founding the Kingdom of Tambapanni and the dynasty subsequently founding the Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara and finally the Anuradhapura Kingdom.[2][3][4]

There were 37 Vijayan monarchs who reigned during a span of 609 years and ruled all but 80 of them. The dynasty ended when Vasabha of the House of Lambakanna I seized power in 66 AD.[5]

  1. ^ Seneviratna, Anuradha (1983). Golden Rock Temple of Dambulla: Caves of infinite Buddhas. Central Cultural Fund. p. 9.
  2. ^ Ratnatunga, Rhajiv. "Chapter I The Beginnings; And The Conversion To Buddhism". lakdiva.org.
  3. ^ M. Senaveratna, John (2000). Royalty in Ancient Ceylon: During the Period of the "great Dynasty". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-1530-1. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  4. ^ The story of the Sinhalese, pp. 5
  5. ^ Nicholas and Paranavitana (1961), p. 77