Kingdom of Sitawaka

Kingdom of Sitawaka
Sitawaka
1521–1594
Flag of Sitawaka
Flag
CapitalSitawaka
Common languagesSinhala
Religion
Theravada Buddhism
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
• 1521–1581
Mayadunne
• 1581–1593
Rajasinha I
Historical eraTransitional period
1521
• Death of Rajasinha I
1594
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Kotte
Kingdom of Kandy
Portuguese Ceylon

The kingdom of Sitawaka (Sinhala: සීතාවක, Tamil: சீீீதாவாக்கை இராசதானி) was a kingdom located in south-central Sri Lanka. It emerged from the division of the kingdom of Kotte following the Spoiling of Vijayabahu in 1521. Over the course of the next seventy years it came to dominate much of the island. Sitawaka also offered fierce resistance to the Portuguese, who had arrived on the island in 1505. Despite its military successes, Sitawaka remained unstable, having to contend with repeated uprisings in its restive Kandyan territories, as well as a wide-ranging and often devastating conflict with the Portuguese. Sitawaka disintegrated soon after the death of its last king Rajasimha I in 1593.