Sinhalese monarchy

King of the Sinhalese Kingdom
සිංහල ද්වීපයේ රජ
Royal Standard of the King of Kandy in 1815
Vijaya
Details
First monarchVijaya
Last monarchSri Vikrama Rajasinha
Formation543 BC
Abolition2 March 1815
ResidenceCapital of Sri Lanka
Monarchical Sri Lanka
Flag of the Kingdom of Kandy
Part of a series on the politics and
government of the Sinhala kingdom

MonarchKing
Queen consortRandolis
Sub king / Heir apparent
Yuvaraja
ConcubinageYakadadoli
1st Prime MinisterPallegampahê Mahâ Nilamê
2nd Prime MinisterUdagampahê Mahâ Nilamê
Chief SecretaryMahâ Mohottâla
Provincial GovernorsMahâ Dissâvas
Royal Household OfficersDugganna Nilamês
Sons of ChiefsBandâras

The Sinhalese monarchy (Sinhala සිංහල රාජාණ්ඩුව) has its origins in the settlement of North Indian Indo-Aryan immigrants to the island of Sri Lanka. The Landing of Vijay as described in the traditional chronicles of the island, the Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa and Culavamsa, and later chronicles, recount the date of the establishment of the first Sinhala Kingdom in 543 BC[note 1] when Prince Vijaya (543–505 BC), an Indian Prince, and 700 of his followers are claimed to have landed on the island of Sri Lanka and established the Kingdom of Tambapanni.[1][2] In Sinhalese mythology, Prince Vijaya and followers are told to be the progenitors of the Sinhalese people. However according to the story in the Divyavadana, the immigrants were probably not led by a scion of a royal house in India, as told in the romantic legend, but rather may have been groups of adventurous and pioneering merchants exploring new lands.[3]

The Sinhalese monarch was the head of state of the Sinhala Kingdom (Sri Lanka)[note 2]. Anachronistically referred to as the Kings of Sri Lanka,[note 3] the monarch held absolute power and succession was hereditary. The monarchy comprised the reigning monarch, his or her family, and the royal household which supports and facilitates the monarch in the exercise of his royal duties and prerogatives. The monarchy existed for over 2300 years. Tambapanni and its successive kingdoms were situated in what is presently Sri Lanka. The monarchy ended with Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy in 1815 after generations of European influences and upheaval in the royal court.


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  1. ^ Mittal (2006) p 405
  2. ^ "483 BC – Arrival of Aryans to Sri Lanka". scenicsrilanka.com. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  3. ^ Paranavithana (1936) p 459