Ayubowan !


Gampola Kingdom


King Buwanekabahu IV - From 1341 AD to 1353 AD

King Buwanekabahu IV(son of king Vijayabahu V) owned the throne after his father and shifted the capital from Kurunegala to Gampola, with the support of the General Senalankadhikara.

After his death his brother king Parakramabahu V (1353 AD - 1359 AD) who used to reign from Dedigama owned the throne and moved to Gampola. He was dethroned by king Buwanekabahu IV's son king Vikramabahu III (1359 AD - 1374 AD) and sent to Malaya.
King Vikramabahu III has conveyed the tooth relic to Gampola and held a festival in honor of the sacred Tooth Relic. He has built a shrine at Niyamgampaya at Gampola. The rock temple "Gadaladeniya Viharaya" shown below was constructed by king Vikramabahu III.



Meanwhile the minister generation called "Alagakkonara" has become more powerful than the king as they helped to defeat "Araya Chakravarthi", a Tamil ruler who has grabbed the throne of northern country.

There are many Buddhist temples belong to Gampola era like "Lankathilaka" temple and "Ambekke dewalaya".

    "Lankathilaka Viharaya"

    "Wood carvings - Ambekke"

Tha last king of Gampola kingdom is king "Buwanekabahu v"(1374 AD - 1408 AD). At the same time king "Weerabahu II"(1392 AD - 1397 AD) ruled Raigama. King "Vijayabahu VI"(1397 AD - 1411 AD) who is from Alagakkonara family grabbed the throne from king Weerabahu II. The Chinese ambassador "Ching Ho" who was unpleasant about this carried off king Vijayabahu VI to Chaina in 1411 AD. The next kingdom is Kotte kingdom.

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