Ayubowan !

King Vijayabahu - From 1055 AD - 1110 AD

King Vijayabahu is the great king who defeated the Cholas and united the country again. He was the first king of Polonnaruwa kingdom. He repaired the irrigation systems, encouraged trading and did many things to make the country prosperous.

Next king was his brother "Jayabahu" (1110 AD - 1111 AD) and then king Vijayabahu's son "Vickramabahu II" (1111 AD - 1132 AD) became the king. After him the throne goes to his son "Gajabahu II" (1132 AD - 1153 AD).

King Veera Parakramabahu - From 1153 AD - 1186 AD

Next king of the country was the son of some monarchs relative named Manabharana and king Parakramabahu is said to be the greatest king of Polonnaruwa. During his reign he constructed massive irrigation systems, encouraged the arts, reorganized the army and undertook military campaigns in southern India and in Myanmar.

Among his constructions, the greatest is Parakrama Samudraya tank. It is a massive water reservoir and it was according to his famous utterance "not even a drop of water that comes from the rain must flow into the ocean without being made useful to human".

                  
considered as the statue of the king                                                  A view of Parakrama Samudraya

In his reign he launched a punitive campaign against the kings of Ramanna and aided the Pandyas against the Chola in south India. He had the ability to export foods to other countries for free as the country was much prosperous. Another important fact is architectonic. This king has constructed many dagebas, shrines and palaces some buildings are still standing as they were.

                  
                               palace of the king                                                           Vatadage - King Parakramabahu's tooth relic shrine

next king was king Gajabahu's son "Vijayabahu II" (1186 AD - 1187 AD) and he was killed by king "Mahinda" (05 days).

King Nissanka Malla - From 1187 AD to 1196 AD

Then the chief minister of king Vijayabahu, Nissanka Malla was able to defeat king Mahinda and to get the throne. He is also a famous king because of his constructions such as "Nissanka Latha Mandapaya" and "Hetadage" which was used as a tooth relic shrine.

              

After him, his son "Weerabahu" (01 day) became the king but he was killed by ministers. Then king Nissanka Malla's brother "Wikramabahu" (3 months) became the king. Then king Nissanka Malla's nephew "Chodaganga" (09 months) owned the throne.

Queen Lilavati - From 1197 AD to 1200 AD

Ministers killed king Chodaganga and king Veera Parakramabahu's wife Lilavati became the queen of the country. Then a king from Okkaka Vansa named "Sahassa Malla" (1200 AD - 1202 AD) took the crown from queen Lilavati and became the king.

Queen Kalyanavati - From 1202 AD to 1208 AD

King Sahassa Malla was killed by ministers and then the wife of king Nissanka Malla called Kalyanavati became the queen. Then her son "Dharmashoka" (1208 AD - 1209 AD) became the king. King Dharmashoka was killed by a Tamil minister called "Anikanga" (07 days) and he became the king.

Then queen Lilavati (1209 AD - 1210 AD) restored by defeating Anikanga. Then a minister called "Lokissara" (1210 AD - 1211 AD) dethroned queen Lilavati with the help of Tamils and queen Lilavati (1211 AD - 1212 AD) restored again by defeating king Lokissara.

Finally queen Lilavati was dethroned by her kinsman "Parakrama Pandya" (1212 AD - 1215 AD). Then a Kalinga king called "Magha" known as Kalinga Magha (1215 AD - 1236 AD), from India, robbed the Sri Lankan throne and began to vanish many dagebas, temples, cities and many constructions.

During this time period, the power of native Sinhalese began to move to the south. They brought the tooth relic with them to protect it from Magha. Therefore next Sinhala king rises from south, Dambadeniya not from Polonnaruwa. Therefore Polonnaruwa was not the capital further. This is the end of Polonnaruwa kingdom and you are invited to visit Dambadeniya Kingdom".

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