Kingdom of Tambapanni
Kingdom of Tambapaṇṇī | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 543 BC–437 BC | |||||||||||
 Kingdom of Tambapanni | |||||||||||
| Capital | Tambapaṇṇī[1] Upatissagāma[2] Vijithapura[3] | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Elu | ||||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Sinhalese | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| King | |||||||||||
• 543–505 BC | Vijaya | ||||||||||
• 505–504 BC | Upatissa | ||||||||||
• 504–474 BC | Panduvasdeva | ||||||||||
• 474–454 BC | Abhaya | ||||||||||
• 454–437 BC | Tissa | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Pre Anuradhapura period | ||||||||||
| 543 BC | |||||||||||
• Consecration of Vijaya | 543 BC | ||||||||||
| 458–439 BC | |||||||||||
• Kingdom moved to Anuradhapura | 437 BC | ||||||||||
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| HistoricalstatesofSri Lanka |
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TheKingdom of Tambapaṇṇī(Sinhala:තම්බපණ්ණිය රාජධානිය,romanized:Tambapaṇṇī Rājadhāniya) was the firstSinhalese kingdominSri Lanka.Its administrative centre was based atTambapaṇṇī.It existed between 543 BC and 437 BC. According to theMahavamsa,the Kingdom was founded byPrince Vijayaand his followers.
Name
[edit]Tambapaṇṇī is a name derived fromTāmraparṇīorTāmravarṇī(inSanskrit).[4]This has got reference to theThamirabaraniriver in SouthernTamil Nadu,India.This means the colour of copper or bronze because when Vijaya and his followers landed in Sri Lanka, when their hands and feet touched the ground they became red with the dust of the red-earth. Therefore, the city founded on that spot was named Tambapaṇṇī.[5]A derivative of this name isTaprobane(Greek).
Background
[edit]Ancient grave sites that were used before 600BCand other signs of civilisation have also been discovered in Sri Lanka, but little is known about the history of the island before this time.[6]According to theMahāvamsa,a chronicle written inPāḷi,the inhabitants of Sri Lanka prior to the Sinhala migration were the mythicalYakkha(Sanskrit:यक्षyakṣa;Pali:yakkha) andNāgaraces.[7][8] Sinhalese history and the historical period of Sri Lanka traditionally starts in 543 BC with the arrival ofPrince Vijaya.[citation needed]
Legend has it that whenPrince Vijayalanded on the shores of the island he kissed the sand, called it 'Thambapanni' and planted a flag depicting a lion in the ground. (The famous 'Sanchi' ruins of India depict the events of Prince Vijaya'a landing).[9]After landing in Tambapaṇṇī, Vijaya metKuvenithe queen of theYakkhas,who was disguised as a beautiful woman but was really ayakkhininamed Sesapathi.[10]
History
[edit]The Kingdom of Tambapaṇṇī was founded byPrince Vijaya,the firstSinhaleseKing, and 700 of his followers after landing in Sri Lanka in an area near modern-dayMannar,which is believed to be the district of Chilaw.[11]It is recorded that Vijaya made his landing on the day of Buddha's death.[12]Vijaya claimedTambapaṇṇīas his capital and soon the whole island became known by this name. Tambapaṇṇī was originally inhabited and governed byYakkhas,and their queenKuveni,with their capital at Sirīsavatthu.[1]
Upatissagāmawas the secondcapitalof the kingdom. It was seven or eight miles further north of the previous capitalTambapaṇṇī.[3][13][14]The city was established byUpatissa,a follower and senior minister ofVijaya.
During the end of his reign Vijaya, who was having trouble choosing a successor, so sent a letter to the city of his ancestors atSinhapura,in order to invite his brotherSumittato take over the throne.[15]However Vijaya had died before the letter had reached its destination so the monarchy was succeeded by his chief ministerUpatissawho acted as king for a year.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^abpalikanon 2019.
- ^abMalalasekera 2017.
- ^abCodrington 1926,p. 9.
- ^Perera n.d.
- ^Chapter III. Connection With Ceylon, Generally One Of Hostility 2009.
- ^Blaze 1933,p. 6.
- ^Naizer 2009.
- ^Manathunga 2007.
- ^Mittal 2006,p. 405.
- ^King Vijaya (B.C. 543-504) and his successors 2009.
- ^Blaze 1933,p. 7.
- ^Blaze 1933,p. 12.
Bibliography
[edit]- Blaze, L. E.(1933).History of Ceylon(PDF)(Eighth ed.). Colombo: Christian literature society for India and Africa.
- Codrington, H. W.(1926).A Short History Of Ceylon.London:Macmillan & Co.
- Senaveratna, John M. (1930).The Story of the Sinhalese from the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of "the Mahavansa" Or Great Dynasty: Vijaya to Maha Sena, B.C. 543 to A.D.302.Colombo: W. M. A. Wahid & Bros.ISBN9788120612716.
- Mittal, J.P. (2006)."Other dynasties".History of Ancient India: From 4250 BC to 637 AD.Vol. 2 of History of Ancient India: A New Version. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors.ISBN81-269-0616-2.Retrieved6 November2009.
- "Tambapanni".palikanon.Retrieved23 February2019.
- Manathunga, Anura (4 February 2007)."The first battle for freedom".Ths Sunday Times.Retrieved6 November2009.
- Naizer, Nizla (4 February 2009)."Evolution of the National Flag".The Bottom Line.Archived fromthe originalon 22 July 2011.Retrieved6 November2009.
- Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017)."Upatissagāma".softerviews.org.Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived fromthe originalon 27 March 2019.Retrieved23 February2019.
- Perera, D. G. A. (n.d.)."Lankan place name in historical perspective".The island.Retrieved25 August2011.
- "Chapter III. Connection With Ceylon, Generally One Of Hostility".chestofbooks.Retrieved6 November2009.
- "King Vijaya (B.C. 543-504) and his successors".lankalibrary.Retrieved6 November2009.
