Kitti Sri Megha
Encyclopedia
Kitti Sri Megha also referred to as Kittisrimegha, was a medieval king of the principality of Dakkinadesa in Sri Lanka
. The nephew of King Vijayabahu I
, he attempted to seize the throne of Sri Lanka along with his two brothers in 1110 CE, but was defeated by Vickramabahu I. He then retreated to the south of the country, which he initially ruled with his younger brother Sri Vallabha. He later ascended to the throne of Dakkinadesa following the death of his older brother Manabharana.
In his later years he adopted and borough up his nephew, the future king of Sri Lanka, Parakramabahu the Great.
in 1110, his brother Jayabahu was made king of Sri Lanka, in line with Vijayabahu's wishes. High official and minister of the government also declared that Manabharana, the son of princess Mitta, Vijayabahu's sister, should be made uparaja (literally "deputy king", the recognized heir to the throne). This incensed Vickramabahu, the son of Vijayabahu I, who himself had aspirations to the throne.
Realizing Vickramabahu posed a threat to them, Manabharana and Jayabahu set out to kill Vickramabahu. Kitti Sri Megha, Mahabharana's brother joined them in the battle against Vickramabahu, who was at the time ruler of the principality of Ruhuna
. Although outnumbered, Vickramabahu was victorious, defeating the royal army in a number of battles. He then cut it off from its base in Polonnaruwa
and occupied the capital, establishing himself as king of Rajarata
.
An year later the three brothers attempted to launch an invasion of Rajarata and depose Vickramabahu. On hearing their plans, Vickramabahu marched into Dakkhinadesa and achieved a sweeping victory, after which the brothers ceased organising hostilities against Vickramabahu.
Kitti Sri Megha had no sons of his own, so he essentially adopted his nephew Parakramabahu. There was however a dispute between the two when Parakramabahu, aged fifteen at the time, traveled to the court of Gajabahu in Polonnaruwa against the wishes of his uncle. He did return to Dakkinadesa, shortly before the death of Kitti Sri Megha. Parakramabahu succeeded him as ruler of Dakkanadesa.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The nephew of King Vijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I was a medieval king of Sri Lanka. Born to a royal bloodline, he grew up at a time which parts of the country were ruled by the invaders from the Chola dynasty of India. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055...
, he attempted to seize the throne of Sri Lanka along with his two brothers in 1110 CE, but was defeated by Vickramabahu I. He then retreated to the south of the country, which he initially ruled with his younger brother Sri Vallabha. He later ascended to the throne of Dakkinadesa following the death of his older brother Manabharana.
In his later years he adopted and borough up his nephew, the future king of Sri Lanka, Parakramabahu the Great.
Background
Following the death of King Vijayabahu IVijayabahu I
Vijayabahu I was a medieval king of Sri Lanka. Born to a royal bloodline, he grew up at a time which parts of the country were ruled by the invaders from the Chola dynasty of India. He assumed rulership of the Ruhuna principality in the southern parts of the country in 1055...
in 1110, his brother Jayabahu was made king of Sri Lanka, in line with Vijayabahu's wishes. High official and minister of the government also declared that Manabharana, the son of princess Mitta, Vijayabahu's sister, should be made uparaja (literally "deputy king", the recognized heir to the throne). This incensed Vickramabahu, the son of Vijayabahu I, who himself had aspirations to the throne.
Realizing Vickramabahu posed a threat to them, Manabharana and Jayabahu set out to kill Vickramabahu. Kitti Sri Megha, Mahabharana's brother joined them in the battle against Vickramabahu, who was at the time ruler of the principality of Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna is a region of southern Sri Lanka. It was the centre of a flourishing civilization and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka, Magama, Tissamaharama and Mahanagakula , were established here....
. Although outnumbered, Vickramabahu was victorious, defeating the royal army in a number of battles. He then cut it off from its base in Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa
The second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 AD to reunite the country once more under a local leader.-History:While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa...
and occupied the capital, establishing himself as king of Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata is the name given to the region of Sri Lanka from which monarchs ruled the country from approximately the 5th Century BCE to the early 13th Century CE...
.
Accession to the throne
Defeated, Mahabharana and his brothers shared the rest of the country amongst themselves. Mahabharana became king of the Dakkhinadesa principality, while Kitti Sri Megha became king of Dolosdahasrata, which consisted of parts of the southern principality of Ruhuna west of the Walawe river. Their third brother, Siri Vallabha, ruled Atadahasrata, the remainder of Ruhuna.An year later the three brothers attempted to launch an invasion of Rajarata and depose Vickramabahu. On hearing their plans, Vickramabahu marched into Dakkhinadesa and achieved a sweeping victory, after which the brothers ceased organising hostilities against Vickramabahu.
Later years
Soon after the birth of his son Parakramabahu, Manabharana died around 1025 CE. After his death Kitti Sri Megha took over Dakkinadesa, while Siri Vallabha assumed control over the whole of Ruhuha. Vickramabahu died in 1131, and was succeeded by his son Gajabahu II. Eager to take advantage of the inexperienced of the new king of Rajarata, the two brother attacked Gajabahu immediately after his accession to the throne. They were however defeated, and neither of them would try to conquer Rajarata again.Kitti Sri Megha had no sons of his own, so he essentially adopted his nephew Parakramabahu. There was however a dispute between the two when Parakramabahu, aged fifteen at the time, traveled to the court of Gajabahu in Polonnaruwa against the wishes of his uncle. He did return to Dakkinadesa, shortly before the death of Kitti Sri Megha. Parakramabahu succeeded him as ruler of Dakkanadesa.
| Rulers of Sri Lanka from 1090-1185 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kingdom | Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1090 | 1100 | 1110 | 1120 | 1130 | 1140 | 1150 | 1160 | 1170 | 1180 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rajarata | Vikramabâhu I | Gajabâhu II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dakkinadesa | Vijayabâhu I | Manabharana | Kitti Sri Megha | Parâkramabâhu I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ruhuna | Sri Vallabha & Kitti Sri Megha | Sri Vallabha | Manabharana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||