The Five Dravidians
Encyclopedia
The Five Dravidian were five Tamil
Chiefs apparently from the Pandyan Dynasty who ruled the Anuradhapura Kingdom
for 14 years from 103 BC to 88 BC.
was ruled by Valagamba
(104 BC-103 BC,89 BC-76 BC) also known as Vatthagamani Abhaya. In 103 BC Valagamba was overthrown by these five conquerors from South India
, who ruled until 89 BC when they were defeated by Valagamba, restoring his own throne.
Chiefs from the Pandyan Dynasty, in South India
, who conquered and over through the reigning monarch Valagamba
, who had only come to the throne five months before. He appointed Bahiya as his Chief Minister and reigned for three years until he was murdered in 100 BC by Bahiya.
restoring his reign and the dynasty of the House of Vijaya who had reigned since the start of the monarchy. Valagamba went on to rule the Anuradhapura Kingdom
for the next 12 years.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Chiefs apparently from the Pandyan Dynasty who ruled the Anuradhapura Kingdom
Anuradhapura Kingdom
The Anuradhapura Kingdom , named for its capital city, was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. Founded by King Pandukabhaya in 377 BC, the kingdom's authority extended throughout the country, although several independent areas emerged from time to time, which grew more numerous...
for 14 years from 103 BC to 88 BC.
Background
Before the Five Dravidian had conquered the island, the Anuradhapura KingdomAnuradhapura Kingdom
The Anuradhapura Kingdom , named for its capital city, was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. Founded by King Pandukabhaya in 377 BC, the kingdom's authority extended throughout the country, although several independent areas emerged from time to time, which grew more numerous...
was ruled by Valagamba
Valagamba of Sri Lanka
Valagamba, also known as Vattagamani Abhaya and Valagambahu, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years...
(104 BC-103 BC,89 BC-76 BC) also known as Vatthagamani Abhaya. In 103 BC Valagamba was overthrown by these five conquerors from South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, who ruled until 89 BC when they were defeated by Valagamba, restoring his own throne.
Pulahatta
Pulahatta was the first of the Five Dravidians. He was a TamilTamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Chiefs from the Pandyan Dynasty, in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, who conquered and over through the reigning monarch Valagamba
Valagamba of Sri Lanka
Valagamba, also known as Vattagamani Abhaya and Valagambahu, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years...
, who had only come to the throne five months before. He appointed Bahiya as his Chief Minister and reigned for three years until he was murdered in 100 BC by Bahiya.
Bahiya
Bahiya was the second of the Five Dravidians, he ruled from 100 BC to 98 BC. Chief Minister of Pulahatha, during Pulahatha's reign, he murdered him and ruled as king. Bahiya's reign came to an end when his Prime Minister, Panya Mara, killed him after only two years of assuming the throne.Panya Mara
Panya Mara, the third of the Five Dravidians reigned from 98 BC to 91 BC, the longest of any of the Five Dravidians. before ascending the throne he had the office of Prime Minister under Bahiya, whom Panya Mara then killed taking the throne while appointing Pilaya Mara as his Chief Minister.Pilaya Mara
Pilaya Mara was King of Anuradhapura from 91 BC to 90 BC. Assuming the throne like his predecessors, murdering Panya Mara, when he was Chief Minister for him. Pilaya Mara had the shortest of all the reigns of the Five Dravidians only lasting seven months, being killed by his own Chief Minister Dathika.Dathika
Dathika was the last of the Five Dravidians, who ruled for two years from 90 BC to 88 BC. Dathika came to the throne after murdering his king Pilaya Mara, whom he was Chief Minister for. In 88 BC he was killed, losing the throne, by ValagambaValagamba of Sri Lanka
Valagamba, also known as Vattagamani Abhaya and Valagambahu, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Five months after becoming king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India, but regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years...
restoring his reign and the dynasty of the House of Vijaya who had reigned since the start of the monarchy. Valagamba went on to rule the Anuradhapura Kingdom
Anuradhapura Kingdom
The Anuradhapura Kingdom , named for its capital city, was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. Founded by King Pandukabhaya in 377 BC, the kingdom's authority extended throughout the country, although several independent areas emerged from time to time, which grew more numerous...
for the next 12 years.