Polonnaruwa (11th century
AD - 13th century AD)
After facing several repeated
invasions from South India, at the end of 10th century AD Vijayabahu
I decided to abandon Anuradhapura and moved further
south-east to established Polonnaruwa as his capital and it
continuously became a capital of the Sinhalese over the next two
centuries. After Vijayabahu I, the founder of this kingdom,
there were other two great kings in this kingdom, the first king
was Parakramabahu I, the Vijayabahu I's successor, who
indulged in building his capital and constructing many tanks
around the country. During his period, Polonnaruwa and the
country achieved its triumph as a civilization center with a
genius network of hydraulic engineering -- the construction of
water tanks and irrigation canals -- and architectural buildings.
However, these constructions had resulted in a massive
extravagance and probably wore the country out.
Nissanka Malla, also the
Parakramabahu I's successor, was the second and the last great
king of Polonnaruwa who was followed by a series of weak
rulers. During the declining period, the internal conflicts that
occurred in the country welcomed several incursions from many
parties, from 1247 to 1258, the island suffered from raids from
Malay pirates, and in 1411, the Chinese admiral kidnapped a local
king, and finally the Indian invasion that arose again in the
north region of the island.
By the end of the kingdom, in
16th century, tanks were neglected or destroyed and malaria
started to spread out as a result of the decay of the irrigation
system. Additionally, the internal divisions and factional
quarrels had divided the island into three kingdoms which were a Tamil
kingdom of Jaffna in the north (which originated from south
India), the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy in the central
highlands and the Kotte kingdom in the south-west which was
the most powerful |
