Parâkramabâhu VI was a king in the Sri Lanka

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...

n kingdom of Kotte

Kotte

Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte , also known as Sri Jayawardenapura or Kotte කෝට්ටේ, is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka. It is located beyond the eastern suburbs of the commercial capital Colombo and is often called New Capital Territory...

. He is the last great Sri Lankan king to have united the whole island of Sri Lanka under one flag. His rule is famous for the political stability which he maintained in that time period and the thriving of literature, specially poetry. Classical literature (prose and verse) as well as many rock inscriptions and royal grant letters (patent letters, sannas) have been found, rendering much information pertaining to this period.

Early life

Despite the fact that there is much information (as mentioned before) on the late period of his rule, there is meagre details found on his former life. How he came to power preceding whom, is yet unknown.
His mother was Sunethra Maha Devi. His father was Lameni Jayamahalena

Lameni Jayamahalena

King Buwanekabahu the 4th and Parakremebahu the 5th are the sons of King Vijayabahu the 5th . The daughter of The king Parakremabahu v and her husband Jayamahalana had a child named Lameni Jayamahalana....

 (Prince Jayakahalena), a lord.
If so, he is the grandson of Prince Parakramabahu, who was Savulu Vijayabahu's son. Savulu Vijayabahu is the fifth to go by that name. His son Parakramabahu is the one who ruled the country, from Dedigama. Another scholar says that Jayamahalena was the grandfather of Parakramabahu. However, he is supposed to belong to the family, that came after Parakramabahu V.

Coronation

Although most sources say 1415 as his year of coronation, they also say that he coroneted after ruling three years from Raigama. Saddarmalakaraya says the coronation was in 1410. Parakramabahu VI's queen's name is Swarnamanikya or Ranmenika. A new palace was built in Jayawardane-pura Kotte. A 'Temple of the Tooth' was also constructed.

Rule

King Parakramabahu VI suppressed the revolts in Malayarata. The chiefs of Vanni who wielded power there, were defeated by this king.
In 1435, a south Indian invasion from the Vijayanagara Empire

Vijayanagara Empire

The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...

, is recorded. Sri Lankn sources say that the king thwarted the invasion successfully but south Indian records contradict this. Soon after this time, king Parâkramabâhu VI directed a naval attack to south Indian ports, resulting from a dispute that arose after the incident of steeling of a cargo ship by an Indian called Rayan Malavar. This was around the year 1443.

Conquering Yapa Patuna

This battle was led by king Parâkramabâhu VI's adopted son, Prince Sapumal (Sembagapperumal). Selalihini Sandeshaya records how prince returned from after winning the Yapa Patuna (Jaffna). This is around year 1449. The king took advantage from the fact that AryaChakravarthi could no longer get military assistance from Vijayanagara. As troops advanced across Mannar

Mannar, Sri Lanka

Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior...

 to Jaffna

Jaffna

Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...

 by land, naval forces must have cut south Indian assistance by patrolling the Pork Strait. First fearce battle happened in JavaKotte near Elephant pass

Elephant Pass

Elephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka is an important military base and formerly the island's largest salt field, located in the gateway of Jaffna Peninsula. It has thus regularly been the site of battles during the civil war....

. Later Jaffna was attacked and Arya chakravarthi was forced to retreat to India.

Demise

In year 1463, there was a rebellion in the hill country and Sena sammatha Wikramabahu became king of Senkadagala. The king died in 1467. And his grand son Jayabahu became king. But this was followed by much political turmoil. The stability of king Parâkramabâhu VI would not return for centuries to come.