Polonnaruwa Kingdom
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was the kingdom
from which Sri Lanka
n kings ruled the island from the 8th century until 1310 CE.
.
The Vijithagama settlement made by Vijitha in 400 BC is thought to be situated near the town.
there are several theories on the name Polonnaruwa.According to the most accepted one word is derived from conjunction of to words Pulun which means cotton in sinhala and Maruwa which mean exchanging.So Pulun+Maruwa=Polonnaruwa
, as it was further inland from Anuradhapura
and therefore gave them more time to organize defenses in times of foreign invasion. Polonnaruwa had previously been an important settlement in the country, as it commanded the crossings of the Mahaweli Ganga
towards Anuradhapura.
Some of the rulers of Polonnaruwa include Vijayabahu I
and Parakramabahu I
(Parakramabahu the Great). Most of Polonnaruwa that remains today dates from after the 1150s, as the extensive civil wars that preceded Parakramabahu's accession to the throne devastated the city.
kings was moved to Yapahuwa. Although many factors contributed to this, the leading cause of the abandonment of Polonnaruwa as the kingdom of Sri Lanka was its susceptibility to invasions from south India
.
The people of Polonnaruwa had many of their requirements fulfilled except salt, which they had to bring from the coastal area.
And also the Brahmins were the only group which had the rights to have education.
Pali and the Sanskrit were the official languages.
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
from which 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 kings ruled the island from the 8th century until 1310 CE.
Founding
The city is situated on the left bank of River Mahaweli. Archeological evidence and accounts in chronicles suggests that the city is as old as AnuradhapuraAnuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
.
The Vijithagama settlement made by Vijitha in 400 BC is thought to be situated near the town.
Etimology
Name Pulathisipura is derived from the gardian sage of the city Pulasthithere are several theories on the name Polonnaruwa.According to the most accepted one word is derived from conjunction of to words Pulun which means cotton in sinhala and Maruwa which mean exchanging.So Pulun+Maruwa=Polonnaruwa
History
After ruling the country for over 1,200 years from the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan kings decide to move their capital to PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwa
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...
, as it was further inland from Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
and therefore gave them more time to organize defenses in times of foreign invasion. Polonnaruwa had previously been an important settlement in the country, as it commanded the crossings of the Mahaweli Ganga
Mahaweli Ganga
The Mahaweli River , is a long river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. Its drainage basin is the largest in the country, and covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay...
towards Anuradhapura.
Some of the rulers of Polonnaruwa include 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...
and Parakramabahu I
Parâkramabâhu I
Parākramabāhu I was king of Sri Lanka from 1153 to 1186. During his reign from his capital Polonnaruwa, he unified the three sub kingdoms of the island, becoming one of the last monarchs in Sri Lankan history to do so...
(Parakramabahu the Great). Most of Polonnaruwa that remains today dates from after the 1150s, as the extensive civil wars that preceded Parakramabahu's accession to the throne devastated the city.
Demise
The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was abandoned in the 14th century, and the seat of government for the SinhaleseSinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
kings was moved to Yapahuwa. Although many factors contributed to this, the leading cause of the abandonment of Polonnaruwa as the kingdom of Sri Lanka was its susceptibility to invasions from south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Trade
The kings who ruled in Polonnaruwa engaged in foreign trade. During the period of king Parakramabahu I, Sri lanka was self-sufficient in paddy and also had exported to many Southeast Asian countries as well as to India.The people of Polonnaruwa had many of their requirements fulfilled except salt, which they had to bring from the coastal area.
Education
The kings who ruled during this period built Buddhist schools for monks which were known as the Pirivena.And also the Brahmins were the only group which had the rights to have education.
Pali and the Sanskrit were the official languages.