Sri Lankan monarchs

Throughout its history, Sri Lanka, as it is known today, has been ruled by various monarchial lines, at some times with different lines ruling different parts of the modern state.

The Sinhalese Monarchy was established in 543 BC with Prince Vijaya founding the Kingdom of Tambapanni and ended with Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy in 1815. This a list of all those who have reigned, in each of the successive Sinhala Kingdoms. The list of Sinhalese monarchs was recorded in the chronicles of the island such as the Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Chulavamsa and the Rajaveliya. This line of rulership contained both native Sinhalese and foreign rulers who ruled chronologically and in succession under the Sinhalese Monarchy.

In 1215, the invasion of Kalinga Magha led to the establishment of a line of monarchs of the Jaffna kingdom, who ruled a portion of Sri Lanka until the Portuguese conquest of Jaffna Kingdom under Cankili II 1619.

In 1796 the British first entered the island and gained control of the coastal areas from the Dutch. After the Kandyan Wars and the signing of the Kandyan Convention in 1815 the island recognized the King of England as the King of Kandy, hence the British Monarch. This ended 2357 years of Sri Lankan monarchy. The Monarchs of Ceylon lasted from 1815 to 1972.

If this argument to separate Sinhala Monarchy and Jaffna Monarchy is acceptable, the question arises about the period prior to 1215. During this period, so called Sinhala Monarchy ruled Jaffna area. Hence, if the Monarchy is termed Sinhala Monarchy, the inhabitants in Jaffna too should be Sinhala people.

Lists of monarchs

• Monarchs of the Sinhala Kingdoms
• Monarchs of the Jaffna Kingdom or the
• Monarchs of the Dominion of Ceylon