Mayadunne of Sitawaka
| Mayadunne | |
|---|---|
| King of Sitawaka | |
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|
| Reign | 1521–1581 |
| Predecessor | Vijayabahu VII of Kotte |
| Successor | Rajasimha I |
| Born | 1501 Kotte, Kingdom of Kotte |
| Died | 1581 Avissawella, Kingdom of Sitawaka |
| Burial | Kingdom of Sitawaka |
| Issue | Rajasimha I |
| House | House of Siri Sanga Bo |
| Father | Vijayabahu VII of Kotte |
Mayadunne (Sinhalese: මායාදුන්නේ) (1501–1581) was a king of the Kingdom of Sitawaka, who ruled for 60 years between 1521 and 1581. Mayadunne was a fierce opponent of the Portuguese, who had arrived on the Island in 1505. He devoted his whole life attempting to oust his brother Bhuvanekabahu, the king of Kotte and thereby preserve the independence of Lanka, which was being undermined by the Portuguese intrigue. He constantly invaded the territory of Bhuvanekabahu of Kotte.
Mayadunne was born in 1501 in Kotte of the Kingdom of Kotte. He was the son of Vijaya Bahu VII who reigned as king from 1509 to 1521. Mayadunne was the youngest child born to Vijaya Bahu VII and his main Queen. He had two full brothers, Bhuvanekabahu and Raigama Bandara, Bhuvanekabahu who was also king of Kotte from 1521 to 1551.
In 1521 together with his two full brothers Bhuvanekabahu and Raigama Bandara, who were born to the main queen of Vijaya Bahu VII, he revolted against his father, suspecting him of planning to pass the throne of Kotte to one of Vijaya Bahu VII's other queen's sons (Devaraja) after his death. Although Mayadunne was the youngest of the three brothers he was the mastermind behind this revolt which ended with the death of their father Vijaya Bahu VII (he was assassinated by a hired foreigner) and the Kotte Kingdom was divided between the three brothers. This incident is known as "Wijayaba Kollaya" and can roughly be translated as the "Spoiling of Vijayabahu". Bhuvanekabahu came to power as Bhuvanekabahu VII of Sri Lanka and he got established in the Kotte Kingdom with a region roughly including present day Colombo, Gampaha, Districts, North Western Province and Southern Province coastline. Raigama Bandara got established in Raigama with his control roughly over present day Kalutara District & Southern Province except the coastilne (which was under Kotte Kingdom). Mayadunne got established in the Kingdom of Sitawaka (Present day Avissawella) controlling roughly the modern day Sabaragamuwa Province (Kegalle, Ratnapura Districts).
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