Sapumal Kumaraya

Bhuvanekabahu VI (Sapumal Kumaraya) (Sinhala:සපුමල් කුමාරයා, Tamil: செண்பகப் பெருமாள்) or Chempaha Perumal (died 1480) was by self admission an adopted son of Parakramabâhu VI whose principal achievement was the conquest of Jaffna Kingdom in the year 1447 or 1450. He ruled the Kingdom for 17 years when he was apparently summoned to the south after the demise of his adopted father. According to a primary source Rajavaliya, he killed the grand son of Parakrama Bahu VI namely Vira Parakrama Bahu or Jaya Bahu (1468 – c. 1470) but Do Couto, however, who was well-informed, says after a few years' reign the king died and his half-witted son was put on the throne by his aunt, who two years later finding herself unable to rule sent for Sapumal Kumaraya from Jaffna.

There are number of theories as to his ethnic origin and the reason for the rebellion against his rule. According to John Holt he was an ethnic Tamil from the Eastern part of the Island, whereas other sources mention that he may have come from the Malabar region, Tulunadu or the Coromandel Coast.

He is also been identified to be adopted by Parakramabahu VI after the death of his father Manikka Thalaivan, a Karaiyar chief, who was killed in a battle mentioned in the manuscript Mukkara Hatana.

He is credited to have built the Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna as well as other Temples and Buddhist Vihares in the South. The rebellion against his is seen as a reflection of ethnic Sinhalese identity against a perceived outsider.

The conquest of the Jaffna Kingdom took place in many stages. Firstly, the tributaries to the Jaffna Kingdom in the Vanni area, namely the Vanniar chieftains of the Vannimai were neutralised. This was followed by two successive invasions. The first invasion did not succeed in capturing the kingdom. It was the second invasion dated to 1450 that eventually was successful. Apparently connected with this war of conquest was an expedition to Adriampet in modern South India, occasioned according to Valentyn by the seizure of a Lankan ship laden with cinnamon. The Tenkasi inscription of Arikesari Parakrama Pandya of Tinnevelly 'who saw the backs of kings at Singai, Anurai,' and else where, may refer to these wars; it is dated between A.D. 1449–50 and 1453-4.Kanakasooriya Cinkaiariyan the Aryacakravarti king fled to South India with his family.

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