Senarat of Kandy
| Senarat Adahasin | |
|---|---|
| King of Kandy | |
| Reign | 1604–1635 |
| Predecessor | Vimaladharmasuriya I |
| Successor | Rajasinghe II |
| Born | Sri Lanka |
| Died | 1635 Sri Lanka |
| Burial | Sri Lanka |
| Wives | |
| Issue |
Kumarasinghe Hastanne Vijayapala Râjasimha II |
| House | House of Dinajara |
Senarat Adahasin was king of the Kingdom of Kandy from 1604 to 1635. he is said to be the successor to king Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy.However first hand accounts are not available on what happened after the death of Vimaladharmasuriya 1. he is said to be a cousin or brother of vimaladharmasuriya according to most sources. He was not a legitimate ruler hence he married not only Deceased kings widow Dona Catherina but also her two daughters as well to legitimize his claim to the throne.
He did not possess the qualities of a king and during his time Portuguese forces laid waste to the kandyan territory by frequent invasions, which were not effectively repulsed by him. During his reign several rebellions rose up against him and to quell those he aligned with the Portuguese. Many of his military campaigns ended up in failure barring the Battle of Randenivela, success of which is however largely due to the Prince Kumarasinghe , his step son.
When the time came for him to divide his kingdom between his two stepsons & his own son, he tricked the other two & made Râjasimha II (his own son) inherit the main part of his kingdom including Kandy. His two stepsons died shortly after (Some say Senerath is responsible for this elimination of potential heirs to the throne and Rajasimha II became the sole heir to his kingdom.
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Wikipedia