Ancient Sri Lanka

About 500 BC when a people called the Sinhalese migrated to Sri Lanka from India. According to legend the first settlers were led by a man named Vijaya. According to tradition Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in 260 BC by a man named Mahinda. It soon became an important part of Sinhalese culture.

However at first Sri Lanka was divided into different states. A man named Dutthagamani (161-137 BC) united them into a one kingdom, and built palaces and temples, making the first Sri Lankan capital at Anuradhapura. In the 2nd 3rd and 4th centuries AD, having good trade relation with India, China, Persia and Ethiopia, Sri Lanka became a rich kingdom. Sri Lanka suffered hostile attacks from India from the 5th century onwards. In the 10th century the Chola kingdom became powerful in southern India.

In 993 the Cholas conquered northern Sri Lanka hence making Polonnaruwa the capital. In1017 they conquered the south too. However the Sinhalese continued to fight back and in 1030 the Cholas withdrew from Rohana, in the Southeast. In 1070 the Sinhalese ruler Vijayabahu recaptured the north. However after his death in 1111, weak rulers succeeded him. Sri Lanka then split into independent states.

Then in 1153 Parakrama Bahu the Great became king of the realm of Dakkinadesa. This great ruler reunited Sri Lanka and he repaired the irrigation system. He died in 1183.

In the 13th century Sri Lankan power declined. There were frequent attackts from India and political uncertainty. The irrigation system began to fail and the people drifted to the Southwest. In 1255 the capital Polonnaruwa was deserted.

In the 13th century the Tamils established in the north of Sri Lanka and by 1505 Sri Lanka was split into 3 areas. In the north lived Tamils. There was a Sinhalese kingdom in the Southwest based in Kotte and another in the centre and east based in Kandy.

Portuguese Era

A new era in Sri Lanka history began in 1505 when the Portuguese arrived. The Portuguese required cinnamon (a very valuable spice). the Portuguese ordered the king to sell them his cinnamon at a price set by them. The king refused and so the Portuguese used force. In 1518 the king of Kotte was forced to agree to give cinnamon to the Portuguese each year as tribute.

Increasing Portuguese demands led to a war in 1520-21, which the Portuguese won. The king lost the faith of his people and he was overthrown by his 3 sons.

In time the states of Kotte and Sitavaka began to quarrel. The rulers of Sitavaka were insulted by the increasing Portuguese influence in Kotte. So Kotte and Sitavaka fought a number of wars. Each time Kotte was forced to look to the Portuguese for help. So unavoidably Portuguese influence in Kotte increased.

In 1551 King Bhuvankbahu was killed and the Portuguese engaged a puppet ruler in Kotte.

Finally in 1597 the Portuguese acquired Kotte and Sitavaka. In 1619 they acquired Jaffna. Only Kandy was still not captured by them. The Portuguese tried many times to capture Kandy, in 1594, 1603 and 1629, without any luck.

Dutch Era

In 1636 King Rajsinha of Kandy asked the Dutch for help. In 1638 the Portuguese invaded again but they were crushed at the battle of Gannoruwa. Afterwards the Dutch agreed to capture the Portuguese held ports on the Sri Lankan coast in return for their expenses.

Kandy remained independent and continued to exist uneasily beside the Dutch colony until 1760 when war broke out between them. The Dutch won the war and they forced Kandy to accept a humiliating treaty.

British Era

The Dutch were easily defeated by the British, who in 1815 also managed to win control of the kingdom of Kandy becoming the first European power to rule the whole of Sri Lanka.

But in 1802, Sri Lanka became a Crown Colony and in 1818 a unified administration for the island was set up. In the early 19th century the British created large plantations for growing coffee. Import duties on coffee in Britain were reduced and coffee drinking became more common. Exports of Sri Lankan or Ceylonese coffee boomed and large numbers of laborers from India were brought to work on the plantations. In the late 19th century tea replaced coffee as the main Ceylonese crop. Rubber and coconuts were also important crops. Today Sri Lanka is the world’s second largest tea exporter. English became the official language, and is still widely spoken.

Modern Sri Lanka

In February 1948, Sri Lanka became an independent member of the British Commonwealth. The country is now in the process of creating peace but in April 2006 this was disrupted by interethnic violence leaving the future of Sri Lanka in a balance. But one can only hope for the peace process for Sri Lanka will continue for the sake of its people and its beautiful land.