Bhuvanaikabahu VI of Kotte


Bhuvanekabahu VI of Kotte, known also as Sapumal Kumaraya and Chempaka Perumal, 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 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.

Origins theories

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 has 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.

Conquest of Jaffna Kingdom

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.
This victory seemed to have left a very important impression on the Sinhalese literati and political leaders. The glory of Sapumal Kumaraya is sung in the Kokila Sandesaya written in the fifteenth century by the Principal Thera of the Irugalkula Tilaka Pirivena in Mulgirigala. The book contains a contemporary description of the country traversed on the road by the cookoo bird from Devi Nuwara in the South to Nallur in the North.
The return of the Prince to Kotte is sung by the poet, Sri Rahula Thera of Totagomuva in the Selalihini Sandesaya thus:
He is known as Chempaha Perumal as well as Ariavettaiadum Perumal in Tamil sources.

Ascension in the Kotte Kingdom

Sapumal Kumaraya ascended the Kotte throne under the name of Bhuvanaika Bahu VI. . According to Rajaveliya having heard that Jayabahu ascended the throne, Sapumal arrived from Jaffna and killed Jayabahu to ascend the throne. An embassy arrived from Pegu for the purpose of obtaining the priestly succession from Lanka in 1476, at a moment when a serious rebellion had broken out. in the chronicles this king is given a reign of seven years from his coronation, hut the Dedigama inscription is dated in his ninth year.according to E.W. Codrington this period is from 1472-80 AD. He was succeeded by his son Pandita Parakrama Bahu VII.