Vira Narendra Sinha of Sri Lanka
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Sri Vira Parakrama Narendra Singha ( Sinhala:ශ්‍රී වීර පරාක්‍රම නරේන්ද්‍රසිංහ; 1707–1739 AD) was the last Sinhalese King of Sri Lanka of the Kingdom of Kandy. He was also known as the "Prince of Kundasale".


Childhood

Narendra Singha was the successor of his father Vimaladharmasurya II. His mother was a Royal Concubine called Muthukude Devi, who was from a local noble family. According to historical sources his father's other wives became jealous of him. So they conspired to kill him and his mother while they sailed across the Mahawali river at Lewella ferry by drawing. But a young man was going nearby saved both of them. After this incident King Vimaladharmasuriya II kept his beloved son at Kundasale Palace for safety. Because of this he was called as Prince Kundasale. Prince Kundasale was a playful boy in his young ages.


Ascension to the throne

Prince Kundasale was adopted by his father's Queen Consort to offer him the legal inheritance for the throne. When he was enthroned few members of the Royal Court disagreed and they tried to give the throne to Prince Pattiya Bandara. As the result during his reign, the chiefs and nobles strengthened their authority. Once a conspiracy was planned by the Second Adigar Yalegoda and his follower chiefs of the court against the king and one of the old friends of the king, called Pedro Dascon alias Pirre de Gascogne, pioneered in protecting the king. In return, the king appointed him as the Second
Adigar The Mahâ Adigâr ( si, මහා අධිකාරම්) (also known as Adikārama, Adikār) was a Great Officer in the Amātya Mandalaya, or Sinhalese Council of State, in the Sinhalese Kingdoms of monarchical Sri Lanka. The office was sec ...
in 1709.


Region

Vira Parakrama Narendra Singha was believed to be a considerably pious monarch, and like his predecessor, he lived at peace with the Dutch invaders and devoted himself to the furtherance of literature and religion.


Marriages

Narendra Singha had several marriages as mentioned in history. His Queen Consort was a princess from the Madurai Nayakkar dynasty. She was known as Pramila Devi, daughter of Lord Pitti Nayakkar and Lady Abhirami Devi. She buildup a secret affair with the king's best friend, Second Adigar Dascon. After it was revealed king ordered to behead Dascon. Narendra Singha had a consort called Udumale Devi. Some historians say that it was an honourably name for Queen Consort. He married a daughter of Monaravila Disave of Matale and he had two sons with her. One was Prince Unambuwe Bandara and the second son died early age. According to some historical folktales he appointed his maternal cousin sister from Muthukude Walawwa as a Royal Concubine. King had married a local princess of Palle Walawwa, Kurukohogama named Heen Kumari, but she had committed suicide because she had never wanted to marry him.


Succession

After the death of the king in 1739, the throne was succeeded by his wife's brother, Sri Vijaya Rajasinha, who was of
Nayakkar The Nayak is a historic Indian title conferred on Sardars, who were governors of feudal states in the Middle Ages. Today it is also a surname. Nayaks are mostly Hindu and few Sikhs, who follow Hinduism and Sikhism respectively. As a surname Tod ...
nationality which originated from south India, as he had no brothers or sons from the queen consort. But he had children from his royal consort, such as prince Unambuwe Bandara, upon his death, the law from India which belonged to the Queen consort refused to appoint Unumbuwe Bandara as successors. After that, the throne of the Sinhalese kings ended and was passed on to Madurai Nayakkars till the Sri Lankan monarchy ended.


See also

* Mahavamsa *
List of monarchs of Sri Lanka The Sinhalese monarch -- anachronistically referred to as the Kings of Sri Lanka—featured the heads of state of the Sinhala Kingdoms, in what is today Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese monarchy originates in the settlement of North Indian Indo-Ar ...
*
History of Sri Lanka The history of Sri Lanka is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Indian Ocean. The early human remains found on the island of Sri ...


References


Sources


Kings & Rulers of Sri Lanka
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vira Parakrama Narendra Singha V 1739 deaths 1690 births Monarchs of Kandy V V