Yapahuwa Era Reign: 1287-1292 CE

King Parakramabahu III

A Sinhalese king who, after a period of anarchy, brought back the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic from the Pandya country, made Polonnaruwa his capital, and ruled from 1287 CE to 1292 CE. His reign is considered to belong to the Yapahuwa era.

Key Achievements

Retrieving the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic from the Pandya country.
Re-establishing kingship after a period of anarchy.
Commencing rule by making Polonnaruwa the capital.

Introduction

King Parakramabahu III was a Sinhalese king who ruled Lanka from 1287 CE to 1292 CE. Considered a king of the Dambadeniya-Yapahuwa era, he ended a period of anarchy on the island and succeeded in bringing back the highly sacred Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic, which had been taken to the Pandya country. He ruled by making Polonnaruwa his capital.

Before Accession to the Throne

With the death of King Buwanekabahu I in 1284 CE, a famine spread across the island. From this point, for about six years (from approximately 1284 CE to 1290 CE), there was no recognized king in Lanka, and this period is recorded in history as a time of anarchy. During this unstable period, the security and stability of the kingdom were greatly threatened.

Reign

During this period of anarchy, Parakramabahu III went to the Pandya country in 1287 CE and succeeded in retrieving the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic, which are the most sacred objects of Sinhalese Buddhists, back to Lanka. After this significant task, he ascended to the throne, making Polonnaruwa his capital.

Although he ruled from Polonnaruwa, his reign is considered to belong to the Yapahuwa era. King Parakramabahu III ruled for about six years until 1292 CE. During his reign, the island experienced some stability and peace.

Achievements and Contributions

The main achievements of King Parakramabahu III can be highlighted as follows:

Retrieval of Sacred Relics: Bringing back the highly sacred Sacred Tooth Relic and the Alms Bowl Relic from the Pandya country to Lanka, thereby earning the reverence of the Buddhist people.
Ending Anarchy: Ascending to the throne and ending a six-year period of anarchy that followed the death of King Buwanekabahu I.
Making Polonnaruwa the Capital: Initiating rule by re-establishing Polonnaruwa as the capital, thereby further highlighting the importance of the region.

End of Reign

In 1292 CE, King Buwanekabahu II defeated King Parakramabahu III and ascended to the throne. With this, the six-year reign of King Parakramabahu III came to an end.