King Kasyapa
King Kashyapa I of Anuradhapura (473-495 CE) was a complex and ruthless ruler. His rise to power was stained with blood. According to legend, a minister named Migara convinced Kashyapa that his father, King Dhatusena, had hidden a vast treasure. Blinded by greed, Kashyapa imprisoned his father. There are conflicting accounts of Dhatusena's fate - some say he was entombed alive, others that he was killed. Regardless of the method, Kashyapa's actions were seen as a terrible transgression.,This act did not go unpunished. Kashyapa's younger brother, Moggallana, escaped to South India. There, he rallied an army to reclaim his rightful throne. Kashyapa, despite his formidable Sigiriya fortress, met Moggallana's forces on the battlefield. Faced with a possibly disloyal army and the weight of his past actions, Kashyapa's reign crumbled. During the battle, a tactical maneuver by Kashyapa was misinterpreted by his troops as a retreat, causing them to falter. Unwilling to be captured and likely tortured, Kashyapa took his own life by his own sword, ending his tumultuous reign.
King Kashyapa I of Anuradhapura (473-495 CE) was a complex and ruthless ruler. His rise to power was stained with blood. According to legend, a minister named Migara convinced Kashyapa that his father, King Dhatusena, had hidden a vast treasure. Blinded by greed, Kashyapa imprisoned his father. There are conflicting accounts of Dhatusena’s fate - some say he was entombed alive, others that he was killed. Regardless of the method, Kashyapa’s actions were seen as a terrible transgression.
This act did not go unpunished. Kashyapa’s younger brother, Moggallana, escaped to South India. There, he rallied an army to reclaim his rightful throne. Kashyapa, despite his formidable Sigiriya fortress, met Moggallana’s forces on the battlefield. Faced with a possibly disloyal army and the weight of his past actions, Kashyapa’s reign crumbled. During the battle, a tactical maneuver by Kashyapa was misinterpreted by his troops as a retreat, causing them to falter. Unwilling to be captured and likely tortured, Kashyapa took his own life by his own sword, ending his tumultuous reign.
