kingdom · South Asia
Polonnaruwa Kingdom
Origins
After the Chola Empire conquered the Anuradhapura Kingdom in the early 11th century, it ruled northern Sri Lanka from Polonnaruwa. Vijayabahu I, leading resistance from the Kingdom of Ruhuna, expelled the Cholas in 1070 and kept Polonnaruwa as his capital.
Rule and society
Parakramabahu I, who ruled from 1153 to 1186, reunited the island after a civil war, built the vast reservoir called the Parakrama Samudra, reformed and unified the Buddhist sangha and sent expeditions to Burma and South India. Polonnaruwa's palaces, image houses and the rock-cut Buddhas of the Gal Vihara date from this time. Nissanka Malla, from Kalinga, left many inscriptions. Rice grown with irrigation and trade sustained the kingdom.
Decline and legacy
After Nissanka Malla the kingdom was torn by rivalries. In 1215 the invader Kalinga Magha sacked Polonnaruwa, and around 1232 the Sinhalese capital moved south-west to Dambadeniya. The irrigation network of the dry zone fell into decay.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (1)
- Polonnaruwa Kingdom was conquered by Jaffna Kingdom1215 CE – 1232 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Polonnaruwa Kingdom. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/polonnaruwa-kingdom
- MLA
- “Polonnaruwa Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/polonnaruwa-kingdom. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Polonnaruwa Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/polonnaruwa-kingdom.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Polonnaruwa Kingdom’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/polonnaruwa-kingdom (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻