the cities developed in the second urbanization
had freed from the geometric structures of the
previous ones. Even in the size, they were not
as large as the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
ones. The scholars point out the reason for that
is the decentralization of power after the second
urbanization.
Dambadeniya
The period from the downfall of the Polonnaruwa
kingdom in 1215 A.D to the establishment of
the Dambadeniya kingdom in 1232 A.D was
a chaotic time in this country. Mahawamsa
mentions that in this difficult time when the
capital was in the hands of the enemies, some
local leaders had protected both the country
and Buddhism from the enemies by building
inaccessible places in safe areas. Subha Senevi
who protected the area from enemies by building
an inaccessible place in the Yapahuwa rock, the
duke Buwanekabahu who prevented enemies
from entering Ruhuna by making a citadel at
the top of the Govindamalaya mountain, and
Sankha Senevi who had built a citadel in the rock
in Gandeniya close to Mahiyangana area were
prominent among them.
Though they took much pains to act for the
security of the country, none had a hope of going
beyond their own purpose, which was defending
their own ruling area, and uniting the country
suppressing the enemy. It seems only one person
acted with this purpose. He was a chieftain
named Vijayabahu III. He lived in Dambadeniya.
He ruled making Dambadeniya as his ruling
centre in between 1232-1236. During this time
Dambadeniya got developed consisting of all
that needed for a city.
King Vijayabahu III established the Dambadeniya
kingdom in 1232. His relationship with the old
royal family in Anuradhapura is not clear. The
sources mention that this king was a Wanni
Nayaka- provincial leader earlier. Wanni means
a kind of provincial ruling unit originated after
the downfall of the Rajarata civilization. In this
way, it seems that king Vijayabahu III too was
a provincial leader at first, gradually became
powerful, dispelled the enemies who were in
Maya Rata and built Dambadeniya as his ruling
centre. When Polonnaruwa was surrendered
by enemies, the Bhikkus protected the tooth
relic and the bowl relic. They took those sacred
objects to Kothmale and protected them. King
Vijayabahu III came to know of this and took
steps to bring them to Dambadeniya. He built a
Dalada Maligawa at Beligala and deposited them
in it. This task of the king added an importance
to the Dambadeniya Kingdom as the people
considered that the possession of the tooth relic
was the legal receipt of kingship. King Vijayabahu
III performed a number of religious and national
activities such as building Dambadeniya
Vijesundararamaya, reconstructing Kelani
temple, making a Sanga amendment by holding
the Upasampada festival again and taking steps
to rewrite the books in disuse. His ruling time
was 4 years and he died in 1236.King Parakramabahu II(1236 A.D. – 1270 A.D.)King Vijayabahu III had two sons namely
Parakramabahu and Buvanekabahu. After his
death, his elder son, Parakramabahu became the
king of Dambadeniya in 1236. He is named as
king Parakramabahu II. King Parakramabahu
II had a good education in his childhood. He
had his education from the Bhikkus led by
Sangharakkhitha Thero when his father was
living and later became an educated erudite.
He was offered the scholarly title Kalikala
Sahithya Sarwagna Panditha. The great books he
composed remain even today.By the time king Parakramabahu II attained the
kingship, the country was not freed from the
clutches of the enemies. And also he had to face
a new invader. He had a number of challenges
before him, including bringing the life style
of the countrymen to normalcy and acting for