the betterment of religion and education.
However, the king was able to overcome all
these challenges since he was educated and
intelligent.
When King Parakramabahu II was getting
ready to fight with Kalinga Magha that is
in the 11th year of his ruling (1247 A.D.),
a Javaka invader named Chandrabhanu
landed in this country with a large group of
soldiers. Though all the invasions came to
Sri Lanka from India so far, Chandrabhanu
arrived from the Northern part of the
Malaya peninsula in the South- East Asia.
As that area was a Buddhist country then,
the purpose of Chandrabhanu may have
been to possess the sacred Buddhist relics.
In 1247 A.D. Chandrabhanu’s army was
repulsed by the Sri Lankan army led by
king Parakramabahu II.
The greatest challenge that King
Parakramabahu II had to face was to
liberate the country from Magha’s ruling.
Magha ruled the areas in Rajarata for
Plan No. 7.3. A sketch of the plan of the ancient Yapahuwa city.about 40 years and had reinforced the security
by building citadels around the area. Therefore,
a decisive attack had to be made on Magha.
According to a plan of the king, the army was
directed to besiege Polonnaruwa city from the
eastern and western sides. Magha’s soldiers,
in the surrounding citadels, had gathered to
Polonnaruwa to face the king’s army. Magha’s
army had had a debacle at the attack launched
by the king’s army. It is believed that this decisive
battle took place in around 1255 A.D. Liberating
the country from Magha was a great achievement
of the king.
Chandrabhanu, who fled after suffering a
defeat in the previous battle with the army of
the king, had invaded Sri Lanka once again
in about 1261 A.D. by obtaining mercenary
soldiers from India. Chandrabhanu, who came
with a large army, besieged Yapahuwa and
threatened the king to hand over the state, the
tooth relic and the bowl relic. Once again there
was a great battle between the king’s army and
the army of Chandrabhanu. In this battle king
Parakramabahu II had the support from the
Pandyan Empire. In this battle, the enemies were
defeated and the invader Chandrabhanu too
was killed. King Parakramabahu II saved the
country from the enemies and at the same time
he took steps to use the minister named Deva
Pathiraja to develop the economic, religious and
educational sectors.YapahuwaAs king Parakramabahu II passed away in about
1270 A.D, his son prince Vijayabahu attained
the kingship. He is named as Vijayabahu IV.
The name Bosath Vijayabahu too was used for
him. His reign was limited only for two years.
He died due to a military coup. After that, prince
Buvanekabahu, who was the brother of king
Vijayabahu IV, overcame the conspirators and