Sri LAnka King: WIMaladarmasooriya I,

  ( 1591 A.D. - 1604 A.D. )

King wimaladarmasooriya played a prominent role in the history of the up- country.King wimaladarma-sooriya who had been described by certain sections as the Traitor of the up-country was earlier known by his real name Konappu Banndara.Weerasundera Bandara who was killed by King Rajasinghe by foul means, was his father. According to historical documents , King Rajasinghe I did his utmost to kill King Wimaladarmasooriya but the people of hewaheta ensured his full protection.Later he went o king Darmapala with the prince named Salappu Banndara.

According to a historical publication rajawaliya,Konappu Bandara had received military trainings since his young age and thus became a hero of the war.Konappu Banndara had once become Christian by the name of Don John and was with the Portuguese. He had a dispute with prince Salappu Banndara while in the protection of the Portuguese and as a result of this dispute the killed Salappu bandara.King darmapala punished him by sending him to Goa. However, the Portuguese also considered him as a very brave war hero.


King wimaladharmasooriya who wanted to avenge the death of his father was completely determined to punish king Rajasinghe I for which he received the cooperation of the people of the up-country. In the year 1592 king Rajasinghe was defeated in the war by wimaladharmasooriya and driven back to Seethawaka. While he was returning to Seethawaka king Rajasinghe died. A Portuguese. Army in the year 1594, invaded the up-country with the powerful army to punish this Traitor of the up-country’. The leader of the army was Aritta Kivendu perumal who was at that time known as Jaaweera Bandara.hia ambition was to marry Dona Katherina, the hair to the throne who was also the daughter of the late King Karaliyedda and become the King of the up-country. But due to the strategies adopted by king wimaladharmasooriya Jaaweera Bandara to killed by the Portuguese. the Portuguese named Dona Katherina As the legitimate heir to the throne in the up-country, but by that time the entire Sinhala army had taken the side of Kin C.later King wimaladharmasooriya launched a heavy attack on the Portuguese at denture and won the battle. Dona Katherina, the heir to throne became his queen.

The period of reign of King wimaladharmasooriya was peaceful expect for a minor rebellion launched by the Hindu leaders. All the attempts of the Portuguese to oust him from power ended in failures.As King Rajasinghe had become a Hindu and Kin Dharmapala a Christian, the relics were given to the Buddha sasana. For this he got the cooperation of the Maha Sanagha and the Buddhist people.He took the Sacred tooth relic to the up-country with the highest respects. Burmese Buddhist monks too came to Ceylon with the aim of learning and promoting Buddha Dharma.

King wimaladharmasooriya also undertook the restoration of a number of ruined Buddhist Places of worship. He restored Gadaladeniya, Lankathilake and Arangalle Viharas in addition to other religious activites.

King wimaladharmasooriya took prompt action to inject new life to the ruined economy of the country. He opened one hundred and seventy factories and look actions to promote gemming in the Rathnapura area.Action was also taken to develop the cultivation of paddy and fruits in various parts of the country.He appointed Ministers to improve the irrigation network of the island.

However, the King did not get the cooperation of the Dutch people to drive away the Portuguese because of a dispute he had with certain Dutch people. However, King wimaladharmasooriya also did his utmost to drive away the Portuguese from the country. With his death in the year 1604 , a relation of the king became the kin by the name King senerath.