Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha of Kandy

Thrisinhaladheeshwara

Rajadhi Rajasinha

Thrisinhaladheeshwara
Lankeshwara
Bhupathi

Sri Rajadhi Raja Sinha

King of Kandy
Reign| 2 January 1782 – 26 July 1798
Coronation| 1782
Predecessor| Kirti Sri Rajasinha
Successor| Sri Vikrama Rajasinha

Died| 26 July 1798
Sri Lanka
Burial|

Royal Cremation Yard, Asgiri Temple, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Spouse| Queen Consort
Alamelu Ammal

Royal Concubine
Upendra Ammal

Royal Concubine
Rangammal Devi

Royal Concubine
Siriyammal Devi

Mistress
Mampitiye Devi

Mistress
Lady Subbramma Nayak
Issue| None
House| Nayaks of Kandy
Father| Lord Narendrappa Nayakkar
Mother| Lady Upendramma Devi

Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha (Sinhala:ශ්‍රී රාජාධි රාජසිංහ, Tamil:ஸ்ரீ ராஜாதி ராஜசிங்கம்; reigned 1782–1798) was a member of the Madurai royal family and succeeded his brother, Kirti Sri Rajasinha as King of Kandy in 1782.[1] He was known as a poet-king, with at least one poem written from his hand still known.[2]

## Early life[edit]

Rajadhi Rajasinha was the second son of Narendrappa Nayakkar of the Madurai Nayakkar clan. The younger brother of Kirti Sri, he was raised as a devout Buddhist.[2] His brother died from a fall off a horse in 1781 and Rajadhi Rajasinha ascended to the throne in early 1782.

The Degaldoruwa Royal Temple, built in 1771 and completed during the reign of King Rajadhi Rajasinha.[3]

## Marriages[edit]

He had five Nayakkar wives. His Queen Consort was Alamelu Ammal Devi. His second wife was Upendra Ammal Devi who was arrived from Rameshwaram, South India. His third wife, Rangammal Devi, was a younger sister of the Queen Consort. He appointed Siriyammal Devi as his fourth wife, who was another younger sister of the Queen Consort. He also kept one of his elder brother‘s royal consorts, Mampitiye Devi, as a mistress. Lady Subbramma Nayak, who was a younger sister of second consort Upendra Ammal Devi became Rajadhi Rajasinghe's mistress after her husband’s death.

## Reign[edit]

Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha ruled the Kandyan Kingdom for nearly two decades. During his reign he maintained largely peaceful relations with the Dutch army. Hugh Boyd visited the Kandy court shortly after Rajadhi's accession and noted that the court was divided into different factions based on support of the Dutch, with the pro-Dutch faction in the strongest position.[2]

Like his brother, he was a patron of Buddhism and restored a number of temples, as well as granting lands to new ones, as did his brother.[2] The famous Court Jester Andare was served to him.

## Succession[edit]

After Rajadhi Rajasinha died, he was succeeded by his teenage nephew, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy, the last king of Kandy.[4]

## See also[edit]

* Mahavamsa
* List of monarchs of Sri Lanka
* History of Sri Lanka

## References[edit]

1. ^ Wright, Arnold (1999). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. Asian Educational Services. p. 57\. ISBN 978-81-206-1335-5.
2. ^ a b c d Schrikker, Alicia (2007-03-31). Dutch and British Colonial Intervention in Sri Lanka, 1780-1815: Expansion and Reform. BRILL. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-90-474-1899-3.
3. ^ Seneviratna, Anuradha; Polk, Benjamin (1992). Buddhist Monastic Architecture in Sri Lanka: The Woodland Shrines. Abhinav Publications. p. 126\. ISBN 9788170172819.
4. ^ Briggs, Philip (2018-01-02). Sri Lanka. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 373\. ISBN 978-1-78477-057-0.

Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha of Kandy

Kandy Nayakar Dynasty

Born: ? ? Died: 26 July 1798

Regnal titles
Preceded by

Kirti Sri Rajasinha

|  King of Kandy
2 January 1782–26 July 1798  | Succeeded by

Sri Vikrama Rajasinha

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List of Kandyan monarchs

House of Siri Sanga Bo
(1473–1592)|

* Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu (1473–1511)
* Jayaweera Astana (1511–1551)
* Karaliyadde Bandara (1551–1581)
* Dona Catherina (1581–1581)
* Rajasinha I (1581–1591)

House of Dinajara
(1590–1739)|

* Vimaladharmasuriya I (1590–1604)
* Senarat (1604–1635)
* Rajasinghe II (1635–1687)
* Vimaladharmasurya II (1687–1707)
* Vira Narendra Sinha (1707–1739)

Nayaks of Kandy
(1739–1815)|

* Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (1739–1747)
* Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747–1782)
* Rajadhi Rajasinha (1782–1798)
* Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798–1815)

Monarchs from 1473 to 1592 were only regional rulers

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