Dharmapala of Kotte
Dharmapala or Dom João Dharmapala Peria Bandara (1541 – 27 May 1597) was last king of the Kingdom of Kotte, in present-day Sri Lanka, from 1551 until 27 May 1597. He is also known as Dom João Dharmapala, the first Christian king in Sri Lankan history. He is widely despised by the majority Buddhist Sinhalese for having betrayed his religion of birth i.e., Buddhism and converted to the religion of the foreign conquerors, who carried a reign of terror. Dharmapala allowed Buddhist Temples in his Kingdom including the highly venerated Temple of Kelaniya to be ransacked and burnt down by the Portuguese.
| Dharmapala | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of Kotte | |||||
| Reign | 1551 – 27 May 1597 | ||||
| Predecessor | Bhuvanekabahu VII | ||||
| Successor | Rajasinha I of Sitawaka | ||||
| Born | 1541 Royal Palace, Kotte | ||||
| Died | 27 May 1597 (aged 55/56) Portuguese Fort, Colombo | ||||
| Burial | St. Francis Shrine, Colombo 01. (now - President's House) | ||||
| Consort | Dona Isabella Dona Margarida Dona Catherina | ||||
| Issue | Princess Alingosse queen consort of King Bayinnaung | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Siri Sanga Bo | ||||
| Dynasty | Kingdom of Kotte | ||||
| Father | Lord Veediya Bandara | ||||
| Mother | Crown Princess Samudra Devi | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism prev. Theravada Buddhism | ||||
| Signature | |||||
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