Kandyan Royal Consorts
In the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka, the Kings maintained a harem that consisted of a chief queen and one or two secondary queens. In addition to the queens, the harem also included concubines, who were divided into three categories based on their rank. The highest-ranking category was Randoli, which consisted of consorts of royal blood who held the position of chief queen. The second category, Rididoli, consisted of consorts from either noble families of royal lineage or sisters of Randoli. The lowest ranking category was Yakadadoli, who were from the Radala (Elite) castes.
| Queen Consort of Kingdom of Kandy | |
|---|---|
| අග බිසව | |
Queen Consort Venkata Rangammal Devi | |
| Style | Her Majesty |
| Member of | Inner Court |
| Residence | Meda Wasala |
| Appointer | The Monarch |
| Formation | 1469 |
| First holder | Mayurawathi of Gampola |
| Final holder | Venkata Rangammal Devi |
| Abolished | 1815 |
| Unofficial names | Randoli |
The names Randoli, Rididoli, and Yakadadoli are believed to have originated from the palanquins used by the different ranks of consorts of the Kings of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The Randoli consorts used a palanquin made from gold, which is reflected in their name. The Rididoli consorts used a palanquin made from silver, and the Yakadadoli consorts used a palanquin made from iron. This naming convention was likely used to differentiate the different ranks and levels of status among the royal consorts.
- Rank I - Randoli (Sinhala: රන් දෝලිය)
- Rank II - Rididoli (Sinhala: රිදී දෝලිය)
- Rank III - Yakadadoli (Sinhala: යකඩ දෝලිය)