Chapter 14. The History of Sri Lanka

Early history. Stone Age sites show human presence in the island for many thousands of years. According to the chronicles, Vijaya arrived with his followers and founded a settlement; historians treat the chronicle accounts critically alongside archaeological evidence [33][35].

Anuradhapura period (from the 4th century BCE). The kingdom of Anuradhapura grew under rulers such as Pandukabhaya and Devanampiya Tissa. In the 3rd century BCE, Buddhism was introduced by Mahinda, according to tradition during the reign of the Indian emperor Ashoka; the Sri Maha Bodhi sapling was brought by Sanghamitta. This era produced great irrigation works, stupas, monasteries and chronicles such as the Mahavamsa, composed in Pali [33][35]. Sigiriya was built in the 5th century CE under Kashyapa [33].

Polonnaruwa period. After invasions from South India in the late 10th and early 11th centuries, the capital moved to Polonnaruwa. Vijayabahu I regained control in 1070, and Parakramabahu I (reigned 1153–1186) is remembered for irrigation works and for unifying the island [33].

Later kingdoms. From the 13th century, power shifted to the south-west and the hill country. Kingdoms included Dambadeniya, Gampola and Kotte, with the Jaffna kingdom in the north, and later the Kandyan kingdom in the central highlands [33].

European colonial rule

Portuguese (from 1505) controlled coastal areas.

Dutch (from the 1640s, replacing the Portuguese by 1658) introduced Roman-Dutch law and expanded cinnamon trade.

British took over Dutch coastal areas in 1796; Ceylon became a Crown colony in 1802. The Kandyan kingdom came under British control with the Kandyan Convention (1815), followed by the Uva-Wellassa rebellion (1817–1818). The Colebrooke–Cameron reforms (1833) unified administration. Plantation agriculture (coffee, then tea and rubber) transformed the economy and brought Indian Tamil labourers [33][34].

Nationalism and constitutional change. Religious and cultural revival, social reform and political movements grew in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Donoughmore Constitution (1931) introduced universal adult franchise, and the Soulbury Constitution (1947) preceded independence [34].

Independence and after. Ceylon became independent on 4 February 1948 with D. S. Senanayake as the first Prime Minister. The Official Language Act of 1956 made Sinhala the official language; the Republic was proclaimed in 1972 and the present Constitution adopted in 1978 [5][6][34].

Conflict and its aftermath. Ethnic tensions and political disputes over language, rights, devolution and representation contributed to an armed conflict that began in the early 1980s and ended militarily in May 2009. It caused great loss of life and displacement; issues of reconciliation, accountability and political settlement remain subjects of debate [6][34].

Recent history. Economic liberalization from 1977, the 2004 tsunami, and the severe economic crisis of 2022 are among important developments. Historians approach recent history with caution as sources and interpretations are still developing.

Review: Which agreement brought the Kandyan kingdom under British control, and in what year? (Answer: the Kandyan Convention, 1815.)