The end of King Vimaladharmasuriya
King Vimaladharmasuriya was suffering from a severe fever. No treatment seemed to answer. In May 1604, he died of this illness. He had two daughters and a son living here in the country.
This king’s father happened to be a leader but not a very significant character. He was killed by King Rajasinghe of Sitawaka. After the killing of his father, the young prince joined the Portuguese. After that, he changed his name to Konappu Bandara and became known as Don Juan of Austria and embraced Christianity.
King Vimaladharmasuriya was a great ruler, with many talents. He started a new line of kings in Sri Lanka. He was well built and had a long black beard. At one time, he was known as Konnappu Bandara.
He joined the security forces of Colombo and fought against King Rajasinghe. He secretly committed a crime. It was detected somehow. He was sent to Goa in India as a punishment. There, he gained popularity because of his strength and build.
While in Goa, he got married to a discarded Portuguese woman. He had a son by this marriage too. This son continued to live in Goa and even when the King died, he was there. It is by killing Don Phillip who had a claim to the throne, that King Vimaladharmasuriya had become king.
By Halaliye Karunathilake
Edited and translated by
Kamala Silva
Illustrated by
Saman Kalubowila