Queen Anula, one of the earliest documented female rulers in Sri Lankan chronicles, ascended through court intrigue after a series of short-lived male reigns. Later sources portray her with moralistic coloration—accusations of poisoning spouses—reflecting gendered narrative framing more than verifiable forensic truth. Her tenure marks a rare female assertion of sovereignty, illustrating the permeability of succession norms during volatility. She demonstrates that royal authority, while ideologically male-coded, could be appropriated amid elite fragmentation.