King Sri Vijaya Rajasinha
Reign: 1739–1747 CE
Kingdom: Kandyan Kingdom
Country: Sri Lanka
International Connections
He continued Buddhist patronage and faced Dutch territorial ambitions. His South Indian lineage initially raised concerns, yet he embraced Theravada Buddhism and secured the dynasty's legitimacy through temple building and ritual sponsorship..
Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (1739–1747), the first Nayakkar king, ruled for eight years. Though of South Indian Tamil origin, he adopted Sinhalese-Buddhist kingship norms, patronizing monasteries and safeguarding the Tooth Relic. His accession illustrates the adaptability of Kandyan sovereignty—legitimacy derived from Buddhist merit-making and relic custodianship rather than strictly ethnic lineage.