CHAP. IX.] KINGS OF THE " LOWER DYNASTY.' 



393 



returned from India to avenge the murder of his father ; 

 and the brothers encountered each other in a decisive 

 engagement at Ambatthakolo in the Seven Corles. 1 

 Kasyapa, perceiving a swamp in his front, turned the 

 elephant which he rode into a side path to avoid it ; on 

 which his army in alarm raised the shout that " their 

 liege lord was flying," and in the confusion which fol- 

 lowed, Mogallana, having struck off the head of his 

 brother, returnecf the kreese to its scabbard, and led 

 his followers to take possession of the capital ; where he 

 avenged the death of his father, by the execution of the 

 minister who had consented to it. He established a 

 marine force to guard the island against the descents 

 of the Malabars, and " having purified both the orthodox 

 dharma 2 , and the religion of the vanquisher, he died, 

 after reigning eighteen years, signalised by acts of piety." 3 

 This story as related by its eye-witness, Mahanamo, forms 

 one of the most characteristic, as well as the best au- 

 thenticated episodes of contemporary history presented 

 by the annals of Ceylon. 



Such was the feebleness of the royal house, that of the 

 eight kings who succeeded Mogallana between A.D. 515 

 and A.D. 586, two died by suicide, three by murder, 

 and one from grief occasioned by the treason of his son. 

 The anarchy consequent upon such disorganisation stimu- 

 lated the rapacity of the Malabars ; and the chronicles 

 of the following centuries are filled with the accounts of 

 their descents on the island and the misery inflicted by 

 their excesses. 



A.D. 



495. 



1 At or near the Kidi-wihara, eight 

 miles north-east of Kornegalle. 



2 The doctrines of Buddha. 



3 Mahawanso, ch. xxxix. Manu- 

 script translation by TURNOTTR. TUR- 



his Epitome^ says Kasyapa 

 committed suicide on the field of 

 battle," but this does not appear from 

 the narrative of the Mahawanso. 



A.D. 



515. 



