No. 63. 1910.] AGE OF SRI PARAKRAMA BAHU VI. 13 
round Sitavaka from the Dictator Alak^svara, who sought to 
kill the princes in order to strengthen his position. Legend 
has cast a halo round the youth of Sri Parakrama Bahu, 
telling how, hunted from retreat to retreat by the emissaries 
of the tyrant, like many another hero of antiquity, his life was 
miraculously spared by the loyalty of humble herdsmen and 
peasants. Ultimately the prince, then styled Sri Epano,^ 
took refuge in the monastery at Rayigama, where the priest 
Vidagama Maha Sami of the blood royal befriended the youth, 
formed a conspiracy to assassinate Alakesvara, and placed 
him on the throne.^ 
The prince would appear to have been sixteen years of age 
when he slew Alakesvara.^ This event took place about the 
year 1411. After this tragedy Sri Parakrama Bahu seems 
to have returned to Rayigama, where he continued for three 
yearsi. In 1415 he removed his seat to Ko^te, and in the same 
year was duly anointed king.* Hence arises the confusion 
of two distinct dates found in contemporary records of the 
accession of this monarch. Some date his reign from the 
actual year he acceded, others from the year he was formally 
installed. He embellished the capital with fine stone build- 
ings, palaces, and a range of monasteries, opened up streets, 
and fortified the citadel with a girdle of ramparts.^ 
Valentyn, probably following a more complete version of 
the Rdjdvaliya, records: "Thereupon, having been crowned 
{which period is described as having been 1,958 years after the 
death of Budun, or 1,415 years after the birth of Christ), he 
remained three years at Reygamme (Rayigama), then removed 
to Cotta (Kotte) ,^ then built a fine city entirely of solid blue 
1 Sk. Adhipada, ** Arch-duke," title of the Sinhalese Crown prince, 
a Bdjdvaliya, p. 68; De Couto, Jonrn., R.A.S. (C.B.), vol. XX., p. 68. 
3 Journ., R.A.S. (C.B.), vol. XVIIL, No. 55. 
* Perakumbdsirita, v. 28, indicates that he was crowned at Rayigama. 
* Rdjdvaliya (Gunasekara), p. 68. 
" " This Maha Pracura (Parakrama; transferred his cornet to the 
city of Cota (K6tt6), which he founded over again in the same fashion, 
and with the same motive as the kings of the Decan (Dekkan) so long 
afterwards foimded the city of Xarbedar. ' — De Couto, Journ., R.A.S. 
(C.B.), vol. XX., No. 60, p. 68. The "motive" referred to is the 
miraculous circumstance of hunted animals turning on their pursuers 
