Jettha Tissa I of Anuradhapura

Sri Lankan King of Anuradhapura from 267 to 277

Jettha Tissa I
King of Anuradhapura
Reign	263 – 273
Predecessor	Gothabhaya
Successor	Mahasena
Father	Gothabhaya

Jettha Tissa I (ruled 263–273)^[1] also referred to as Dethutis, Kalakandetu Tissa, and Makalan Detu Tissa,^[2] was the eldest son of Gothabhaya and brother of Mahasena. He was a king of Sri Lanka for ten years.^[3]

The chronicle of Sri Lanka - Mahavamsa described Jettha Tissa I as a cruel person and stated that immediately after his father’s death, he had all of his father’s court ministers killed and then had their bodies placed on spikes around the pyre.^[4]

Sources cite that Jettha Tissa and his brother Prince Mahasena were educated by the Buddhist monk Sanghamitta.^[5] It is said that the young Jettha Tissa, who later embraced the Maha Vihara priests instead of Buddhism, disliked his teacher.^[3] The monk was forced to flee when he became king but returned and became influential during Mahasena's reign.^[3]

Reign

Accounts cited that upon the death of Gothabhaya, there were faction among the dignitaries of state who were dissatisfied.^[6] Several ministers refused to participate in the funeral rites. In response to the perceived insult, Jettha Tissa forced them to join the procession leading to his father's cremation and had them killed at the end of the ceremony.^[2]

During his reign, Jettha Tissa added more storeys to the Lovamahapaya constructed by King Dutugamunu, turning it into a seven storey building.^[4] He renovated the stupa in Muthiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya. This building was stripped of its adornments during Mahasena's reign and the materials were transferred to the Abhayagiri Vihara.^[3]

References

^ Ray, H.C. (1960). History of Ceylon: Vol. I: Part II. Ceylon University Press. Colombo. pp. 843–847.
^ ^a ^b Senaveratna, John M. (1997). The Story of the Sinhalese from the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of "the Mahavansa" Or Great Dynasty: Vijaya to Maha Sena, B.C. 543 to A.D.302. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 278. ISBN 81-206-1271-X.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Blaze, L. E. (2004). History of Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 48. ISBN 81-206-1841-6.
^ ^a ^b "The Mahavamsa". The Mahavamsa.org. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
^ Mahanama-sthavira, Thera (1999). The Mahavamsa: The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka. Fremont, CA: Jain Publishing Company. p. 360. ISBN 978-0-89581-906-2.
^ Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1986). Vakataka - Gupta Age Circa 200-550 A.D. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 256. ISBN 978-81-208-0026-7.

External links

Kings & Rulers of Sri Lanka
Codrington's Short History of Ceylon

Regnal titles
Jettha Tissa I of Anuradhapura House of Lambakanna I
Preceded by Gothabhaya	King of Anuradhapura 267-277	Succeeded by Mahasena

Monarchs of the Sinhala Kingdom

Pre-Anuradhapura period
House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE)

Prince Vijaya (543 BCE–505 BCE)
Upatissa (505 BCE–504 BCE)
Panduvasdeva (504 BCE–474 BCE)
Abhaya (474 BCE–454 BCE)
Tissa (454 BCE–437 BCE)

Anuradhapura period
House of Vijaya (543–237 BCE)
Chola dynasty (237–215 BCE)
House of Vijaya (215–205 BCE)
Chola dynasty (205–161 BCE)
House of Vijaya (161–103 BCE)
The Five Dravidians (103–89 BCE)
House of Vijaya (89 BCE–66 CE)
House of Lambakanna I (66–436)
The Six Dravidians (436–463)
House of Moriya (463–691)
House of Lambakanna II (691–1017)

Pandukabhaya (437–367 BCE)
Mutasiva (367–307 BCE)
Devanampiya Tissa (307–267 BCE)
Uttiya (267–257 BCE)
Mahasiva (257–247 BCE)
Suratissa (247–237 BCE)
Sena and Guttika (237–215 BCE)
Asela (215–205 BCE)
Elara (205–161 BCE)
Dutugamunu (161–137 BCE)
Saddha Tissa (137–119 BCE)
Thulatthana (119 BCE)
Lanja Tissa (119–109 BCE)
Khallata Naga (109–104 BCE)
Valagamba (104–103 BCE)
Pulahatta (103–100 BCE)
Bahiya (100–98 BCE)
Panya Mara (98–91 BCE)
Pilaya Mara (91–90 BCE)
Dathika (90–88 BCE)
Valagamba (89–76 BCE)
Mahakuli Mahatissa (76–62 BCE)
Chora Naga (62–50 BCE)
Kuda Tissa (50–47 BCE)
Siva I (47 BCE)
Vatuka (47 BCE)
Darubhatika Tissa (47 BCE)
Niliya (47 BCE)
Anula (47 BCE)
Kutakanna Tissa (42–20 BCE)
Bhatikabhaya Abhaya (20 BCE–9 CE)
Mahadathika Mahanaga (9–21)
Amandagamani Abhaya (21–30)
Kanirajanu Tissa (30–33)
Chulabhaya (33–35)
Sivali (35–35)
Interregnum (35–38)
Ilanaga (38–44)
Chandamukha (44–52)
Yassalalaka Tissa (52–60)
Subharaja (60–66)
Vasabha (66–110)
Vankanasika Tissa (110–113)
Gajabahu I (113–135)
Mahallaka Naga (135–141)
Bhatika Tissa (141–165)
Kanittha Tissa (165–193)
Cula Naga (193–195)
Kuda Naga (195–196)
Siri Naga I (196–215)
Voharika Tissa (215–237)
Abhaya Naga (237–245)
Siri Naga II (245–247)
Vijaya Kumara (247–248)
Sangha Tissa I (248–252)
Siri Sangha Bodhi I (252–254)
Gothabhaya (254–267)
Jettha Tissa I (267–277)
Mahasena (277–304)
Sirimeghavanna (304–332)
Jettha Tissa II (332–341)
Buddhadasa (341–370)
Upatissa I (370–412)
Mahanama (412–434)
Soththisena (434)
Chattagahaka Jantu (434–435)
Mittasena (435–436)
Pandu (436–441)
Parindu (441)
Khudda Parinda (441–447)
Tiritara (447)
Dathiya (447–450)
Pithiya (450–452)
Dhatusena (463–479)
Kashyapa I (479–497)
Moggallana I (497–515)
Kumara Dhatusena (515–524)
Kittisena (524)
Siva II (524–525)
Upatissa II (525–526)
Silakala Ambosamanera (526–539)
Dathappabhuti (539–540)
Moggallana II (540–560)
Kittisiri Meghavanna (560–561)
Maha Naga (561–564)
Aggabodhi I (564–598)
Aggabodhi II (598–608)
Sangha Tissa II (608)
Moggallana III (608–614)
Silameghavanna (614–623)
Aggabodhi III (623)
Jettha Tissa III (623–624)
Aggabodhi III (624–640)
Dathopa Tissa I (640–652)
Kassapa II (652–661)
Dappula I (661–664)
Dathopa Tissa II (664–673)
Aggabodhi IV (673–689)
Unhanagara Hatthadatha (691)
Manavanna (691–726)
Aggabodhi V (726–732)
Kassapa III (732–738)
Mahinda I (738–741)
Aggabodhi VI (741–781)
Aggabodhi VII (781–787)
Mahinda II (787–807)
Dappula II (807–812)
Mahinda III (812–816)
Aggabodhi VIII (816–827)
Dappula III (827–843)
Aggabodhi IX (843–846)
Sena I (846–866)
Sena II (866–901)
Udaya I (901–912)
Kassapa IV (912–929)
Kassapa V (929–939)
Dappula IV (939–940)
Dappula V (940–952)
Udaya II (952–955)
Sena III (955–964)
Udaya III (964–972)
Sena IV (972–975)
Mahinda IV (975–991)
Sena V (991–1001)
Mahinda V (1001–1029)

Anuradhapura from Rohana

Kassapa VI (1029–1040)
Mahalana–Kitti (1040–1042)
Vikrama Pandu (1042–1043)
Jagatipala (1043–1046)
Parakrama Pandu (1046–1048)
Loka (1048–1054)
Kassapa VII (1054–1055)

Polonnaruwa period
House of Vijayabahu (1055–1187)
House of Kalinga (1187–1197)
House of Vijayabahu (1197–1200)
House of Kalinga (1200–1209)
House of Vijayabahu (1209–1210)
Lokissara (1210–1211)
House of Vijayabahu (1211–1212)
Pandyan dynasty (1212–1215)
Eastern Ganga dynasty (1215–1236)