Jaffna kingdom: Map & History
The Jaffna Kingdom, also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka.
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The Jaffna Kingdom, also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka. It came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna Peninsula and was traditionally thought to have been established after the invasion of Kalinga Magha from Kalinga in India. Established as a powerful force in the north, northeast and west of the island, it eventually became a tribute-paying feudatory of the Pandyan Empire in modern South India in 1258, gaining independence when the last Pandyan ruler of Madurai was defeated and expelled in the early 14th century by Malik Kafur, the army general of the Delhi Sultanate. For a brief period in the early to mid-14th century it was an ascendant power in the island of Sri Lanka, to which all regional kingdoms accepted subordination. However, the kingdom was overpowered by the rival Kotte kingdom around 1450 when it was invaded by Prince Sapumal under the orders of Parakramabahu VI.
Modern Countries Once Part of Jaffna kingdom
At its mapped extent, Jaffna kingdom covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Jaffna kingdom's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Jaffna kingdom in Depth
History
The origin of the Jaffna kingdom is obscure and still the subject of controversy among historians. Among mainstream historians, such as K. M. de Silva, S. Pathmanathan and Karthigesu Indrapala, the widely accepted view is that the kingdom of the Aryacakravarti dynasty in Jaffna began in 1215 with the invasion of a previously unknown chieftain called Magha, who claimed to be from Kalinga in modern India. He deposed the ruling Parakrama Pandyan II, a foreigner from the Pandyan Dynasty who was ruling the kingdom of Polonnaruwa at the time with the help of his soldiers and mercenaries from the Kalinga, modern Kerala and Damila (Tamil Nadu) regions in India.
Economy
The economy of the kingdom was almost exclusively based on subsistence agriculture until the 15th century. After the 15th century, however, the economy became diversified and commercialized as it became incorporated into the expanding Indian Ocean.
Ibn Batuta, during his visit in 1344, observed that the kingdom of Jaffna was a major trading kingdom with extensive overseas contacts, who described that the kingdom had a "considerable forces by the sea", testifying to their strong reputed navy. He witnessed a hundred ships of varying sizes belonging to the Jaffna kingdom on the Malabar Coast. The kingdom's trades were oriented towards maritime South India, with which it developed a commercial interdependence.
Culture
Shaivism (a denomination of Hinduism) in Sri Lanka has had continuous history from the early period of settlers from India. Hindu worship was widely accepted even as part of the Buddhist religious practices. During the Chola period in Sri Lanka, around the 9th and 10th century, Hinduism gained status as an official religion in the island kingdom. Kalinga Magha, whose rule followed that of the Cholas is remembered as a Hindu revivalist by the native literature of that period.
As the state religion, Hinduism enjoyed all the prerogatives of the establishment during the period of the Jaffna kingdom.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Jaffna kingdom (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Jaffna kingdom: Key Facts
| Capital | Nallur |
|---|---|
| Official language | Tamil |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Currency | Setu coins |
| Founded | 1215 |
| Dissolved | 1624 |
Preceded by
Facts from Wikidata Q1311219 (CC0).
Jaffna kingdom Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Jaffna kingdom appears, with the other states of the time.
Jaffna kingdom Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 22,777 km² in 1332 CE.
Jaffna kingdom: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Jaffna kingdom exist?
The Jaffna kingdom is dated to 1314 CE – 1594 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Jaffna kingdom?
The capital of the Jaffna kingdom was Nallur.
How large was the Jaffna kingdom at its peak?
At its peak in 1332 AD the Jaffna kingdom covered about 22,777 km².
How did the map of the Jaffna kingdom change over time?
The Jaffna kingdom appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1400 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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