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113992242-Dravidian-Settlements-in-Ceylon-and-the-Beginnings-of-the-Kingdom-of-Jaffna-By-Karthigesu-Indrapala-Complete-Phd-Thesis-University-of-London-1965

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From <strong>the</strong> forego<strong>in</strong>g analysis it becomes clear that<br />

395<br />

<strong>the</strong> settlements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> thirteenth century mark <strong>the</strong> most important<br />

stage <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> early <strong>Dravidian</strong> settlements <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ceylon</strong>.<br />

From <strong>the</strong> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> this century for nearly dtoadee decades<br />

a quick succession <strong>of</strong> foreign <strong>in</strong>vasions, which brought <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong><br />

isl<strong>and</strong> fresh mercenary forceB, led to <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> new<br />

<strong>Dravidian</strong> settlements. The nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>vasions <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

settlements that followed was <strong>in</strong> many ways different from that<br />

<strong>of</strong> earlier <strong>in</strong>vasions <strong>and</strong> settlements. While <strong>the</strong> earlier <strong>in</strong>vasions,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g even <strong>the</strong> Ca <strong>in</strong>vasion <strong>of</strong> 1017, could be treated as<br />

episodes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>vasions <strong>of</strong> ?gha,<br />

Ch<strong>and</strong>rabhnu <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> P4yas <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> thirteenth century cannot<br />

be dismissed as mere episodes. The settlements <strong>of</strong> th. earlier<br />

periods, though not quite unimpressive, did not result <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

visible dislodgement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese population from any area.<br />

As far as we can see, those were not <strong>the</strong> result <strong>of</strong> forcible<br />

occupation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese. Those early settlers<br />

may have become assimilated to <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese population <strong>in</strong> due<br />

course. But it was <strong>the</strong> events <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> thirteenth century that<br />

prevented such an assimilation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> greater part <strong>of</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

<strong>and</strong> eastern <strong>Ceylon</strong>. The <strong>in</strong>vasion <strong>of</strong> gha with <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> Ker4a<br />

<strong>and</strong> Tami]. mercenaries was far more violent than <strong>the</strong> earlier<br />

<strong>in</strong>vasions. Its chief importance lies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> fact that it led<br />

to <strong>the</strong> permanent dislodgement <strong>of</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese power from nor<strong>the</strong>rn

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