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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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474<br />

<strong>the</strong> new k<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> north to <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> a tributary<br />

<strong>and</strong> thus give it recognition, dash<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> hopes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese<br />

to wipe it out. If Parkramabhu II,<strong>in</strong>vited <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

P 4yas , which he probably did, aga<strong>in</strong>st C<strong>and</strong>rabhnu <strong>and</strong> if be<br />

had any hopes <strong>of</strong> annex<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> new k<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>and</strong> re-unify<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>Ceylon</strong>, <strong>the</strong> results showed that <strong>the</strong> Pyas were only: will<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to keep <strong>the</strong> peace <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> but not to allow <strong>the</strong> annexation<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn k<strong>in</strong>gdom which was tributary to <strong>the</strong>i.<br />

The fall <strong>of</strong> Polonnaruva <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> drift <strong>of</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese<br />

power to <strong>the</strong> south-west were also notable factors that helped<br />

<strong>the</strong> rise <strong>and</strong> survival <strong>of</strong> a k<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>in</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Ceylon</strong>. With <strong>the</strong><br />

shift <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>in</strong>halese capital to <strong>the</strong> south-western parts <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> effective control <strong>of</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Ceylon</strong> was lost. This<br />

made it easier for an <strong>in</strong>dependent k<strong>in</strong>gdom to emerge <strong>in</strong> that region.<br />

The foreign elements, who were driven to that part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>,<br />

exploited <strong>the</strong> circumstances to found a new k<strong>in</strong>gdom. With <strong>the</strong><br />

ab<strong>and</strong>onment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region around Polonnaruva, <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rnmost<br />

regions were virtuafly cut <strong>of</strong>f front <strong>the</strong> south, The chiefta<strong>in</strong>cies<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> formex RAjaraha acted as a buffer<br />

between <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>and</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn k<strong>in</strong>gdoms. The re-unification<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> became difficult even on occasions when ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gdoms was subjugate <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, as <strong>the</strong>y did <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> fourteenth<br />

<strong>and</strong> fifteenth centuries. In <strong>the</strong> thirteenth century perhaps<br />

<strong>the</strong> ab<strong>and</strong>oned regions <strong>of</strong> Rjaraha may not have provided such<br />

a barrier to <strong>the</strong> subjugation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> north. But it would have

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