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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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541<br />

k<strong>in</strong>gdom marks <strong>the</strong> cul m<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> forces that began to work<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> with <strong>the</strong> C5]a occupation <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> eleventh century. Gradually <strong>the</strong> <strong>Dravidian</strong> elements, chiefly<br />

<strong>the</strong> Tamils <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ker4as, <strong>in</strong>creased <strong>the</strong>ir numbers <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>fluence.<br />

The <strong>in</strong>vasion <strong>of</strong> )1gha <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> downfall <strong>of</strong> Polonnaruva soon led<br />

to <strong>the</strong> emergence <strong>of</strong> a k<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong>,<br />

which, though at first contr<strong>of</strong>led by )gha <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n by <strong>the</strong><br />

vkas, rema<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong>ir sphere <strong>of</strong> authority for over three<br />

centuries. From <strong>the</strong>re <strong>the</strong>y attempted to control <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> at times met with partial success. The S<strong>in</strong>hales*<br />

who rema<strong>in</strong>ed beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn areas were <strong>in</strong> all probability<br />

assimilated to <strong>the</strong> Tamfl population <strong>and</strong> by <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Portuguese occupation <strong>the</strong> present <strong>Jaffna</strong> district had been<br />

transformed <strong>in</strong>to a predo m<strong>in</strong>antly Tamil-speH ng area.

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