Crisis of the Sixteenth Century

The Crisis of the Sixteenth Century was the later part of the Transitional period of Sri Lanka, that began with the decline of the Kingdom of Kotte, with the Vijayabā Kollaya in 1521, culminated in the collapse of the Kingdom of Sitawaka, and with Portuguese dominance, if not control by 1597, over two of three kingdoms that had existed at the start of the century.[1] The Kingdom of Kandy was the only independent Sinhalese kingdom to survive.[2] The period was characterised by the fragmentation of the Sinhalese polity, intervention of foreign forces and constant military conflict.

Part of a series on the
History of Sri Lanka
Chronicles
Dipavamsa Mahavamsa Culavamsa Rajaveliya
Periods
Prehistory Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age 300,000 BP –543 BC Pre Anuradhapura Indo-Aryan settlement 543–377 BC Anuradhapura Arrival of Buddhism Dutthagamani's campaign Fall of Anuradhapura 377 BC–1017 Polonnaruwa Chola conquest Sinhalese Resistance Invasion of Kalinga Magha 1017–1232 Transitional Vijayabā Kollaya Crisis of the Sixteenth Century 1232–1597 Kandy Kandyan Wars 1597–1815 British Ceylon Great rebellion Matale rebellion Buddhist revival World War II Independence 1815–1948 Sri Lanka Dominion Republic 1948–present
By Topic
Armed Forces Army Air Force Navy Economy Education Geography Politics Tamil immigration World Heritage Sites
Sri Lanka portal Bibliography Glossary Timeline