Parakrama Bahu I

Parakrama Bahu I (päräk'rumu bä'rOO) [key], fl. 12th cent., Sinhalese king of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka; 1153–86). He was the first to unite the island under one rule after Chola invaders were driven out in the late 11th cent. He made his capital at Pollonarrua, which became a great cultural center, and encouraged the construction of a highly efficient irrigation system that helped to make the island prosperous. After securing his hold on Ceylon, he invaded S India and sailed to Myanmar with an army.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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