Heroes of the Sinhala Resistance against the Portuguese, Dutch and British occupation of Sri Lanka for nearly 450 years
Posted on November 13th, 2025
Senaka Weeraratna (with AI assistance)
Throughout nearly 450 years of European colonial rule, the Sinhalese people resisted the Portuguese, Dutch, and British occupations, producing numerous figures now celebrated as national heroes
Against the Portuguese (1518–1658)
The resistance against the Portuguese was characterized by continuous conflicts and shifting alliances, primarily led by the kings and princes of the local kingdoms, especially Sitawaka and Kandy.
- Mayadunne of Sitawaka: A prominent figure in the early resistance against Portuguese influence and their control over the Kingdom of Kotte.
- Rajasinha I of Sitawaka (previously Tikiri Bandara): Mayadunne’s son, he continued the fight against the Portuguese, most notably with a significant victory at the Battle of Mulleriyawa in 1557.
· The Battle of Mulleriyawa – Sri Lanka’s Fiercest Fight Against the Portuguese මුල්ලේරියා සටන
Battle of Mulleriyawa – Prince Tikiri Bandara 1559 (මුල්ලේරියානු යුද්ධය සහ ටිකිටි බණ්ඩාර 1559)
Mulleriyawa: Blood & Glory | How Sri Lanka Defeated the Portuguese
4K AI SHORT FILM | The grand win of Seethawaka Rajasinghe”
- Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy (previously Konappu Bandara): He led the Kandyan resistance, defeating the Portuguese in several key battles, including the campaign of Danture in 1594.
· Rise of Konappu Bandara
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4f0DVVkVI
- Senarat of Kandy: Vimaladharmasuriya I’s successor, under whom the Sinhalese forces, including his son Maha Asthana (later Rajasinha II), achieved a major victory at the Battle of Randeniwela in 1630.
- Nikapitiya Bandara – fought against the Portuguese bravely and was on the verge of defeating the Portuguese with the support of 2,000 crack troops given by King Senarat. But when Nikapitiya Bandara foolishly demanded one of the two daughters of King Vimaladharmasuriya in marriage (kept by King Senarat as wives to legitimize his rule) Senarat got worried and withdrew his troops from the battlefield. That weakened Nikapitiya Bandara allowing the Portuguese to gain the upper hand. Nikapitiya Bandara was last seen in Anuradhapura. No trace of him thereafter.
- Rajasinha II of Kandy: A key figure who led the final decisive battle against the Portuguese at the Battle of Gannoruwa in 1638, virtually annihilating the Portuguese force. He then strategically allied with the Dutch to eventually oust the Portuguese from the island in 1658.
Against the Dutch (1658–1796)
The Dutch replaced the Portuguese as the colonial power in the coastal areas, often maintaining a complex relationship with the inland Kingdom of Kandy.
· King Rajasinha II of Kandy fought against the Dutch when the Dutch reneged on their pledge to vacate the Forts captured from the Portuguese and instead intended to replace them as the major colonial power in the Island. Rajasinghe II is credited with coining a famous Sinhala idiom / figure of speech ඉඟුරු දී මිරිස් ගත්තා වාගේ” Inguru di miris gaththa wagay (Literal meaning: Like one exchanged ginger for chili). It was originated – in reference that the Dutch Rule was much more of a menace to the king and cruel to the Sinhala Buddhist people in the island as much as the Portuguese were. From 1645 onwards Rajasingha was engaged in sporadic warfare with his erstwhile allies the Dutch.
Against the British (1796–1948)
The British took over from the Dutch and eventually captured the entire island by 1815. Resistance continued in the form of major rebellions and a later, largely peaceful, independence movement.
- Keppetipola Disawe (Monarawila Keppetipola): The most revered hero of the Great Rebellion of 1817–1818 in the Uva-Wellassa region. Initially sent by the British to suppress the uprising, he famously joined the rebels, returning his British arms and ammunition. He was later captured and executed but is now a major national hero.
- Gongalegoda Banda: A leader of the 1848 Matale Rebellion, a peasant revolt against British taxes and policies. He was proclaimed “King of Kandy” by the rebels.
- Puran Appu (Weerahennedige Francisco Fernando): A fellow leader in the 1848 Matale Rebellion who successfully captured Matale for a brief period before being captured and executed.
- Henry Pedris: A militia commander executed by the British during the 1915 riots on false charges, his death became a catalyst for the modern independence movement.
- Anagarika Dharmapala: A key figure in the Buddhist revivalist movement that fostered a pan-Sinhala Buddhist identity and national consciousness, laying the groundwork for the modern independence struggle.
- E. W. Perera, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, F.R. Senanayake and Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka: These leaders played a crucial role in the political and constitutional struggle for independence. E.W. Perera famously traveled to Britain to present a memorandum to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, which led to the repeal of martial law and the release of imprisoned Sinhalese leaders after the 1915 riots.
- D. S. Senanayake: Often referred to as the “Father of the Nation”, he led the peaceful constitutional movement.
However, independence came to Ceylon in 1948 on a platter due to blood sacrifices made by soldiers of several Asian countries led by Japan, Indian National Army (INA) of Subash Chandra Bose, Burma (Aung San and U Nu), Indonesia ( Sukarno and Mohammed Atta), and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh).
Did Japan contribute to Sri Lanka and India to gain independence?
- 1956 Buddhist Revolution – SWRD Bandaranaike, Philip Gunawardena, L.H. Mettananda (Bauddha Jatika Balavegaya) and D.C. Wijewardena (author of ‘Revolt in the Temple’ – https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2017/06/25/book-review-the-revolt-in-the-temple-by-d-c-wijewardena/)
- How Lankan Buddhists won the battle against proselytization
· National Hero of Sri Lanka
Recipients. … Recipients of the award range from the 18th century to the 20th century.
Wikipedia
ජාතික ගීත (Jathika Geetha) – Sri Lanka Independence Day 2025 (full)