Kandyan Convention deposes Sri Vikrama Rajasinha; Ceylon becomes a British colony (1815)

The Kandyan Convention, signed on 2 March 1815, deposed Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the last King of Kandy, and ceded the kingdom's territory to the British Crown. This treaty, concluded by British agents and Kandyan nobility, ended over 2,300 years of Sinhalese monarchy and incorporated the island into the British Empire, marking the end of Kandy's independence.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Kingdom of Kandy, centered in the central highlands, was the last independent Sinhalese state. Its autonomy was weakened by internal conflicts between King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha and the aristocracy. British forces advanced inland in January 1815, reaching Kandy without resistance on 10 February, setting the stage for the treaty that would formally end the kingdom's sovereignty.

Signatories. The treaty was signed by the British governor, Sir Robert Brownrigg, and the chiefs of the Kandyan Kingdom. British agents, including John D'Oyly, participated in the conference. The Sinhala version identifies the signatories as the chiefs of Sihale, acting for the deposition of the King and the ceding of territory to the British Crown.

Consequences. The convention resulted in the deposition of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, who was taken as a royal prisoner to Vellore Fort. The island was incorporated into the British Empire, with George III succeeding as monarch. This event definitively ended the kingdom's autonomy, absorbing it into the colonial administration.

People involved

Sources

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