Cankili I

Cekaracacekaran VII Cankili I
King of the Jaffna Kingdom
First from the right is Cankili I
Reign	1519–1561
Predecessor	Singai Pararasasegaram (Pararacacekaran VI)
Successor	Puviraja Pandaram (Pararacacekaran VII)
Born	Nallur
Died	1565 (1566) Nallur
Burial	Nallur
Issue	Puviraja Pandaram (Pararacacekaran VII)
Full name Cankilian Sekarasasekaran
Tamil	சங்கிலியன்
House	Aryacakravarti dynasty
Father	Singai Pararasasegaram (Pararacacekaran VI)
Mother	Mangathammal

Cankili I (Tamil: சங்கிலியன்) (died 1565), also known as Segarasasekaram, is the most remembered Jaffna kingdom king in the Sri Lankan Tamil history. He was very active in resisting Portuguese colonial inroads into Sri Lanka. He also inherited his throne via palace intrigues in which number of heir apparent’s died under mysterious circumstances. At the end, he was removed from power by a local uprising that led to his son Puviraja Pandaram taking nominal power from him.

Biography

Cankilian Thoppu - Facade of the palace belonging to the last king Cankili II.^[1]

His father, Singai Pararasasegaram, had two principal wives and a number of concubines. His first wife, Rajalaksmi, had two sons, Singhabahu and Pandaram. Singai Pararasasegaram second wife was Valliammal, she bore him Paranirupasingham. Cankili's mother had Cankili and a daughter named Paravai. As part of palace intrigues, Cankili was able to ascend the throne.

Rule

Cankili I resisted all contacts with the Portuguese and even massacred 600 - 700 Parava Catholics in the island of Mannar who were brought from India to Mannar by the Portuguese to take over the lucrative pearl fisheries from the Jaffna kings. He was removed from power due to a local uprising that led his son Puviraja Pandaram take nominal power. He wielded real power behind the throne until his death in 1565.^[2][3]

Notes

References

• Kunarasa, K (2003). The Jaffna Dynasty. Johor Bahru: Dynasty of Jaffna King’s Historical Society. p. 122. ISBN 955-8455-00-8. 
• Gnanaprakasar, Swamy (2003). A Critical History of Jaffna (review of Yalpana Vaipava Malai). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 122. ISBN 81-206-1686-3.