Prince Vijaya

Vijaya
Coronation of Prince Vijaya; detail from the Ajanta Caves mural of Cave 17[1]
Reign	c. 543 – c. 505 BCE
Successor	Upatissa
Born	Sinhapura
Died	505 BC Tambapanni
Wives	Kuveni, Vijai (A Pandyan princess)
Issue	Jivahata Disala
Dynasty	House of Vijaya
Father	Sinhabahu
Mother	Sinhasivali

Prince Vijaya (c. 543–505 BCE) was a legendary king of Tambapanni, based in modern day Sri Lanka. His reign was first mentioned in Mahāvaṃsa. He is said to have came to Sri Lanka with seven hundred followers after being banished from Sinhapura. However, there is no archaeological evidence of this.

After arriving on the island, Vijaya and his settlers defeated a yaksha near "Thammena" (Tambapaṇṇī) displacing the inhabitants. Eventually Vijaya's married Kuveni, a daughter of a yaksha leader legitimizing Vijaya’s rule over the region.