Sri Lanka Genealogy Website - Sinhalese Family Genealogy

Corea - Family #3070

Descendancy claimed from King Parakrama Bahu VI (to be updated)

please contact webmaster for any updates/corrections at: sgenweb@gmail.com

Excerpt from Mr. Deva Corea’s article : http://vernoncorea.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/king-dominicus-corea-of-kotte-article-by-deva-corea/

‘King Parakramabahu the VI’th was the last great King of Sri Lanka to rule the entire country. When Sri Rahula wrote the `Selalihina Sandesaya’ it is said that he prayed that Ulukudaya Devi the daughter of King Parakrambahu the VI’th be given a son. That son was Jayabahu II, whose daughter Abarawathi married Ranamuka Bandara. Ranamuka Bandara was a descendant of Buvenaka Bahu Epa, the son of Buvenaka Bahu IV King of Gampola.

Buvenaka Bahu Epa having accompanied Alakeswara in his campaigns finally settled in Kotte. Ranamuka Bandara and Aberawathie had two sons, Ranamuka Aratchi and Edirilla Aratchi, officers in the Sinhala Army. Edirilla Aratchi converted to Christianity and was baptized as Emanuel Corea. His son, Jeronimo Corea was the `Interpreter’ and `Colombo Aratchi’ to King Don Juan Dharmapala.

Jeronimo Corea and his wife Anna had two sons, Dominicus and Simon. Born in AD 1565, Dominicus and his brother Simon grew up in the precincts of the palace, by virtue of the position held by their father. Dominicus excelled in sports and martial arts, especially as a swordsman.’

Ranamuka Bandara and Aberawathie [daughter of Jayabahu Vira Parakrama Bahu (Jayabahu II, whose parents were Ulukudaya Devi and Sundara Pandya, Ulukudaya Devi was the daughter of Kiravella Devi and King Parakrama Bahu VI (1399-1467))] Parakrama Bahu VI had 2 adopted sons: Sapumal Kumara, when Parakrama Bahu VI died in 1467, he gave the throne to his grandson, Jaybahu II. When Sapumal Kumara found out, he went and hunted down Jayabahu, and killed him. On becoming king, he was called Bhuvuneka Bahu VI, he died in 1477 and had one son Pandita Parakrama Bahu.

The second adopted son was called Ambulugala Raja (1420-1489). When Sapumal Kumara died, his son Pandita Parakrama Bahu became king. When he became king, Ambulugala Raja killed him for the throne.

Parakrama Bahu VI's father was called Vira Vijaya Bahu VI, married to Sunethra Devi (1370-????). Vira Vijaya Bahu was kidnapped by the Chinese, and when they released him, on returning to Sri Lanka he was murdered. This is when Parakrama Bahu VI came to the throne. Vira Vijaya Bahu VI had a brother called Vira Bahu Epa.

Vijaya Bahu and Vira Bahu's father was called Senalankadhikara Senevirat and was Minister of Bhuvanaikabâhu IV.

son

Edirilla Aratchi Bandara

son

A: Mudaliyar Jeronimo Corea, son of Edirilla Aratchi Bandara, who had a brother Ranamuka Bandra. Both were officers in the Sinhala army. Edirlla converted to Catholicism and was baptized as Emmanuel Corea.

+ Anna Devi

B: Dominicus Corea, 1565-1596 (King Dominicus Corea, who was also known as Edirille Rala.^[3] (Edrille Bandara), son of Don Jeronimo Corea and Anna Corea. He was given the two of the biggest kingdoms in Sri Lanka, Kotte andSitawaka by Vimala Dharma Suriya, the King of Kandy.^[4]. Domnicus Corea became a king in 1596 and a year later he was captured by the Portuguese forces and executed. He fought hard against the Portuguese who had invaded the island in 1505 and colonised Ceylon. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominicus_Corea, Domingus/Dominicus Correa/ Edirille Rala/Edirille Bandara (honorific: Wickramasinghe Patabendi: Abhayaratna, Gunasekera, Vikramasundara, Vijayasekera)/ [Head of King’s army, elevated to a Prince ]) + First Spouse of Portuguese ancestry, + second spouse Subadra Devi ( Subadra Devi was the daughter of Vidiya Bandara and Sumadra Devi.)

[ Excerpts from article by Mr. Deva Corea: http://vernoncorea.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/king-dominicus-corea-of-kotte-article-by-deva-corea/

1
Visiting Sitawaka on a mission of espionage dressed as a Hindu priestess, he found favour with King Rajasinghe and had the run of the palace, especially the harem. Padma Wanisapperuma from Attygalle near Hanwella was reportedly the loveliest lady in the Kingdom. She was the grand daughter of a chieftain who died by the side of Vidiya Bandara in Jaffna in 1556 and was the King’s favourite. She was to be elevated to the rank of junior queen. Mudaliyar Bulathsinghala wrote that the pseudo priestess saved the lady from a rabid dog when all others fled the harem in fear. Dominicus revealed himself to her that night and leaves for Colombo the following day, still garbed as a priestess. According to John.M.Seneviratne; his love for a lady, Padma Wanissaperuma, the most entrancingly beautiful in King Rajasinghe’s harem, made him practically ‘Desert’ to Sitawaka.

He joined the army of King Rajasingha of Sitawaka, but soon fell foul of the King when he expressed his aspirations. Rajasinghe it is written, ‘roused to furious anger by the presumption of the lovelorn youth, ordered his death. Fleeing the kingdom, he was caught by Rajasinghe’s men, who cut his throat and left him for dead. Nursed back to health by a Mukkuwa woman, his neck was slightly crooked, earning him the nickname of `Mal Degolado’ or `The Ill Beheaded’. Returning to Kotte a much sober and changed man, he served under King Don Juan Dharmapala. His bravery, stratagem and ruthlessness on the battlefield, paved the way for him to be appointed a General or `Vickramasinha’. He was by then known as Ederilla Mudiyanse or Ederilla Rala.

2
Dominicus was given as his bride, Subadra Devi the daughter of Vidiya Bandara King [Prince?] of the Sath Korale and Suriya Devi the daughter of Mayadunna, King of Sitawaka. This is the only wedding recorded in the annals history, as having been held in the Kandy Maligawa with much pomp and pageantry. At his coronation and wedding, Dominicus Corea was proclaimed, King of Kotte and Sitawaka by King Wimaladharmasuriya-1. Dominicus took the name Edirimanasuriya.