Sena V of Anuradhapura

Sena V (sinhala: පස්වන සේන ) was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from approximately 972 to 982 CE. He was a son of Mahinda IV and a Kalinga princess and belonged to the House of Lambakanna II. He succeeded his father while still a child, reportedly at the age of twelve. His reign was marked by serious political and military instability, including a rebellion by the powerful genaral Sena and the temporary loss of effective royal control over Anuradhapura. He was succeeded by his younger brother Mahinda V.

Early life and accession

Sena V was the son of King Mahinda IV and a princess from Kalinga. The marriage between Mahinda IV and the Kalinga princess established an important connection between the Anuradhapura royal house and eastern India.

According to the traditional chronology, Mahinda IV died in 972 CE and was succeeded by his son Sena, who was only twelve years old. Sena V therefore came to the throne at a comparatively young age. The succession is also recorded in later historical traditions and is consistent with the chronology of approximately 972–982 CE found in historical and epigraphic studies.

Sena V's younger brother Udaya was appointed Yuvaraja, or sub-king. The king also retained the services of the experienced military commander ( genaral) Sena, who had served under Mahinda IV.

Conflict with the general Sena

A major crisis developed between the king and the powerful genaral Sena. He also served under Sena V's father Mahinda IV, He must have been the general Sena who defeated the South Indian invader Vallabha. The general had been entrusted with military responsibilities outside the capital. During his absence, Sena V ordered the execution of the commander's younger brother, Mahamalla. The surviving chronicle tradition associates Mahamalla's death with an offence involving the queen mother.

The killing caused a serious rupture between the king and the commander. When the senāpati Sena heard of his brother's death, he returned with his forces and rebelled against the king. Sena V, fearing the advancing army, fled from Anuradhapura to Ruhuna.

The queen mother did not accompany the king. She remained at Anuradhapura together with the yuvarāja Udaya and the king's queen. The chronicle describes the queen mother as maintaining a conciliatory attitude towards the rebellious commander.

Rebellion and the crisis at Anuradhapura

After reaching Anuradhapura, the general Sena established himself at Polonnaruwa and secured the assistance of Tamil troops. The Chulavamsa describes these troops as Damilas and gives a strongly negative account of their conduct, stating that they plundered and oppressed the population.

Sena V attempted to recover his position by sending an army against the rebellious commander. The royal army was defeated, however, and the king remained unable to regain effective control of Anuradhapura.

The episode illustrates the growing political importance of military commanders and foreign soldiers in the late Anuradhapura state. The use of mercenary forces was not unique to Sena V's reign, but during his reign their political influence became particularly conspicuous.

Reconciliation

The political crisis was eventually brought to an end through negotiations between the king and the general Sena. The two sides were reconciled, allowing Sena V to resume his position as ruler.

According to the chronicle tradition, Sena V subsequently married a daughter of the general Sena. Their son was the prince Kassapa. This marriage appears to have been part of the settlement that followed the conflict between the king and his military commander.

The reconciliation did not restore the kingdom to the political stability it had enjoyed during the stronger phases of Mahinda IV's reign. Sena V subsequently spent much of the remainder of his reign at Polonnaruwa, which had long served as an important secondary royal and military centre.

Later reign and death

The Cūḷavaṃsa gives an unfavourable account of Sena V's later years. Following his reconciliation with the senāpati, the king is portrayed as becoming increasingly devoted to alcoholic drink and as neglecting the responsibilities of government.

The chronicle uses moralising language to describe the king's condition when intoxicated, comparing his behaviour to that of a wild or uncontrolled animal. Such descriptions should be understood within the literary and religious framework of the Cūḷavaṃsa, rather than treated as an independently verified medical or psychological description.

The surviving tradition states that Sena V died in the tenth year of his reign, after suffering the effects of excessive drinking. He died at Polonnaruwa, traditionally around 982 CE.

Succession

Sena V was succeeded by his younger brother Mahinda V, who became one of the last rulers of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Mahinda V's long reign was subsequently marked by further political and military deterioration, culminating in the Chola conquest of the Anuradhapura Kingdom.

Historical assessment

Sena V's reign represents an important stage in the political deterioration of the late Anuradhapura Kingdom. His accession as a child placed considerable power in the hands of senior officials and military commanders. The rebellion of the senāpati Sena demonstrated the ability of a powerful military leader to challenge royal authority.

The crisis also illustrates the increasing importance of foreign military forces in the political affairs of the kingdom. The Cūḷavaṃsa describes Tamil soldiers as participating in the conflict and plundering parts of the country. Modern historical interpretations consequently regard Sena V's reign as part of the wider weakening of central authority that preceded the eventual Chola conquest.

At the same time, descriptions of the period should distinguish between the events reported by the chronicles and conclusions that can be independently established. The Cūḷavaṃsa was written within a Buddhist historiographical tradition and frequently interpreted political events in moral terms. Its descriptions of Sena V's character and drinking habits therefore require appropriate historical qualification.

Chronology

The reign of Sena V is generally placed at approximately 972–982 CE in a substantial body of Sri Lankan historical and epigraphic scholarship.

Some modern lists and older chronological schemes give different dates for the late Anuradhapura rulers. These differences arise from competing reconstructions of the chronology of the period. The 972–982 chronology is nevertheless supported by the sequence Mahinda IV → Sena V → Mahinda V in several historical and epigraphic sources.