Cankili I
{{Distinguish|Cankili II}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Cekaracacekaran VII
Cankili I
| title = King of the Jaffna Kingdom
| image =Jaffna Royal family 280x190.jpg
| caption =First from the right is Cankili I
| reign = 1519–1561
| coronation =
| full name = Cankilian Sekarasasekaran
| native_lang1 = Tamil
| native_lang1_name1 = சங்கிலியன்
| predecessor = Singai Pararasasegaram (Pararacacekaran VI)
| successor = Puviraja Pandaram (Pararacacekaran VII)
| spouse =
| issue = Puviraja Pandaram (Pararacacekaran VII)
| royal house = Aryacakravarti dynasty
| dynasty =
| father = Singai Pararasasegaram (Pararacacekaran VI)
| mother = Mangathammal
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Nallur
| death_date = {{death-date|1565}}
| death_place = Nallur
| date of burial =
| place of burial = Nallur
}}Cankili I ({{langx|ta|சங்கிலியன்}}) (died 1565), also known as Segarasasekaram (Jaga Rajasekharam), is the most remembered Jaffna kingdom king in the Sri Lankan Tamil history. He was active in resisting Portuguese colonial inroads into Sri Lanka. He inherited his throne via palace intrigues in which a number of heirs died under mysterious circumstances. Ultimately, he was removed from power by a local uprising that led to his son Puviraja Pandaram taking nominal power from him.
Biography
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; they couple were the parents of Paranirupasingham. Cankili's mother had Cankili and a daughter named Paravai. As part of palace intrigues, Cankili was able to ascend the throne.
Rule
{{Main|Portuguese invasion of Jaffna kingdom (1560)}}
According to a letter by Andre de Souza, ordered Cankili I on November 1544 the murder of his eldest son for converting to Catholicism.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xEVuAAAAMAAJ&q=Andre+de+souza|title=Primary Sources for History of the Sri Lankan Tamils: A World-wide Search|last=Gunasingam|first=Murugar|date=2005|publisher=M.V. Publications for the South Asian Studies Centre, Sydney|isbn=9780646454283|pages=86|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1OVAAQAAMAAJ&q=Andre+de+Souza+letter|title=The Ceylon Antiquary and Literary Register|date=1919|publisher=The Times.|pages=60|language=en}} The son was buried on the spot he was killed, where a chapel was built that later on served as the foundation for the construction of the present St. Mary's Cathedral at Jaffna.{{Cite news|url=http://nation.lk/online/2016/07/16/mannar-island-martyrs.html|title=Mannar Island of Martyrs » Nation|last=Joseph|first=Dishan|date=2016-07-16|work=Nation|access-date=2018-04-24|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303050557/http://nation.lk/online/2016/07/16/mannar-island-martyrs.html|archive-date=2018-03-03|url-status=dead}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSjjAAAAMAAJ&q=jaffna+Sankily+cathedral|title=Kurukshetra|date=1983|publisher=Sri Lak-Indo Study Group|pages=68|language=en}}
Cankili I resisted all contacts with the Portuguese, maintained relationships with Kunjali Marakkar got assistance from 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.Kunarasa, K The Jaffna Dynasty, p.82-84Gnanaprakasar, S A critical history of Jaffna, p.113-117
Notes
{{Reflist|2}}
References
- {{cite book | last = Kunarasa | first = K
| title = The Jaffna Dynasty | publisher = Dynasty of Jaffna King’s Historical Society | year= 2003
| location = Johor Bahru | isbn = 955-8455-00-8 | page = 122}}
- {{cite book | last = Gnanaprakasar | author-link = Gnanaprakasar | first = Swamy | title = A Critical History of Jaffna (review of Yalpana Vaipava Malai) | publisher = Asian Educational Services | year= 2003 | location = New Delhi | isbn = 81-206-1686-3 | page = 122}}
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|title=Jaffna Kingdom|before=Singai Pararasasegaram|after=Puviraja Pandaram |years=1519–1561}}
{{s-end}}
{{Rulers of Jaffna Kingdom}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cankili 01}}
Category:Sri Lankan Tamil royalty
Category:Sri Lankan Tamil people