Kuruvita Rala

Kuruvita Rala (also spelled Kuruwita Rala, also known as Antonio Barreto) was a Sri Lankan rebel leader and prince of Uva. He was also the guardian of the sons of Dona Catherina, Queen of Kandy.

History

First revolt, (1603) 
Antonio Barreto as he was known as, was a Sinhalese Catholic Karava soldier natively from Kotte kingdom, who had initially fought on the side of the Portuguese Empire as a Lascarin commander. Barreto lead a rebellion against the Governor of Portuguese Ceylon, Jerónimo de Azevedo, in 1603 after his comrade Vimaladharmasuriya I seized power in the Kingdom of Kandy. Barreto forced the Portuguese forts in the Kuruwita region to capitulate. Antonio Barreto fought on the side of Kandy kingdom where he gained high office under Vimaladharmasuriya I under the name Kuruvita Rala and was rewarded with the title "Prince of Uva".

Second revolt, (1616–1619) 
Vimaladharmasuriya I who died in 1603 was succeeded by his cousin Senarat of Kandy by marrying the king's queen, Dona Catherina. Under the force of Senerat, Kuruvita Rala seized the Portuguese fort at Sabaragamuwa in December 1616. In contrast to Kuruvita Rala who fought most of his battles on land, was his nephew the admiral of Senerats naval fleets, fighting the enemies on the sea and met with great success.

Nikapitiye, one pretending to be the grandson of Rajasinha I of Sitawaka, had after his victory against a Portuguese battle asked Senerat for the hand of one of the daughters of the Kandy Queen. Kuruvita Rala enraged by Senerat who refused the request of Nikapitiye and also persisted on peace with the Portuguese, raided the Kandy Kingdom and rebelled against Senerat in 1617, driving him out of his own capital. Kuruvita Rala seiged the stronghold on much of the Souther Sri Lanka including Batticaloa, Wellawaya, Negombo, parts of Sabaragamuwa, Matara and southern half of Kandy Kingdom. He thereupon invited Mayadunne of Denawaka residing in India, one of the Sitawaka line, to be crowned as the king of Sri Lanka.

Defeat, (1620) 
The general Constantino de Sá de Noronha led a strong Portuguese force, forcing Kuruvita Rala to retire to Uva. The general de Sa led in June 1620 a campaign against Mayadunne and expelled him from Portuguese territory. A month later was Kuruvita Rala killed by the Dissava, Don Constantino of Matara, marking the end of the Portuguese opposition in the low lands.

See also 

 Sinhalese–Portuguese War
 Migapulle Arachchi

Sources 

Category:Kandyan period
Category:Sinhalese royalty
Category:Sri Lankan rebels
Category:People of the Kingdom of Kotte
Category:17th-century Sri Lankan people