Dominicus Corea

Dominicus Corea (1565 – 14 July 1596), also known as Edirille Rala, was crowned King of the Kingdom of Kotte and the Kingdom of Sitakawa in 1596 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the coronation took place in the Court of King Vimala Dharma Suriya of the Kandyan kingdom. He fought several battles against the Portuguese Army. Dominicus Corea was finally captured by the Portuguese forces and executed in Colombo on the 14th of July in 1596.

Sourced
Great Sinhalese Men and Women of History - Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea) By John M. Senaveratna, (1937)
 * " And now that Thou has restored to me the knowledge of Thyself, O Lord, let thy pardon fall on me, since Thy infinite mercy is not better known in anything than in pardoning a Dismas (the traditional name of the good thief) on the Cross and a Dominicus Corea on the gallows. If in Hell there is room for sinners, in Heaven also there is room for penitents."
 * The last address of King Dominicus Corea (Edirille Rala) on the gallows in Colombo before he was executed by the Portuguese - as quoted in:

About Dominicus Corea (Edirille Rala)

 * "He (Veediya Bandara), went and stopped at the Seven Korale. By this time, the ruler there was a war hero. He was Edirimanne Suriya, better known as Edirille Rala. He had made Mudukondapala, a place close to Kurunegala, his capital city. When he saw Commander Veediya Bandara, he was delighted and welcomed him with all love and respect. He was well treated. Then both of them broke into conversation. This leader Edirille Rala, just like Veediya Bandara, was an erstwhile enemy of the Portuguese. As such, this meeting of theirs was extra special. Both of them were enemies of the King of Sitawaka as well. This common feature was something to be happy about. The main aim of Veediya Bandara too, was chasing away the Portuguese from Sri Lanka."
 * The Mahavama, the recorded chronicles of Sri Lankan history recalls the meeting between Commander Veediya Bandara of the Kandyan kingdom and King Dominicus Corea (Edirille Rala).


 * "He was able to read and write like a well bred man."
 * De Queyroz, the great Portuguese historian writing about Dominicus Corea -  The Conquest of Ceylon (Volumes 1-6) By Fr. Fernao de Queyroz, tr. Fr. S. G. Perera, Ceylon Government Press, (1930)


 * "Vimala Dharma made a proclamation throughout his capital, that on the following day would be celebrated the marriage and coronation of 'Edirimanne Suriya Bandara' - which was the name (It was his wife's family name) adopted by Corea for his investiture with Royal rank - and ordering that all the grandees of the kingdom should be present in gala dress. Edirimanne Suriya Bandara, the new-made King, wearing a crown of gold on his head, was then accommodated on the seat of the back of the middle elephant; while two influential chiefs - the oldest Mudaliyars of the (Kandyan) Court - rode each on an elephant by the side."
 * Chapter Seven: ' Marriage, Coronation and Betrayal,' Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea) By John M. Senaveratna (1937)


 * "Such was the sad end of Domingos Corea, Edirimana Suriya Bandara, the greatest Sinhalese of his day."
 * Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea) By John M. Senaveratna (1937)


 * "Great Warriors like Mayadunne, Veediya Bandara, Seethawaka Rajasinghe, Vimaladharmasuriya I, Senarath, Rajasinghe II, Nikapitiye Bandara and Edirille Rala who fought the Portuguese to preserve our territorial integrity and kept the Portuguese at bay despite all odds."
 * Janaka Perera in the 'Asian Tribune.'


 * "From the beginning however, there was resistence to Portuguese mastery over Kotte. While Dharmapala was alive there were two major revolts, one led by Akaragama Appuhamy in 1594, and the other by Edirille rala in 1594-96."
 * A History of Sri Lanka,' By Professor K.M.De Silva (1981)


 * "Some of the very heroic and colourful figures in our history are sons of Sabaragamuwa - Parakramabahu I, born in Dedigama, the warrior King Rajasinghe I also known as Sitawaka Rajasingha, Edirille Rala born in Colombo and baptised Domingo Corea, who returned to the village of his ancestors Atulugama near Sitawaka and turned against the Portuguese."
 * 'Sabaragamuwa - in Legend and History published by the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council.


 * "Dominicus Corea had a posthumous son, Lewis Corea who became the Dissawe of Uva. Sir Paul Peiris wrote that `With the disappearance of Dominicus Corea, came a short lull in military operations of which the Portuguese officials availed themselves to give free rein to that rapacity which so frequently disgraced their careers in the East’. Dominicus Corea was succeeded by his brother Simon, as Dissawe of the Sat Korale, Kotte and Sitawaka."
 * By Deva Corea in his article 'Dominicus Corea of Kotte.'