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Great Rebellion of 1817–1818 facts for kids

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Uwa-Wellassa Uprising of 1817–18
Part of the Kandyan Wars
Date 1817 October – 1818 November
Location
Uva-Wellassa, British Ceylon
Result British victory
Belligerents
King of Kandy.svg Kingdom of Kandy rebels

 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

King of Kandy.svg Radala collaborators
Commanders and leaders

Keppetipola Disawe

Wilbawe Mudiyanse Doresami (as assigned King)

Pilimatalavuva Maha Adikaram III

Kivulegedara Mohottala

Madugalle Nilame

Ehelepola Nilame

Kohukumbure RateRala

Butewe Rate Rala

Wariyapola Sri Sumangala

Ehelapola Maha Adikaram

Gode Gedara Adikaram

Thanne Adikarama

Madulle Nilame

Megaskumbure Nilame

Kandepolla Nilame

Dunuwila Nilame

Iriyagama Nilame

Dimbulana Disave

Galagoda Mohottala

Galagedara Mohottala

Meegahapitiya Rate Rala

Dambawinna Disave

Kurundukumbure Mohottala

Madugalle Basnayake Nilame

Millawe Disawa

Nanapurowa Raterala

Allamulle Rala

Baknigahawella Mudiyanse

Nakkala Mudiyanse

Ketakala Mohottala

Maha Betmerala

Kuda Betmerala

Palagolla Mohottala

Passerewatte Vidane

Yalagomme Mohotalla

Udamadure Mohottala

Kohukumbura Mohottala

Unanthenne wasala mudiyanse

Kohukumbura Gahawela Raterala

Maha Badullegammene Raterala

Bulupitiye Mohottala

Palle Malheyae Gametirale

Hapategamme Mohottala

Gen. Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet GCB

Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy

Molligoda Maha Adikaram

Ratwatte Adikaram

Eknaligoda Dissawa

Molligoda Podi Nilame

Kawigamuwa Nilame

Mahawala Thanna Nilame

Mullegama Disaawa

Doloswala Nilame

Ahaliyagoda Nilame

Katugaha Maha Nilame

Katugaha Podi Nilame

Dibulana Nilame

Godagedara Nilame

Binthanne Adikaram

Gonigoda Nilame

James Gray

Simon Sawers

P.E. Woodhouse

George Turnor

James Sutherland

Col. John Kelly

Lt. Col. Hardy

Lt. Col. Hook

Hadji Muhandiram

Major MacDonald

Major Wilson

Major O’Brien

Capt. O’Neil

Lt. Newman

Lt. J. Maclaine

Captain Ritchie

Captain Fraser

Lieut-MacCornell

Lieut-Taylor

Native Lieut. Annan

Native Lieut. Cader-Boyet
Units involved

Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot

Green Howards 19th Regiment of Foot

King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 51st Regiment of Foot

Royal Berkshire Regiment 49th Regiment of Foot

Royal Ulster Rifles 86th Regiment of Foot

Madras Army 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry)

Ceylon Light Dragoons

Ceylon Rifle Regiment

Lascarins
Strength
Unknown - From 20,000 to 100,000 in an islandwide network. 15,000 to 24,000
Casualties and losses
8,000 to 10,000 900 to 2,000

The Great Rebellion of 1817–1818, also known as the 1818 Uva–Wellassa Rebellion, was a major uprising in the Uva and Wellassa areas of what was then the Kingdom of Kandy. This region is now the Uva province in Sri Lanka. The rebellion was the third of the Kandyan Wars. It began against the British colonial government led by Governor Robert Brownrigg. This happened three years after the Kandyan Convention, which gave control of the Kingdom of Kandy to the British Crown.

The rebellion started because some Kandyan chiefs were unhappy with British rule. It quickly gained support. Even some British-sent leaders, like Keppetipola Disawe, joined the rebels. Major Sylvester Douglas Wilson, a British official in Badulla, was killed. The rebels soon took control of much of the region. A man named Wilbawe, who claimed to be the rightful king, was declared the new ruler. Governor Brownrigg moved his base to Kandy. He led military actions against the rebels, who used quick, surprise attacks. He got help from loyal Kandyan chiefs, including Molligoda Maha Adikaram. Brownrigg also received more soldiers from British India. Many rebel leaders were captured, and the rebellion eventually ended. The last rebels were either killed or caught by the British.

Why the Rebellion Started

After the British took over the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, they made some changes that angered the Kandyan chiefs. The British did not show enough respect to high-ranking Kandyan chiefs and priests. This made the chiefs very upset.

Two main events are thought to have triggered the revolt. In June 1816, Madugalle Uda Gabada Nilame tried to move the relic of the tooth of the Buddha from Kandy. This was done without the knowledge of John D'Oyly, the British official in Kandy. Then, in September 1816, Madugalle publicly prayed for the British to be overthrown. He wished for a native king to return. The British found Madugalle guilty of disloyalty. They removed him from his position and sent him away to Colombo. His house was burned, and his belongings were sold.

Another event that angered the chiefs challenged their traditional rights. The British had promised to protect these rights under the Kandyan Convention. In September 1817, Governor Brownrigg appointed Haji Marikkar Travala as Madige Muhandiram. This man was from Wellasse and not from a traditional Kandyan chief family. The position of Madige Muhandiram was usually held by Kandyan chiefs. This appointment weakened the authority of the Millewa Dissawa. Local chiefs in Badulla, like Kivulegedara Mohottala, protested this decision.

The Revolt Begins

In September 1817, Major Sylvester Douglas Wilson, a British official in Badulla, heard rumors. He learned that a man from the Malabar Coast was gathering followers in Uva Wellasse. This man claimed to be Wilbawe Mudiyanse Doresami, a former priest. He said he was related to the old king and the Nayak dynasty.

Wilson sent Haji Marikkar Travala Mohandiram with some local soldiers to investigate. Haji Marikkar found out that Wilbawe was with some priests and Veddas. On his way, Haji Marikkar was captured by Bootawe Rate Rala. He was killed on Wilbawe's orders on September 26, 1817.

When Major Wilson heard about Haji Marikkar's death, he went to Wellasse on October 14, 1817. He had Malay soldiers with him. He tried to talk with the rebels. But on October 16, 1817, Major Wilson and one of his servants were killed. They were shot with arrows by Meegahapitiya Rate Rala's men. Lieutenant Newman could not get Wilson's body back. It was later said that Wilson's head was cut off.

In response, Governor Sir Robert Brownrigg sent Colonel Kelly to Badulla. This was on October 30. He sent 271 European and 456 local soldiers. More soldiers were brought from other areas like Galle. Major MacDonald, the commander of Badulla, set up a fort at Paranagama. He was accused of torturing local people there. By February 1818, the British were in a difficult position. They had left most posts in Uva Wellassa. Keppetipola led a large rebel force of 5,000 to 6,000 men. They attacked Fort MacDonald in February and surrounded it until March.

Lord Bathurst, a high-ranking British official in London, suggested that Brownrigg leave Kandy. He thought Brownrigg should move to safer coastal areas to protect European lives. But Brownrigg asked for help from British India instead. A rescue force arrived from Madras. This helped the British gain the upper hand.

Rebel Leaders

Keppetipola Disawe was first sent by the British to stop the uprising. However, he decided to join the rebellion instead. He even told his soldiers to return to their barracks. Keppetipola Disawe became a main leader of the uprising. Today, he is celebrated as a hero in Sri Lanka. He helped many local leaders get men and supplies from different areas.

Other important leaders who supported this movement included:

  • Gode Gedara Adikaram (second in command)
  • Wilbawe (the claimed king)
  • II Pilima Talauve Adikaram
  • Kohu Kumbure Rate Rala
  • Dimbulana Disave
  • Kivulegedara Mohottala
  • Madugalle Disave
  • Butewe Rate Rala
  • Members of the Galagoda family
  • Galagedara Mohottala
  • Meegahapitiya Rate Rala
  • Dambawinna Disave
  • Kurundukumbure Mohottala

Keppetipola went to Alupotha and joined the fighters. He returned all the weapons and ammunition he had from the British. Rev. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala of Asgiriya took the tooth relic casket to Hanguranketa. This made the rebellion stronger. Sinhalese people believed that whoever held the tooth relic was the rightful ruler of the country.

By September 1817, two leaders, Madugalle Basnayake Nilame and Ehelepola Nilame, surrendered to the British. Pilimatalawe then led the rebellion. The British captured Ellepola, who was the Dissawa of Viyaluwa. They also captured a brother of Maha Adikaram Ehelepola. Both were put to death in Bogambara on October 27, 1818.

The Great Liberation War

The Uwa-Wellassa Uprising was launched by Keppetipola Disawe. Many chiefs joined the uprising, except for Molligoda and Ekneligoda. The fighters took control of Matale and Kandy. Later, Keppetipola became ill. He was captured and put to death by the British. His skull was unusual, being wider than normal. It was sent to Britain for study. After Sri Lanka gained independence, it was returned. It is now kept in the Kandyan Museum.

The uprising failed for several reasons. It was not very well planned by the leaders. Some chiefs supported the British. The areas they controlled provided easy ways for British supplies to move. Wilbawe, who claimed to be related to the Sinhalese throne, was found not to have any real connection.

After the Rebellion

To stop the rebellion, the British colonial government used a harsh method called a scorched earth policy. This meant they destroyed everything that could help the rebels. They killed cattle and other farm animals. They destroyed homes and food supplies like salt. They also burned rice fields.

Besides destroying property, the British government also took land from the rebels. They passed a law called the Crown Lands Ordinance in 1840. This law allowed them to take land from the Kandyan villagers. Many villagers became very poor.

The British found that the highlands of Sri Lanka were great for growing coffee, tea, and rubber. By the mid-19th century, Ceylon tea was very popular in Britain. This brought a lot of money to a small group of European tea planters. To work on these large farms, the planters brought many Tamil workers from southern India. These workers came as indentured labourers, meaning they worked under a contract for a set time. They soon made up 10% of the island's population. These workers lived in very difficult conditions, often in small, crowded rooms.

Legacy of the Uprising

Gazette Notification Revoked

During the Great Liberation War, Governor Robert Brownrigg issued a special public announcement called a Gazette Notification. This announcement declared that those fighting against British rule were "traitors." Their properties were taken by the government. Some were put to death, and others were sent away to Mauritius.

After Sri Lanka gained independence, different governments wanted to cancel this old announcement. However, they did not take action for a long time. In 2017, the Gazette Notification was brought back to Sri Lanka. This happened because President Maithripala Sirisena asked for it. It was presented to the Parliament and officially canceled by the President's signature.

This act meant that all those who took part in the uprising were no longer called "traitors." They were officially recognized as National Heroes. Their descendants were given a special National Declaration in their honor.

See also

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