A brief, dated history of Sri Lanka.
Ancient kingdoms and the coming of Buddhism
By tradition the island first kingdom was founded by Prince Vijaya in 543 BC. Buddhism arrived in 247 BC when the monk Mahinda converted King Devanampiya Tissa, shaping the island culture ever since. The kingdom of Anuradhapura flourished for over a thousand years, building colossal stupas and vast irrigation reservoirs.
Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa
In 477 AD King Kashyapa built the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya. After a Chola invasion from South India in 1017, the capital moved to Polonnaruwa, which thrived in the 11th–13th centuries before the centre of power shifted south and inland to Kandy.
Colonial era (1505–1815)
The Portuguese arrived in 1505, prizing cinnamon and spices; the Dutch displaced them in 1658; and the British took the coast in 1796. The independent Kingdom of Kandy held out until 1815, when the whole island came under British rule as the colony of Ceylon — and the great tea plantations were planted.
Independence and the modern republic
Ceylon gained independence in 1948. In 1972 it became a republic and took the name Sri Lanka. A long civil war (1983–2009) ended in 2009, and the island has since re-emerged as one of Asia most beloved travel destinations.
Informational summary. Dates follow widely accepted historical consensus.