Sri Vikrama Rajasinha
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1780 - January 30 1832, born Kannasamy Nayaka) was the last of four kings, to rule the last Sinhalese monarchy of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The Nayak kings were Buddhist that spoke Tamil. The king was eventually deposed by the British under the terms of the Kandyan Convention, in 1815, ending over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy on the island. The island was incorporated into the British Empire, and Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was succeeded by George III, as monarch of British Ceylon. Prior to his coronation in 1798, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was known as Prince Kannusamy. He was a member of the Madurai royal family and the nephew of Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha. He succeed his uncle as the King of Kandy in 1798 at the age of eighteen. There was a rival claimant to succeed Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha, the brother of Queen Upendramma, who had a stronger claim. However, Pilimatalawe, the first Adigar (Prime Minister) chose Prince Kannasamy, reportedly with deep seated plans to usurp the throne to set up a dynasty of his own.