The Protocol

The Coat of Arms

The Arya Cakravarti Dynasty

The Protocol of the Royal House of Jaffna

The custom of inheritance of the throne is passed on according to primogeniture in the Kingdom of Jaffna. Failing this, if there are no sons, the throne passes to the Brother or a Nephew, the son of a Brother or a Sister.

The first twelve monarchs, who succeeded their fathers, were independent monarchs of the Kingdom of Jaffna. The rest of them ruled under the suzerainty of the Portuguese. The Jaffna throne was usurped twice by relatives. During the period of influence by the Portuguese, some of the Kings were installed by them.

The King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Ethirmanna Cinkam Pararacacekaran reigned from 1591-1615. In the course of the year 1615, the King Ethirmanna Cinkam Pararacacekaran fell seriously ill. His son the Crown Prince Dom Constantino had not yet reached the age of three and he remained heir to the throne. The Prince Arasakesari Pandaram was the elder brother of the King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Ethirmanna Cinkam Pararacacekaran. The King entrusted his only son to the care of Prince Arasakesari Pandaram. He authorised him to administrate the Kingdom of Jaffna as "Prince Regent", up to the time the Crown Prince Dom Constantino became old enough to assume the reign. Prince Arasakesari Pandaram promised to do everything faithfully and on the brother's death he was acclaimed Prince Regent of Jaffna and was obeyed by all. The Prince Regent Arasakesari Pandaram reigned from 1615-1616, for the three-year-old Crown Prince Dom Constantino. However, this prosperity lasted only for a short time. Prince Cankili (II) was the nephew of the late King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Ethirmanna Cinkam Pararacacekaran. In 1616, an assassination took place in the Palace. Prince Cankili (II) who was dissatisfied with the arrangements soon began to conspire and a conspiracy was set on foot. When this news was reported to the Prince Regent Arasakesari Pandaram, he discredited it. On the third day after this warning Prince Cankili (II) ordered his confederates to enter the Palace at the hour of the siesta and to kill the Prince Regent, his uncle and those who were with him. After the Prince Regent Arasakesari Pandaram was murdered, Prince Cankili (II) usurped the throne of Jaffna. The King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Cankili (II) reigned from 1616-1619 under the throne name Cekaracacekaran. He was the last King of Jaffna. In June 1619, the Portuguese captured the King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran who sought to cross over to India with the Queens, Princes, Princesses and along with other members of the royal family. The Portuguese took control of the Kingdom of Jaffna and Captain-Major Filipe de Oliveira ordered King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran to be imprisoned in Nallur and later from there, he was sent to Colombo with Captain-Major Filipe de Oliveira's son-in-law Antonio da Mota Galvao.

The King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran was transferred to Goa by Captain General Constantino de Sa de Noronha and he was imprisoned. In Goa, King Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran was brought to trial by a court and he was sentenced to be beheaded. During the time of his imprisonment, he was constantly visited by the Religious of St. Francis of Goa who proposed to him, that as he had lost the temporal life he should not lose the eternal, but accept the Faith of Christ and Baptism the only means of salvation. King Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran was converted to Christianity along with his wife. He was baptized and given the name of Dom Filipe and his wife was also baptized and given the name of Dona Margarida of Austria. Finally, King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Cankili (II) Cekaracacekaran was executed circa 1623.

On 11 February 1621, the Kingdom of Jaffna fell into the hands of the Portuguese and Captain-Major Filipe de Oliveira appointed himself as the Governor of the Kingdom of Jaffna. Thus ended the sovereignty of the Arya Cakravarti Dynasty. The late King Cinkai Arya Cakravarti Ethirmanna Cinkam Pararacacekaran's two Queens, his children and other members of the royal family were converted to Christianity. The two Queens were baptized and given the name of Dona Clara da Silva and Dona Antonia Rapoza. The three daughters and the son were baptized and given the name of Dona Catharina de Sa de Rebelo, Dona Isabel, Dona Maria da Visitacao and the Crown Prince was given the name of Dom Constantino de Sa. The children were later sent to Goa. The younger members of the Royal Family of Jaffna were encouraged to enter Roman Catholic Religious Orders to become monks or nuns. Since they choose the life of celibacy, they died without descendants.

After a long interlude, action was taken in 2003, by Prince Remigius Jerry Kanagarajah to restore the traditions of the Arya Cakravarti Dynasty with the explicit approval of the family. On 15 June 2005, by the majority acclaim of representative members of the Royal Family of Jaffna, H.R.H. Prince Remigius Jerry Kanagarajah took over the responsibility as Head of the Royal House of Jaffna. H.R.H. Prince Remigius Jerry Kanagarajah is descended from the Royal Family of Jaffna through his great-grandfather and great-grandmother.

The Royal Titles are not inherited in perpetuity but lapse gradually over generations. The Head of the Royal House of Jaffna is the source of all Titles, Styles and Honours. The Head of the Royal House has the right to grant Styles and Titles and no Style or Title is valid unless granted or confirmed by the Head of the Royal House.

All members of the Royal House hold the Title of "Ilavarasan" (Prince) or "Ilavarasi" (Princess) and the Royal Style includes the qualification of "Royal Highness" (HRH) or "Highness" (HH), according to the hereditary customs of Jaffna.

The Head of the Royal House of Jaffna, his wife, his heirs, and his family members bear the Title of Ilavarasan or Ilavarasi with the Style of His Royal Highness or Her Royal Highness (HRH) within the dynasty.

Other members of the Royal House bear the Title of Ilavarasan or Ilavarasi with the Style of His Highness or Her Highness (HH).

Some of the members of the Royal House bear the Title of Ilavarasan or Ilavarasi without any Styles.

The female members of the Royal House can use the Style and Title after their marriage, but they are not entitled to transmit their Royal Style or Title to their spouses or children. The spouses of members of the Royal House will not be entitled to use their Royal Style and Title in case of divorce. If a member of the Royal House should marry a commoner they will not be entitled to use their Royal Style of "Royal Highness" (HRH) or "Highness" (HH) and they will hold the Title of Ilavarasan (Personal name) or Ilavarasi (Personal name).

The following Members of the Royal House of Jaffna and the Extended Family Members of the Royal House hold the Royal Styles and Titles as follows:

The Head of the Royal House of Jaffna

H.R.H. Prince Remigius Jerry Kanagarajah of Jaffna

The Parents

The late Ilavarasi Maheswary Marina Antoinette Kanagarajah
The late Ilavarasan Thambirajah Mervin Anthony Kanagarajah

The Family Members of the Royal House of Jaffna

The late Ilavarasan Rajendra Sylvester Kanagarajah (Died as infant)

H.R.H. Ilavarasi Vanaja Maria Queenie Kanagarajah
Ilavarasan Suppiah Sivathasan

Ilavarasan Angelo Thomas Rajiendhar Sivathasan
Ilavarasan Anthony Gabbriel Laxman Naveen Sivathasan
Ilavarasan Joseph Rafaell Pravin Sivathasan

H.R.H. Ilavarasan Meryll Venatious Kanagarajah
H.R.H. Ilavarasi Chandramathy Kanagarajah

H.H. Ilavarasi Akhila Clementiene Kanagarajah
H.H. Ilavarasi Achela Meloni Kanagarajah

H.R.H. Ilavarasi Jeraldine Kanagarajah
Ilavarasan Jerome Prithiviraj Balachandran

Ilavarasi Maha Antoinette Jerome

The Extended Family Members of the Royal House of Jaffna

Ilavarasi Seetha Devi Selvarajah
H.H. Ilavarasan Col. Soman Selvarajah
Ilavarasi Leena
Ilavarasi Sara Bama Selvarajah
K. C. George, Esquire
H.H. Ilavarasan Bahman Selvarajah
Ilavarasi Fera Khartini D'Santoz

Ilavarasi Selvaratnam Thambirajah
Ilavarasi Thavamani Devi Thambirajah
Thirunavukarasu, Esquire
Ilavarasan Thambirajah Jeyakumar
Ilavarasi Kamala
Ilavarasan Thambirajah Vijayakumar
Ilavarasi Rajeswary
Ilavarasi Jeevanayagi Thambirajah
Subramaniam, Esquire
Ilavarasi Selvanayagi Thambirajah
Vaikunthavasan, Esquire
Ilavarasi Rajanayagi Thambirajah
Rajeswaran, Esquire

Ilavarasi Rajeswary Miriam Therasita Anthonypillai
Ilavarasan Anthonypillai Gerard Joseph Pius
Ilavarasi Ratheena
Ilavarasan Anthonypillai Reginold Michael
Ilavarasi Indrani
Ilavarasan Anthonypillai Eugine Mazanold Venesious
Ilavarasi Sashi

Ilavarasan Kadiravelu Mohanraj
Ilavarasan Arasaratnam Mahendran Rabindran