Journal article
The Kandyan Convention 1815: Consolidating the British Empire in Colonial Ceylon
Lee Godden, N Casinader
Comparative Legal History | Routledge | Published : 2013
Abstract
The Kandyan Convention (1815) was definitive in consolidating British sovereignty over colonial Ceylon. The Convention and later legal instruments reflect a shift in British colonial policy regarding the acquisition of territories of Empire. Previously, British Government policy had favoured indirect rule through mercantile interests. Seizing opportunities provided by Kandyan power struggles, Governor Brownrigg, at the far reaches of Empire, implemented direct British rule. The Convention, however, straddled an emerging sense of ‘rights’ by making a specific commitment to ‘protect’ Buddhist faith and authority. The centrality of Buddhism to Sinhalese society made these provisions a powerful ..
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Funding Acknowledgements
Professor Lee Godden (Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne, Australia) has a longstanding research interest in law and the history of colonial expansion and its postcolonial repercussions for indigenous peoples. Dr Niranjan Casinader is Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy (Humanities) in the Faculty of Education, Monash University, Australia. He has a long engagement in research related to globalisation and humanities education, with a particular interest in the cultural and societal legacies of colonial policies and practices. The authors thank the reviewers at Comparative Legal History for their insightful comments, which contributed much to the refinement of the article. The support provided by Melbourne Law School research funds in allowing 'in-country' research in Sri Lanka is gratefully acknowledged. The maps of Ceylon are reproduced by kind permission of C Hurst & Co Ltd and the University of California Press.