Gampola, situated near Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, serves as both a town and an ancient polity with a rich historical significance. In the mid-fourteenth century, King Buwanekabahu IV, the son of King Vijayabahu V, assumed the throne and designated Gampola as the capital city, succeeding Kurunegala. This strategic move was facilitated by the support of General Senalankadhikara.

Upon King Buwanekabahu IV's demise, his brother, King Parakramabahu V (1353 AD - 1359 AD), who had previously ruled from Dedigama, ascended the throne and relocated to Gampola. However, he was later deposed by King Vikramabahu III (1359 AD - 1374 AD), the son of King Buwanekabahu IV, who banished him to Malaya.

King Vikramabahu III played a pivotal role in bringing the sacred tooth relic to Gampola, commemorating it with a festival and constructing a shrine at Niyamgampaya. Additionally, he oversaw the creation of the rock temple "Gadaladeniya Viharaya." During this period, General Alagakkonara gained significant influence, becoming more powerful than the king and aiding in the defeat of "Araya Chakravarthi," a Tamil ruler who had seized control of the northern country.

The Gampola era is renowned for its Buddhist temples, including "Lankathilaka" and "Ambekke Dewalaya."

The final monarch of Gampola was King Buwanekabahu V, who ruled the island for 29 years. Concurrently, King "Weerabahu II" (1392-1397 AD) governed Raigama. In 1397, King "Vijayabahu VI" from the Alagakkonara family ascended the throne, seizing it from King Weerabahu II. This transition led to the displeasure of the Chinese ambassador Zheng He, who, unhappy with the change, took King Vijayabahu VI to China in 1411 AD.

Following this period, the Kotte kingdom emerged, with a separate city constructed in Kotte by a noble known as Alagakkonara. The intricate historical transitions underscore the dynamic political landscape and cultural developments during the Gampola era in Sri Lanka.