King Kasyapa
Kasyapa was the first born son of King Dhatusena, the first king of the royal Moriyan dynasty, from a relationship with a concubine of non-royal blood. Although he was the eldest son of the king, he was overlooked as heir to the throne in favor of his younger brother Moggallana, who had been born to Dhatusena’s royal consort. While Kasyapa was not in line for the throne, he was accepted as his father’s son and was respected at court. Overthrowing the Throne The resentment that Kasyapa felt toward his family and circumstance in not being able to be king was nurtured by the commander of King Dhatusena’s army, Migara. King Dhatusena was responsible for the gruesome murder of Migara’s mother, and so Migara sought vengeance by poisoning the King’s eldest son against him. When they were ready, Kasyapa and Migara staged a coup and overthrew King Dhatusena, seizing the throne and causing young Moggallana to flee for his life. Dhatusena was imprisoned for a time, before Kasyapa ordered that h