The nineteenth century coincided with the establishment of British Colonial rule in Sri Lanka. In 1815, the British extended their rule beyond the coastal area defeating the Kandyan kingdom ruled by Shri Wickrama Rajasingha. It ended the 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy rule in the island till 1948. The island has been a center of Buddhist scholarship and learning since the introduction of Buddhism in the 3rd century B.C. The Mauryan king Ashoka and Mahendra were instrumental in promoting Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Throughout the period the Srilankan kings have played a major role not only in spreading Buddhism but also in maintainence and revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. A major shift in Buddhist revival which promoted education and learning came with the establishment of the colonial rule. British attitudes to Buddhist religion in Sri Lanka were of two kinds: (a) liberal and tolerant - represented by the commercial and governing British community in the island and (b) evangelical and intolerant, represented by British Protestant missionaries and by government at westminster. Moreover, there were British official and administrators in the Civil services of Ceylon who in the tradition of learning, research and writing developed an appreciation of the Buddhist culture of Ceylon. Among them were names like T.W. Rhys - Davids, W.T stace, Leonard Woolf, Colonel Olcott, Bowles Daly and Mrs Higgins. Buddhist revival, in course of time, led to national revivalism.