Complex sentence: Following the period of Western occupation of Sri Lanka when the Karavas rose in prominence through allying themselves to the new rulers, they have also claimed to be the naval and military caste of Sri Lanka and were also mercenaries to kings in India and Sri Lanka.
Split into simpler sentences: Following the period of Western occupation of Sri Lanka when the Karavas rose in prominence through allying themselves to the new rulers. The clan has also claimed to be the naval and military caste of Sri Lanka and were also mercenaries to kings in India and Sri Lanka.