Drowai Gonpo
Encyclopedia
Drowai Gonpo (1508 - 1548) was a king who wielded power in parts of Central Tibet from 1524 to 1548. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty
which reigned over Tibet
or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century.
Drowai Gonpo was a son of the ruler Ngawang Tashi Drakpa
(d. 1564), the last important leader of the dynasty and known by the Fifth Dalai Lama as the "King of Tibet". His mother was a lady of the Rinpungpa
family, which was dominant in the Tsang
region of West Central Tibet. In 1524 Drowai Gonpo was established as sub-ruler in Gongri Karpo
to the west of the Nêdong
palace where his father dwelt. Like his father he received the royal title gongma, "the high one". He married a lady from Chontse who gave birth to Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
. The move of a part of the Phagmodrupa family to Gongri Karpo caused serious internal feuds in the dynasty, some years after the death of Drowai Gonpo (1548). This led to the complete eclipse of Phagmodrupa power in Central Tibet. After the demise of Drowai Gonpo, a stupa decorated with jewels was erected at Gongri Karpo to contain his remains.
Phagmodrupa dynasty
The Phagmodrupa dynasty or Pagmodru of Tibet was established by Tai Situ Changchub Gyaltsen at the end of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Tai Situ came from the monastic fief Phagmodru , which was originally founded as a hermitage in 1158 by the famous Kagyu scholar Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo...
which reigned over Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century.
Drowai Gonpo was a son of the ruler Ngawang Tashi Drakpa
Ngawang Tashi Drakpa
Ngawang Tashi Drakpa was a king of Tibet who ruled intermittently in 1499-1564. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty which was the dominating regime in Tibet from 1354 to 1435 and maintained a degree of authority until the early 17th century...
(d. 1564), the last important leader of the dynasty and known by the Fifth Dalai Lama as the "King of Tibet". His mother was a lady of the Rinpungpa
Rinpungpa
Rinpungpa was a Tibetan regime that dominated much of Western Tibet and some of Central Tibet between 1440 and 1565...
family, which was dominant in the Tsang
Ü-Tsang
Ü-Tsang , or Tsang-Ü, is one of the three traditional provinces of Tibet, the other two being Amdo and Kham. Geographically Ü-Tsang covered the central and western portions of the Tibetan cultural area, including the Tsang-po watershed, the western districts surrounding and extending past Mount...
region of West Central Tibet. In 1524 Drowai Gonpo was established as sub-ruler in Gongri Karpo
Gonggar County
Gonggar County, is a county of the Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region, one of the 12 counties of the prefecture...
to the west of the Nêdong
Nedong
Nedong may refer to:*Nêdong County, county in Tibet*Nêdong , village in Tibet...
palace where his father dwelt. Like his father he received the royal title gongma, "the high one". He married a lady from Chontse who gave birth to Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
Ngawang Drakpa was a king in Central Tibet who ruled from 1564 to maybe 1579. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty which held power in Tibet or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century...
. The move of a part of the Phagmodrupa family to Gongri Karpo caused serious internal feuds in the dynasty, some years after the death of Drowai Gonpo (1548). This led to the complete eclipse of Phagmodrupa power in Central Tibet. After the demise of Drowai Gonpo, a stupa decorated with jewels was erected at Gongri Karpo to contain his remains.