House of Wangchuck
Encyclopedia
The House of Wangchuck has ruled Bhutan
since it was reunified in 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa
as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire
. After consolidating power, Penlop of Trongsa Sir Ugyen Wangchuck
was elected hereditary King of Bhutan, or Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King"), thus founding the royal house.
The Wangchuck dynasty centralized government power in Bhutan and established relations with the British Empire
and India
under its first two monarchs. The third, fourth, and fifth (current) monarchs have put the kingdom on its path toward democratization
, decentralization
, and development.
The ascendency of the House of Wangchuck is deepy rooted in the historical politics of Bhutan
. Between 1616 and 1907, varying administrative, religious, and regional powers vied for control within Bhutan. During this period, factions were influenced and supported by Tibet
and the British Empire
. Ultimately, the hereditary Penlop
of Trongsa
, Ugyen Wangchuck
, was elected the first Druk Gyalpo by an assembly of his subjects in 1907, marking the ascendency of the House of Wangchuck.
, decreasingly effective central government control resulted in the de facto
disintegration of the office of Shabdrung
after the death of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
in 1651. Under this system, the Shabdrung reigned over the temporal Druk Desi
and religious Je Khenpo
. Two successor Shabdrungs – the son (1651) and stepbrother (1680) of Ngawang Namgyal – were effectively controled by the Druk Desi and Je Khenpo until power was further splintered through the innovation of multiple Shabdrung incarnations, reflecting speech, mind, and body. Increasingly secular regional lords (penlop
s and dzongpons) competed for power amid a backdrop of civil war over the Shabdrung and invasions from Tibet
, and the Mongol Empire
. The penlops of Trongsa
and Paro
, and the dzongpons of Punakha
, Thimphu
, and Wangdue Phodrang
were particularly notable figures in the competition for regional dominance.
Chogyal
Minjur Tenpa (1613–1680; r. 1667–1680) was the first Penlop of Trongsa (Tongsab), appointed by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. He was born Damchho Lhundrub in Min-Chhud, Tibet
, and led a monastic life from childhood. Before his appointment as Tongsab, he held the appointed post of Umzey (Chant Master). A trusted follower of the Shabdrung, Minjur Tenpa was sent to subdue kings of Bumthang, Lhuntse, Trashigang, Zhemgang, and other lords from Trongsa Dzong
. After doing so, the Tongsab divided his control in the east among eight regions (Shachho Khorlo Tsegay), overseen by Dungpas and Kutshabs (civil servants). He went on to build Jakar, Lhuentse
, Trashigang, and Zhemgang Dzongs.
Within this political landscape, the Wangchuck family originated in the Bumthang region
of central Bhutan. The family belongs to the Nyö clan, and is descended from Pema Lingpa
, a Bhutanese Nyingma
pa saint. The Nyö clan emerged as a local aristocracy, supplanting many older aristocratic families of Tibetan origin that sided with Tibet during invasions of Bhutan. In doing so, the clan came to occupy the hereditary position of Penlop of Trongsa, as well as significant national and local government positions.
The Penlop of Trongsa controlled central Bhutan; the rival Penlop of Paro controlled western Bhutan; and dzongpons controlled areas surrounding their respective dzongs. The Penlop of Paro, unlike Trongsa, was an office appointed by the Druk Desi
's central government. Because western regions controlled by the Penlop of Paro contained lucrative trade routes, it became the object of competition among aristocratic families.
Although Bhutan generally enjoyed favorable relations with both Tibet and British India through the 19th century, extension of British power at Bhutan's borders as well as Tibetan incursions in British Sikkim
defined politically opposed pro-Tibet and pro-Britain forces. This period of intense rivalry between and within western and central Bhutan, coupled with external forces from Tibet and especially the British Empire
, provided the conditions for the ascendancy of the Penlop of Trongsa.
After the Duar War
with Britain (1864–65) as well as substantial territorial losses (Cooch Behar
1835; Assam
Duars
1841), armed conflict turned inward. In 1870, amid the continuing civil wars, Penlop Jigme Namgyal
of Trongsa ascended to the office of Druk Desi
. In 1879, he appointed his 17-year-old son Ugyen Wangchuck
as Penlop of Paro. Jigme Namgyal reigned through his death 1881, punctuated by periods of retirement during which he retained effective control of the country.
The pro-Britain Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck
ultimately prevailed against the pro-Tibet and anti-Britain Penlop of Paro after a series of civil wars and rebellions between 1882 and 1885. After his father's death in 1881, Ugyen Wangchuck entered a feud over the post of Penlop of Trongsa. In 1882, at the age of 20, he marched on Bumthang
and Trongsa
, winning the post of Penlop of Trongsa in addition to Paro. In 1885, Ugyen Wangchuck intervened in a conflict between the Dzongpen
s of Punakha
and Thimphu
, sacking both sides and seizing Simtokha Dzong
. From this time forward, the office of Desi became purely ceremonial.
, firmly in power and advised by Kazi Ugyen Dorji
, accompanied the British expedition to Tibet
as an invaluable intermediary, earning his first British knighthood. Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck further garnered knighthood in the KCIE
in 1904. Meanwhile, the last officially recognized Shabdrung and Druk Desi had died in 1903 and 1904, respectively. As a result, a power vacuum formed within the already dysfunctional dual system of government
. Civil adminstration had fallen to the hands of Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, and in November 1907 he was unanimously elected hereditary monarch by an assembly of the leading members of the clergy, officials, and aristocratic families. His ascendency to the throne ended the traditional dual system of government
in place for nearly 300 years. The title Penlop of Trongsa – or Penlop of Chötse, another name for Trongsa – continued to be held by crown princes.
As King of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck secured the Treaty of Punakha
(1910), under which Britain guaranteed Bhutan's independence, granted Bhutanese Royal Government a stipend, and took control of Bhutanese foreign relations
. After becoming the first King of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck further merited the British Delhi Durbar
Gold Medal in 1911; the Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI
) in 1911; and the Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE
) in 1921. The first Druk Gyalpo Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926.
The reign of the Second King Jigme Wangchuck (1926–1952) was characterized by an increasingly powerful central government and the beginnings of infrastructure development. Bhutan also established its first diplomatic relations with India
under the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, largely patterned after the prior Treaty of Punakha.
The Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
(r. 1952–1972) ascended the throne at the age of 16, having been educated in England
and India
. During the reign of the Third King, Bhutan began further political and legal reforms and started to open to the outside world. Notably, the Third King was responsible for establishing a unicameral National Assembly
in 1953 and establishing relations with Indian Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru
in 1958. Under Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutan also modernized its legal codes
.
, unlike the Wangchucks, do not have independent roots in legendary monks or historical figures. In fact, the Dorji family was not among the elite families, but became prominent through their ties to the Wangchuck family and to the British. Kazi Dorji had advised the future First King to mediate between the British
and Tibet
, and it was Kazi Dorji who was later responsible for the large-scale induction of Nepalis into Bhutan
. During the early years of the Dorji family's prominence, members of the family served as gongzim (chief chamberlain, the top government post), and their official residence was at the palatial Bhutan House
at Kalimpong. From Bhutan house, Raja Sonam Topgay Dorji
("Topgay Raja") held the post of Trade Agent to the Government of Bhtan, however he functioned to a large extent as prime minister, foreign minister, and ambassador to India
. Through this position as a trade intermediary, the Dorji family amassed wealth reputedly greater than that of the royal family. Topgay Raja himself married a Sikkim
ese princess.
After two generations of growing influence, the sister of Prime Minister Jigme Dorji – the daughter of Topgay Raja – married the Third King, creating a new bond so prominent as to cause discontent among other Bhutanese families. The public was divided between pro-modernist and pro-monarchist camps.
for treatment. As the king was unavailable, Prime Minister Jigme Dorji sought to fill a leadership role, however this led to tensions with the military and monarchist factions. Namely, Dorji conflicted with the Royal Bhutan Army
over the use of military vehicles, forced the retirement of some 50 military officers, and sought to limit the power of state-supported religious institutions such as the Dratshang Lhentshog
and Je Khenpo
. On April 5, 1964, reformist Prime Minister Jigme Dorji was assassinated in Phuentsholing by monarchist cadres as the king lay ill in Switzerland. The Dorji family
was subsequently put under close watch.
The King's Tibetan mistress Yangki and her father, who had been implicated in the assassination, suspected that Jigme Dorji's son Lhendup would use the king's absence to exact revenge. They attempted to flee into India, but were detained at Gelephu
. They eventually fled the country. The King's own uncle and head of the Royal Bhutan Army
, Namgyal Bahadur, was among those executed for their role in the attempted coup.
The post of Prime Minister (Lonchen) was vacant, and the King identified Jigme Dorji's son Lhendup as the successor. Lhendup's mother, then head of the Dorji family
, advised the King against giving any title to Lhendup because it would have made the situation more explosive. In 1964, however, the King announced his intention to appoint Lhendup as Lonchen. Lhendup fled to Nepal
in 1965 due to political pressure, and was effectively exiled by the National Assembly
. Today, remaining members of the Dorji family
remain prominent in Bhutanese politics.
passed to the 16-year-old Jigme Singye Wangchuck
. The Fourth King was, like his father, educated in England and India, and had also attended Ugyen Wangchuck Academy in Paro
. Reigning until 2008, the Fourth King was responsible for the development of the tourism industry, Gross National Happiness
as a concept, and strides in democratization including the draft Constitution of Bhutan
. The later years of his reign, however, also marked the departure of Bhutanese refugees in the 1990s amid the government's driglam namzha
policy and citizenship laws that were overzealously enforced by some district
officials. To the astonishment of the Bhutanese public, the Fourth King announced his abdication in 2005 and retired in 2008, handing the crown to his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck assumed the throne as the Fifth King in 2008 as the kingdom adopted its first democratic Constitution
.
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
since it was reunified in 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa
Trongsa
Trongsa, previously Tongsa , is a town and capital of Trongsa District in central Bhutan. The name means "new village" in Dzongkha. The first temple was built in 1543 by the Drukpa Kagyu lama, Ngagi Wangchuk, who was the great-grandfather of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the person who unified...
as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. After consolidating power, Penlop of Trongsa Sir Ugyen Wangchuck
Ugyen Wangchuck
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
was elected hereditary King of Bhutan, or Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King"), thus founding the royal house.
The Wangchuck dynasty centralized government power in Bhutan and established relations with the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
under its first two monarchs. The third, fourth, and fifth (current) monarchs have put the kingdom on its path toward democratization
Democratization
Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic...
, decentralization
Local Government Act of Bhutan 2009
The Local Government Act of Bhutan was enacted on September 11, 2009, by parliament of Bhutan in order to further implement its program of decentralization and devolution of power and authority.Local Gov't Act 2008: Preamble It is the most recent reform of the law on Bhutan's administrative...
, and development.
History
There have been five Wangchuck kings of Bhutan, namely:- Ugyen WangchuckUgyen WangchuckGongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
(b.1861-d.1926) "First King"; reigned 17 December 1907 – 21 August 1926. - Jigme Wangchuck (b.1902/1906-d.1952) "Second King"; r. 21 August 1926 – 24 March 1952.
- Jigme Dorji WangchuckJigme Dorji WangchuckJigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...
(b.1929-d.1972) "Third King"; r. 24 March 1952 – 24 July 1972. - Jigme Singye WangchuckJigme Singye WangchuckJigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...
(b.1955) "Fourth King"; r. 24 July 1972 – 15 December 2006. - Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (b.1980) "Fifth King"; r. 14 December 2006 – present.
The ascendency of the House of Wangchuck is deepy rooted in the historical politics of Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. Between 1616 and 1907, varying administrative, religious, and regional powers vied for control within Bhutan. During this period, factions were influenced and supported by 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...
and the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Ultimately, the hereditary Penlop
Penlop
Penlop is a Dzongkha term roughly translated as governor. Bhutanese penlops, prior to unification, controlled certain districts of the country, but now hold no administrative office...
of Trongsa
Trongsa
Trongsa, previously Tongsa , is a town and capital of Trongsa District in central Bhutan. The name means "new village" in Dzongkha. The first temple was built in 1543 by the Drukpa Kagyu lama, Ngagi Wangchuk, who was the great-grandfather of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the person who unified...
, Ugyen Wangchuck
Ugyen Wangchuck
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
, was elected the first Druk Gyalpo by an assembly of his subjects in 1907, marking the ascendency of the House of Wangchuck.
Origins
Under Bhutan's early theocratic dual system of governmentDual system of government
The Dual System of Government or Cho-sid-nyi is the traditional diarchal political system of Tibetan peoples whereby the Desi coexists with the spiritual authority of the realm, usually unified under a third single ruler. The actual distribution of power between institutions varied over time and...
, decreasingly effective central government control resulted in the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
disintegration of the office of Shabdrung
Shabdrung
Shabdrung , was a title used when referring to or addressing great lamas in Tibet, particularly those who held a hereditary lineage...
after the death of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
Ngawang Namgyal
Ngawang Namgyal was a Tibetan Buddhist lama and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation state...
in 1651. Under this system, the Shabdrung reigned over the temporal Druk Desi
Druk Desi
The Druk Desi ;The original title is Dzongkha: སྡེ་སྲིད་ཕྱག་མཛོད་; Wylie: sde-srid phyag-mdzod. was the title of the secular rulers of Bhutan under the dual system of government between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries...
and religious Je Khenpo
Je Khenpo
The Je Khenpo , formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan. His primary duty is to lead the Dratshang Lhentshog of Bhutan, which oversees the Central Monastic Body, and to arbitrate on matters of doctrine, assisted by lopons...
. Two successor Shabdrungs – the son (1651) and stepbrother (1680) of Ngawang Namgyal – were effectively controled by the Druk Desi and Je Khenpo until power was further splintered through the innovation of multiple Shabdrung incarnations, reflecting speech, mind, and body. Increasingly secular regional lords (penlop
Penlop
Penlop is a Dzongkha term roughly translated as governor. Bhutanese penlops, prior to unification, controlled certain districts of the country, but now hold no administrative office...
s and dzongpons) competed for power amid a backdrop of civil war over the Shabdrung and invasions from 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...
, and the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
. The penlops of Trongsa
Trongsa Province
Trongsa Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Trongsa Province occupied lands in central Bhutan corresponding somewhat to modern Trongsa District, although the power of the Trongsa Penlop extended far beyond his own realms, covering the entire east of Bhutan...
and Paro
Paro Province
Paro Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Paro Province occupied lands in western Bhutan, corresponding approximately to modern Paro District. It was administered from the Paro Dzong in the town of Paro...
, and the dzongpons of Punakha
Punakha Province
Punakha Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Punakha Province occupied lands in western Bhutan, corresponding roughly to modern Punakha District. It was administered from the Punakha Dzong in the town of Punakha, and the ruling governor was known as the Penlop of Punakha, or...
, Thimphu
Thimphu Province
Thimphu Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Thimphu Province occupied lands in western Bhutan, corresponding approximately to modern day Thimphu District...
, and Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang Province
Wangdue Phodrang Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Wangdue Phodrang Province occupied lands in central Bhutan, corresponding roughly to modern day Wangdue Phodrang District...
were particularly notable figures in the competition for regional dominance.
Chogyal
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
Minjur Tenpa (1613–1680; r. 1667–1680) was the first Penlop of Trongsa (Tongsab), appointed by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. He was born Damchho Lhundrub in Min-Chhud, 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...
, and led a monastic life from childhood. Before his appointment as Tongsab, he held the appointed post of Umzey (Chant Master). A trusted follower of the Shabdrung, Minjur Tenpa was sent to subdue kings of Bumthang, Lhuntse, Trashigang, Zhemgang, and other lords from Trongsa Dzong
Trongsa Dzong
Trongsa Dzong is the largest dzong fortress in Bhutan, located in Trongsa in Trongsa district, in the centre of the country. Built on a spur overlooking the gorge of the Mangde River, a temple was first established at the location in 1543 by the Drukpa lama, Ngagi Wangchuk son of Ngawang Chhojey...
. After doing so, the Tongsab divided his control in the east among eight regions (Shachho Khorlo Tsegay), overseen by Dungpas and Kutshabs (civil servants). He went on to build Jakar, Lhuentse
Lhuentse Dzong
Lhuentse Dzong is a dzong and Buddhist monastery in Lhuentse District in eastern Bhutan. It lies on the eastern side of the Kuri Chhu river and is perched on a spur at the end of a narrow valley....
, Trashigang, and Zhemgang Dzongs.
Within this political landscape, the Wangchuck family originated in the Bumthang region
Bumthang Province
Bumthang Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Bumthang Province occupied lands in north-central Bhutan. It was administered from the Jakar Dzong in the town of Jakar...
of central Bhutan. The family belongs to the Nyö clan, and is descended from Pema Lingpa
Pema Lingpa
Pema Lingpa or Padma Lingpa was a famous saint and siddha of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a preeminent terton , and is considered to be foremost of the Five Terton Kings...
, a Bhutanese Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
pa saint. The Nyö clan emerged as a local aristocracy, supplanting many older aristocratic families of Tibetan origin that sided with Tibet during invasions of Bhutan. In doing so, the clan came to occupy the hereditary position of Penlop of Trongsa, as well as significant national and local government positions.
The Penlop of Trongsa controlled central Bhutan; the rival Penlop of Paro controlled western Bhutan; and dzongpons controlled areas surrounding their respective dzongs. The Penlop of Paro, unlike Trongsa, was an office appointed by the Druk Desi
Druk Desi
The Druk Desi ;The original title is Dzongkha: སྡེ་སྲིད་ཕྱག་མཛོད་; Wylie: sde-srid phyag-mdzod. was the title of the secular rulers of Bhutan under the dual system of government between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries...
's central government. Because western regions controlled by the Penlop of Paro contained lucrative trade routes, it became the object of competition among aristocratic families.
Although Bhutan generally enjoyed favorable relations with both Tibet and British India through the 19th century, extension of British power at Bhutan's borders as well as Tibetan incursions in British Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
defined politically opposed pro-Tibet and pro-Britain forces. This period of intense rivalry between and within western and central Bhutan, coupled with external forces from Tibet and especially the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, provided the conditions for the ascendancy of the Penlop of Trongsa.
After the Duar War
Duar War
The Bhutan War was a war fought between British India and Bhutan in 1864–1865.Britain sent a peace mission to Bhutan in early 1864, in the wake of the recent conclusion of a civil war there, under Ashley Eden...
with Britain (1864–65) as well as substantial territorial losses (Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at . Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage...
1835; Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
Duars
Duars
The Dooars or Duars are the floodplains and foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar means door in Assamese, Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Bengali languages, and the region forms the gateway to Bhutan from India. There were 18 passages or gateways through...
1841), armed conflict turned inward. In 1870, amid the continuing civil wars, Penlop Jigme Namgyal
Jigme Namgyal (Bhutan)
Jigme Namgyal of Bhutan is a forefather of the House of Wangchuck. He served as 51st Druk Desi of Bhutan , and held the hereditary post of 10th Penlop of Trongsa...
of Trongsa ascended to the office of Druk Desi
Druk Desi
The Druk Desi ;The original title is Dzongkha: སྡེ་སྲིད་ཕྱག་མཛོད་; Wylie: sde-srid phyag-mdzod. was the title of the secular rulers of Bhutan under the dual system of government between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries...
. In 1879, he appointed his 17-year-old son Ugyen Wangchuck
Ugyen Wangchuck
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
as Penlop of Paro. Jigme Namgyal reigned through his death 1881, punctuated by periods of retirement during which he retained effective control of the country.
The pro-Britain Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck
Ugyen Wangchuck
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
ultimately prevailed against the pro-Tibet and anti-Britain Penlop of Paro after a series of civil wars and rebellions between 1882 and 1885. After his father's death in 1881, Ugyen Wangchuck entered a feud over the post of Penlop of Trongsa. In 1882, at the age of 20, he marched on Bumthang
Bumthang Province
Bumthang Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Bumthang Province occupied lands in north-central Bhutan. It was administered from the Jakar Dzong in the town of Jakar...
and Trongsa
Trongsa Province
Trongsa Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Trongsa Province occupied lands in central Bhutan corresponding somewhat to modern Trongsa District, although the power of the Trongsa Penlop extended far beyond his own realms, covering the entire east of Bhutan...
, winning the post of Penlop of Trongsa in addition to Paro. In 1885, Ugyen Wangchuck intervened in a conflict between the Dzongpen
Dzongpen
Dzongpen is a Dzongkha term roughly translated as governor or dzong lord. Bhutanese dzongpens, prior to unification, controlled certain areas of the country, but now hold no administrative office...
s of Punakha
Punakha Province
Punakha Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Punakha Province occupied lands in western Bhutan, corresponding roughly to modern Punakha District. It was administered from the Punakha Dzong in the town of Punakha, and the ruling governor was known as the Penlop of Punakha, or...
and Thimphu
Thimphu Province
Thimphu Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Thimphu Province occupied lands in western Bhutan, corresponding approximately to modern day Thimphu District...
, sacking both sides and seizing Simtokha Dzong
Simtokha Dzong
Simtokha Dzong is a small dzong, located about 3 miles south of the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu. Built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan, the dzong is the first of its kind built in Bhutan. An important historical monument and former Buddhist monastery, today it houses one...
. From this time forward, the office of Desi became purely ceremonial.
Nationhood under the Wangchucks
Trongsa Penlop Ugyen WangchuckUgyen Wangchuck
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...
, firmly in power and advised by Kazi Ugyen Dorji
Ugyen Dorji
Raja Ugyen Dorji was a member of the elite Dorji family and an influential Bhutanese politician. He served as the closest adviser to Ugyen Wangchuck, the hereditary Penlop of Trongsa and later First Druk Gyalpo...
, accompanied the British expedition to Tibet
British expedition to Tibet
The British expedition to Tibet during 1903 and 1904 was an invasion of Tibet by British Indian forces, whose mission was to establish diplomatic relations and trade between the British Raj and Tibet...
as an invaluable intermediary, earning his first British knighthood. Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck further garnered knighthood in the KCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
in 1904. Meanwhile, the last officially recognized Shabdrung and Druk Desi had died in 1903 and 1904, respectively. As a result, a power vacuum formed within the already dysfunctional dual system of government
Dual system of government
The Dual System of Government or Cho-sid-nyi is the traditional diarchal political system of Tibetan peoples whereby the Desi coexists with the spiritual authority of the realm, usually unified under a third single ruler. The actual distribution of power between institutions varied over time and...
. Civil adminstration had fallen to the hands of Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck, and in November 1907 he was unanimously elected hereditary monarch by an assembly of the leading members of the clergy, officials, and aristocratic families. His ascendency to the throne ended the traditional dual system of government
Dual system of government
The Dual System of Government or Cho-sid-nyi is the traditional diarchal political system of Tibetan peoples whereby the Desi coexists with the spiritual authority of the realm, usually unified under a third single ruler. The actual distribution of power between institutions varied over time and...
in place for nearly 300 years. The title Penlop of Trongsa – or Penlop of Chötse, another name for Trongsa – continued to be held by crown princes.
As King of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck secured the Treaty of Punakha
Treaty of Punakha
The Treaty of Punakha was an agreement signed on January 8, 1910, at Punakha Dzong between the recently consolidated Kingdom of Bhutan and British India. The Treaty of Punakha is not a stand-alone document, but represents a modification of the Treaty of Sinchula of 1865, the prior working agreement...
(1910), under which Britain guaranteed Bhutan's independence, granted Bhutanese Royal Government a stipend, and took control of Bhutanese foreign relations
Foreign relations of Bhutan
Bhutan has diplomatic relations with 27 states, and with the European Union.In 1971, sponsored by India, Bhutan began to develop its foreign relations by joining the UN, though it has no diplomatic relations with any of the permanent members on the UN Security Council...
. After becoming the first King of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck further merited the British Delhi Durbar
Delhi Durbar
The Delhi Durbar , meaning "Court of Delhi", was a mass assembly at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the coronation of a King and Queen of the United Kingdom. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times, in 1877, 1903, and 1911, at the height of the British Empire. The 1911...
Gold Medal in 1911; the Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
) in 1911; and the Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
) in 1921. The first Druk Gyalpo Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926.
The reign of the Second King Jigme Wangchuck (1926–1952) was characterized by an increasingly powerful central government and the beginnings of infrastructure development. Bhutan also established its first diplomatic relations with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
under the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, largely patterned after the prior Treaty of Punakha.
The Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...
(r. 1952–1972) ascended the throne at the age of 16, having been educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. During the reign of the Third King, Bhutan began further political and legal reforms and started to open to the outside world. Notably, the Third King was responsible for establishing a unicameral National Assembly
National Assembly of Bhutan
The National Assembly is the elected lower house of Bhutan's new bicameral Parliament which also comprises the Druk Gyalpo and the National Council. It is the more powerful house.- Current National Assembly :...
in 1953 and establishing relations with Indian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
in 1958. Under Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutan also modernized its legal codes
Bhutanese legislation
Bhutanese legislation is created by the bicameral Parliament of Bhutan. Either the upper house National Council, the lower house National Assembly, or the Attorney General may author bills to be passed as acts, with the exception of money and financial bills, which are the sole purview of the...
.
Relations with the Dorji family
The powerful Dorji familyDorji family
The Dorji family of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs...
, unlike the Wangchucks, do not have independent roots in legendary monks or historical figures. In fact, the Dorji family was not among the elite families, but became prominent through their ties to the Wangchuck family and to the British. Kazi Dorji had advised the future First King to mediate between the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and 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...
, and it was Kazi Dorji who was later responsible for the large-scale induction of Nepalis into Bhutan
Lhotshampa
Lhotshampa, or Lhotsampa, means "southerners" in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. The term refers to the heterogeneous ethnic Nepalese population of Bhutan.-History:...
. During the early years of the Dorji family's prominence, members of the family served as gongzim (chief chamberlain, the top government post), and their official residence was at the palatial Bhutan House
Bhutan House
Bhutan House is an estate located in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, owned by the Dorji family of Bhutan. The site is the traditional administrative Dzong for southern Bhutan, and also functioned as the administrative center for the whole of western Bhutan during the early years of consolidation...
at Kalimpong. From Bhutan house, Raja Sonam Topgay Dorji
Sonam Topgay Dorji
Sir Raja Sonam Topgay Dorji , also called Tobgay, was a member of the Dorji family and Bhutanese politician who served between 1917 and 1952 in the Royal Government under the First and Second Kings of Bhutan...
("Topgay Raja") held the post of Trade Agent to the Government of Bhtan, however he functioned to a large extent as prime minister, foreign minister, and ambassador to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Through this position as a trade intermediary, the Dorji family amassed wealth reputedly greater than that of the royal family. Topgay Raja himself married a Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
ese princess.
After two generations of growing influence, the sister of Prime Minister Jigme Dorji – the daughter of Topgay Raja – married the Third King, creating a new bond so prominent as to cause discontent among other Bhutanese families. The public was divided between pro-modernist and pro-monarchist camps.
Assassination of Jigme Dorji
In the early 1960s, the Third King fell ill and went to SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for treatment. As the king was unavailable, Prime Minister Jigme Dorji sought to fill a leadership role, however this led to tensions with the military and monarchist factions. Namely, Dorji conflicted with the Royal Bhutan Army
Royal Bhutan Army
The Royal Bhutan Army , or RBA, is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The King of Bhutan is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA...
over the use of military vehicles, forced the retirement of some 50 military officers, and sought to limit the power of state-supported religious institutions such as the Dratshang Lhentshog
Dratshang Lhentshog
The Dratshang Lhentshog is the Commission for the Monastic Affairs of Bhutan. Under the 2008 Constitution, it is the bureaucracy that oversees the Drukpa Kagyu sect that is the state religion of Bhutan...
and Je Khenpo
Je Khenpo
The Je Khenpo , formerly called the Dharma Raj by orientalists, is the title given to the senior religious hierarch of Bhutan. His primary duty is to lead the Dratshang Lhentshog of Bhutan, which oversees the Central Monastic Body, and to arbitrate on matters of doctrine, assisted by lopons...
. On April 5, 1964, reformist Prime Minister Jigme Dorji was assassinated in Phuentsholing by monarchist cadres as the king lay ill in Switzerland. The Dorji family
Dorji family
The Dorji family of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs...
was subsequently put under close watch.
The King's Tibetan mistress Yangki and her father, who had been implicated in the assassination, suspected that Jigme Dorji's son Lhendup would use the king's absence to exact revenge. They attempted to flee into India, but were detained at Gelephu
Gelephu
Gelephu is a town in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag headquarters , and has a population of 9,199 as per 2005 census.Gelephu was selected as a site for Bhutan's second international airport project, but it was...
. They eventually fled the country. The King's own uncle and head of the Royal Bhutan Army
Royal Bhutan Army
The Royal Bhutan Army , or RBA, is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The King of Bhutan is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA...
, Namgyal Bahadur, was among those executed for their role in the attempted coup.
The post of Prime Minister (Lonchen) was vacant, and the King identified Jigme Dorji's son Lhendup as the successor. Lhendup's mother, then head of the Dorji family
Dorji family
The Dorji family of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs...
, advised the King against giving any title to Lhendup because it would have made the situation more explosive. In 1964, however, the King announced his intention to appoint Lhendup as Lonchen. Lhendup fled to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
in 1965 due to political pressure, and was effectively exiled by the National Assembly
National Assembly of Bhutan
The National Assembly is the elected lower house of Bhutan's new bicameral Parliament which also comprises the Druk Gyalpo and the National Council. It is the more powerful house.- Current National Assembly :...
. Today, remaining members of the Dorji family
Dorji family
The Dorji family of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs...
remain prominent in Bhutanese politics.
Democratization under the Wangchucks
The Third King died in 1972, and the Raven CrownRaven Crown
The Raven Crown is worn by the Kings of Bhutan. It is a hat surmounted by the head of a raven.-History:...
passed to the 16-year-old Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...
. The Fourth King was, like his father, educated in England and India, and had also attended Ugyen Wangchuck Academy in Paro
Paro, Bhutan
-History:Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1646 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for...
. Reigning until 2008, the Fourth King was responsible for the development of the tourism industry, Gross National Happiness
Gross national happiness
The assessment of gross national happiness was designed in an attempt to define an indicator that measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than only the economic indicator of gross domestic product .-Origins and meaning:The term...
as a concept, and strides in democratization including the draft Constitution of Bhutan
Constitution of Bhutan
The Constitution of Bhutan was enacted July 18, 2008 by the Royal Government. The Constitution was thoroughly planned by several government officers and agencies over a period of almost seven years amid increasing democratic reforms in Bhutan...
. The later years of his reign, however, also marked the departure of Bhutanese refugees in the 1990s amid the government's driglam namzha
Driglam namzha
The Driglam Namzha is the official behaviour and dress code of the Kingdom of Bhutan. It governs how citizens should dress in public and how they should behave in formal settings. It also regulates a number of cultural assets such as art and architecture...
policy and citizenship laws that were overzealously enforced by some district
Dzongkhag
A dzongkhag is an administrative and judicial district of Bhutan. The twenty dzongkhags of Bhutan are further divided into 205 gewogs. Some larger dzongkhags have one or more of an intermediate judicial division, known as dungkhags , which themselves comprise two or more gewogs...
officials. To the astonishment of the Bhutanese public, the Fourth King announced his abdication in 2005 and retired in 2008, handing the crown to his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck assumed the throne as the Fifth King in 2008 as the kingdom adopted its first democratic Constitution
Constitution of Bhutan
The Constitution of Bhutan was enacted July 18, 2008 by the Royal Government. The Constitution was thoroughly planned by several government officers and agencies over a period of almost seven years amid increasing democratic reforms in Bhutan...
.
Genealogy
Below is an extended patrilineal genealogy of the House of Wangchuck through the present monarch.| Name | Birth | Death | Reign start |
Reign end |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romanization | Wylie transliteration Wylie transliteration The Wylie transliteration scheme is a method for transliterating Tibetan script using only the letters available on a typical English language typewriter. It bears the name of Turrell V. Wylie, who described the scheme in an article, A Standard System of Tibetan Transcription, published in 1959... |
Dzongkha | ||||
| Sumthrang Chorji | Sum-phrang Chos-rje | སུམ་ཕྲང་ཆོས་རྗེ་ | 1179 | 1265 | ||
| Zhigpo Tashi Sengye | Zhig-po bKra-shis Seng-ge | ཞིག་པོ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་སེང་གེ་ | 1237 | 1322 | ||
| Bajra Duepa | Bajra 'Dus-pa | བཇ་ར་འདུས་པ་ | 1262 | 1296 | ||
| Depa Paljor | bDe-pa'i dPal-'byor | བདེ་པའི་དཔལ་འབྱོར་ | 1291 | 1359 | ||
| Palden Sengye | dPal-den Seng-ge | དཔལ་དེན་སེང་གེ་ | 1332 | 1384 | ||
| Tenpa NyimaBrother of Jamjeng Dragpa Oezer (Jam-dbyangs Grags-pa Od-zer) (1382-1442) | bsTan-pa'i Nyi-ma | བསྟན་པའི་ཉི་མ་ | 1382 | |||
| Dongrub Zangpo | Don-grub bZang-po | དོན་གྲུབ་བཟང་པ་ | ||||
| Pema Lingpa Pema Lingpa Pema Lingpa or Padma Lingpa was a famous saint and siddha of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a preeminent terton , and is considered to be foremost of the Five Terton Kings... |
Padma Gling-pa | པདྨ་གླིང་པ་ | 1450 | 1521 | ||
| Khochun Chorji | mKho-chun Chos-rje | མཁོ་ཆུན་ཆོས་རྗེ་ | 1505 | |||
| Ngawang | Ngag-dbang | ངག་དབང་ | 1539 | |||
| Gyalba | rGyal-ba | རྒྱལ་བ་ | 1562 | |||
| Dungkar ChojiWangchuck forefathers may be referred to as of the Dungkar Choji family | Dun-dkar Chos-rje | དུན་དྐར་ཆོས་རྗེ་ | 1578 | |||
| Tenpa Gyalchen | bsTan-pa'i rGyal-mchan | བསྟན་པའི་རྒྱལ་མཆན་ | 1598 | 1694 | ||
| Tenpa Nyima | bsTan-pa'i Nyi-ma | བསྟན་པའི་ཉི་མ་ | 1623 | 1689 | ||
| Dadrag | Zla-grags | ཟླ་གྲགས | 1641 | |||
| Tubzhong | gTub-zhong | གཏུབ་ཞོང་ | 1674 | |||
| Pema Rije | Padma Rig-rgyas (Pemarigyas) | པདྨ་རིག་རྒྱས་ | 1706 | 1763 | ||
| Rabje | Rab-rgyas (Rabgyas) | རབ་རྒྱས་ | 1733 | |||
| Pema | Padma | པདྨ་ | ||||
| Dasho Pila Gonpo Wangyal | Pi-la mGon-po rNam-rgyal | པི་ལ་མགན་པོ་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་ | 1782 | |||
| Dasho Jigme Namgyal Jigme Namgyal (Bhutan) Jigme Namgyal of Bhutan is a forefather of the House of Wangchuck. He served as 51st Druk Desi of Bhutan , and held the hereditary post of 10th Penlop of Trongsa... |
rJigs-med rNam-rgyal | རྗིགས་མེད་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་ | 1825 | 1881 | ||
| King Ugyen Wangchuck Ugyen Wangchuck Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa... |
O-rgyan dBang-phyug | ཨོ་རྒྱན་དབང་ཕྱུག་ | 1862 | 1926 | 1907 | 1926 |
| King Jigme Wangchuck | 'Jigs-med dBang-phyug | འཇིགས་མེད་དབང་ཕྱུག་ | 1905 | 1952 | 1926 | 1952 |
| King Jigme Dorji Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization... A member of the Dorji family Dorji family The Dorji family of Bhutan has been a prominent and powerful political family in the kingdom since the 19th century. The family has produced Chief Ministers, Prime Ministers, governors, and even monarchs... through his motherWangchuck Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization... |
'Jigs-med rDo-rje dBang-phyug | འཇིགས་མེད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་ | 1928 | 1972 | 1952 | 1972 |
| King Jigme Singye Wangchuck Jigme Singye Wangchuck Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006... |
'Jigs-med Seng-ge dBang-phyug | འཇིགས་མེད་སེང་གེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་ | 1955 | – | 1972 | 2006 |
| King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | 'Jigs-med Khe-sar rNam-rGyal dBang-phyug | འཇིགས་མེད་གེ་སར་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་དབང་ཕྱུག་ | 1980 | – | 2006 | – |
See also
- List of rulers of Bhutan
- History of BhutanHistory of BhutanBhutan's early history is steeped in mythology and remains obscure. It may have been inhabited as early as 2000 BC, but not much was known until the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism in the 9th century, when turmoil in Tibet forced many monks to flee to Bhutan. In the 12th century, the Drukpa...
- Politics of BhutanPolitics of BhutanThe Government of Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy; between 1907 and the 1950s however, Bhutan was an absolute monarchy. The peaceful march to democracy has been a steady one. The King of Bhutan is head of state. Executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers,...
- Chhoetse PenlopChhoetse PenlopPenlop of Trongsa , also called Chhoetse Penlop The spelling of this title varies widely in sources because transliterations of Tibetan script and transcriptions of Tibetan phonology differ...