Penlop
Encyclopedia
Penlop is a Dzongkha term roughly translated as governor. Bhutan
ese penlops, prior to unification, controlled certain districts of the country, but now hold no administrative office. Rather, penlops are now entirely subservient to the House of Wangchuck
.
Traditionally, Bhutan comprised nine provinces: Trongsa
, Paro
, Punakha
, Wangdue Phodrang
, Daga
(also Taka, Tarka, or Taga), Bumthang
, Thimphu
, Kurtoed
(also Kurtoi, Kuru-tod), and Kurmaed
(or Kurme, Kuru-mad).The Provinces of Kurtoed and Kurmaed were combined into one local administration, leaving the traditional number of governors at eight. While some lords were penlops, others held the title Dzongpen
(Dzongkha: རྗོང་དཔོན་; Wylie
: rjong-dpon; also "Jongpen," "Dzongpön"), a title also translated as "governor." Other historical titles, such as "Governor of Haa," were also awarded.
Under the dual system of government
, penlops and dzongpen
s were theoretically masters of their own realms but servants of the Druk Desi
. In practice, however, they were under minimal central government control, and the Penlop of Trongsa and Penlop of Paro dominated the rest of the local lords. And while all governor posts were officially appointed by Shabdrung
Ngawang Namgyal
, later the Druk Desi
, some offices such as the Penlop of Trongsa were de facto hereditary and appointed within certain families. Penlops and dzongpens often held other government offices such as Druk Desi
, Je Khenpo
, governor of other provinces, or a second or third term in the same office.
The heir apparent
and King of Bhutan still hold the title Penlop of Trongsa for a period, as this was the original position held by the House of Wangchuck
before its ascension to the throne.
, 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 (penlops and dzongpen
s) 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.
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 and eastern Bhutan; the rival Penlop of Paro controlled western Bhutan; and dzongpons controlled areas surrounding their respective dzongs. Eastern dzongpens were generally under the control of the Penlop of Trongsa, who was officially endowed with the power to appoint them in 1853. 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 Dzongpens of Punakha and Thimphu, sacking both sides and seizing Simtokha Dzong
. From this time forward, the office of Desi became purely ceremonial.
Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck
, 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. It also marked the end of the traditional position of independent penlops. The title Penlop of Trongsa – or Penlop of Chötse, another name for Trongsa – continued to be held by crown princes.
: krong-sarb), are based in Trongsa
, modern day Trongsa District
in central Bhutan. In the 19th century, the Penlop of Trongsa emerged as one of the two most powerful offices in the realm, having marginalized all others but the Penlop of Paro. By the ascension of Jigme Namgyel (also called Deb
Nagpo, "the Black Deb
") in 1853, the office was virtually hereditary, held firmly by the House of Wangchuck
of the Nyö clan. Many members of the family occupied other government offices before, during, or after the position of Trongsa Penlop.
: spa-rob). As the office flourished, so did competition with the pro-British Penlop of Trongsa. Ultimately, the independence of the Penlop of Paro ended in merger with the House of Wangchuck
.
: dar-dkarb), was based in Daga
, a town in modern Dagana District
.
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...
ese penlops, prior to unification, controlled certain districts of the country, but now hold no administrative office. Rather, penlops are now entirely subservient to the House of Wangchuck
House of Wangchuck
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...
.
Traditionally, Bhutan comprised nine provinces: 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Daga
Daga Province
Daga Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Daga Province occupied lands in west-central Bhutan. It was administered from the town of Daga. The ruling governor was known as the Penlop of Daga, or Dagab. Real power, however, rested in the hands of the Penlop of Paro, the...
(also Taka, Tarka, or Taga), 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...
, 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...
, Kurtoed
Kurtoed Province
Kurtoed Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Kurtoed Province occupied lands in northeastern Bhutan. It was administered together with Kurmaed Province...
(also Kurtoi, Kuru-tod), and Kurmaed
Kurmaed Province
Kurmaed Province was one of the nine historical Provinces of Bhutan.Kurmaed Province occupied lands in southeastern Bhutan. It was administered jointly with Kurtoed Province...
(or Kurme, Kuru-mad).The Provinces of Kurtoed and Kurmaed were combined into one local administration, leaving the traditional number of governors at eight. While some lords were penlops, others held the title 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...
(Dzongkha: རྗོང་དཔོན་; Wylie
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...
: rjong-dpon; also "Jongpen," "Dzongpön"), a title also translated as "governor." Other historical titles, such as "Governor of Haa," were also awarded.
Under the 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...
, penlops and 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 were theoretically masters of their own realms but servants of 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...
. In practice, however, they were under minimal central government control, and the Penlop of Trongsa and Penlop of Paro dominated the rest of the local lords. And while all governor posts were officially appointed by Shabdrung
Shabdrung
Shabdrung , was a title used when referring to or addressing great lamas in Tibet, particularly those who held a hereditary lineage...
Ngawang Namgyal
Ngawang Namgyal
Ngawang Namgyal was a Tibetan Buddhist lama and the unifier of Bhutan as a nation state...
, later 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...
, some offices such as the Penlop of Trongsa were de facto hereditary and appointed within certain families. Penlops and dzongpens often held other government offices such as 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...
, 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...
, governor of other provinces, or a second or third term in the same office.
The heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
and King of Bhutan still hold the title Penlop of Trongsa for a period, as this was the original position held by the House of Wangchuck
House of Wangchuck
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...
before its ascension to the throne.
History
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 (penlops and 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) 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
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...
and 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...
, and the dzongpons of Punakha
Punakha
thumb|right|Punakha Dzong and the [[Mo Chhu]]Punakha is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thimphu and it...
, Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
, and Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang District is a dzongkhag of central Bhutan. This is also the name of the dzong which dominates the district, and the name of the small market town outside the gates of the dzong...
were particularly notable figures in the competition for regional dominance.
Within this political landscape, the Wangchuck family
House of Wangchuck
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...
originated in the Bumthang region
Bumthang District
Bumthang District is one of the 20 dzongkhag comprising Bhutan. It is the most historic dzongkhag if the number of ancient temples and sacred sites is counted...
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 and eastern Bhutan; the rival Penlop of Paro controlled western Bhutan; and dzongpons controlled areas surrounding their respective dzongs. Eastern dzongpens were generally under the control of the Penlop of Trongsa, who was officially endowed with the power to appoint them in 1853. 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
Jigme Namgyal is the current vice-mayor of Lhasa. He is more concerned with the cultural preservation of Lhasa, than the growth-oriented mayor Doje Cezhug...
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 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 Dzongpens of Punakha and Thimphu, 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.
Trongsa 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...
, 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. It also marked the end of the traditional position of independent penlops. The title Penlop of Trongsa – or Penlop of Chötse, another name for Trongsa – continued to be held by crown princes.
Penlops of Trongsa
Penlops of Trongsa, also called "Tongsab" (Dzongkha: ཀྲོང་སརབ་; WylieWylie 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...
: krong-sarb), are based in 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...
, modern day Trongsa District
Trongsa District
Trongsa District is one of the districts of Bhutan. It is the most central district of Bhutan and the geographic centre of Bhutan is located within it at Trongsa Dzong....
in central Bhutan. In the 19th century, the Penlop of Trongsa emerged as one of the two most powerful offices in the realm, having marginalized all others but the Penlop of Paro. By the ascension of Jigme Namgyel (also called Deb
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...
Nagpo, "the Black Deb
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 1853, the office was virtually hereditary, held firmly by the House of Wangchuck
House of Wangchuck
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...
of the Nyö clan. Many members of the family occupied other government offices before, during, or after the position of Trongsa Penlop.
| Number | Name | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tongsab Chogyal Minjur Tenpa | 1646–? |
| 2 | Tongsab Sherub Lhendup (Namlungpa) | (fl. 1667) |
| 3 | Tongsab Zhidhar (Druk Dhendup) | (fl. 1715) |
| 4 | Tongsab Dorji Namgyel (Druk Phuntsho)Druk Phuntsho was also 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... 1763–1765 |
? |
| 5 | Tongsab Sonam Drugyel (Pekar) | (fl. 1770) |
| 6 | Tongsab Jangchhub Gyeltshen | ? |
| 7 | Tongsab Konchhog Tenzin | ? |
| 8 | Tongsab Ugyen Phuntsho | ? |
| 9 | Tongsab Tshoki Dorji | ?–1853 |
| 10 | Tongsab Samdrup Jigme NamgyelJigme Namgyal was also the 51st Druk Desi (Deb Raja 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... ) of Bhutan 1870-1873 |
1853–1870 |
| 11 | Tongsab Dungkar Gyeltshen | ? |
| 12 | Tongsab Gongsar 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... |
1882–1907 |
| 13 | Tongsab Gyalsay Jigme Wangchuk | 1923–?? |
| 14 | Tongsab Gyalsay Jigme Dorji Wangchuk | 1946–?? |
| 15 | Tongsab Gyalsay 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... |
1972–?? |
| 16 | Tongsab Gyalsay Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | 2004–present |
| Notes: |
||
Penlops of Paro
The Penlops of Paro were also known as "Parob" (Dzongkha: སྤ་རོབ་; WylieWylie 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...
: spa-rob). As the office flourished, so did competition with the pro-British Penlop of Trongsa. Ultimately, the independence of the Penlop of Paro ended in merger with the House of Wangchuck
House of Wangchuck
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...
.
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Parob Tenzin Drukda |
| 2 | Parob Ngawang Chhoda |
| 3 | Parob Ngawang Peljor |
| 4 | Parob Druk Dondub |
| 5 | Parob Samten Pekar |
| 6 | Parob Ngawang Gyeltshen |
| 7 | Parob Phuntsho |
| 8 | Parob Pema Wangda |
| 9 | Parob Tenzin Lhundub |
| 10 | Parob Sherub Wangchuck |
| 11 | Parob Tharpa |
| 12 | Parob Dalub Rinchhen |
| 13 | Parob Tyochung |
| 14 | Parob Ling Phuntsho |
| 15 | Parob Tagzi Dolma |
| 16 | Parob Tshulthrim Namgyel ("Penlop Haap") |
| 17 | Parob Yonten Rinchhen |
| 18 | Parob Nyima Dorji |
| 19 | Parob Thinley Zangpo |
| 20 | Parob Tshewang Norbu |
| 21 | Parob 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... First King of Bhutan |
| 22 | Parob Thinley Tobgye |
| 23 | Parob Dawa Peljor Dawa Peljor, also "Dow Penjo," was cousin brother of First King of Bhutan |
| 24 | Parob Tshering PeljorUncle of Second King |
| 25 | Parob Gyalsay 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... Third King of Bhutan |
| 26 | Parob Gyalsay Namgyel WangchuckBrother of Third King |
| Notes: |
|
Penlops of Daga
The Penlop of Daga, or "Dagab" (Dzongkha: དར་དཀརབ་; WylieWylie 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...
: dar-dkarb), was based in Daga
Daga, Bhutan
Daga is a town in Goshi Gewog, Dagana District in southwestern Bhutan. It is the administrative capital of the district.In 2005, Daga had a population of 1,146....
, a town in modern Dagana District
Dagana District
Dagana District is one of the 20 dzongkhag comprising Bhutan...
.
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dagab Tenpa Thinley |
| 2 | Dagab Tshulthrim Jungney |
| 3 | Dagab Rigzin Lhundub |
| 4 | Dagab Rabten |
| 5 | Dagab Tenzin Wangpo |
| 6 | Dagab Tshering Dondub |
| 7 | Dagab Dorji Norbu |
| 8 | Dagab Tashi Gangpa |
| 9 | Dagab Tshewang Phuntsho |
| 10 | Dagab Samten Dorji |
| 11 | Dagab Jamo Serpo |
| 12 | Dagab Do-yon Chelwa |
| 13 | Dagab Sithub |
| 14 | Dagab Tshewang Dorji |