The traditional list of the ancient Yarlung dynasty's Tibetan kings consists of 42 names.[1] The earliest kings ruled before the Tibetan language was developed in the 7th century, and the verbal history of Tibet was thus written after their periods of rule. While there is a lack of contemporaneous biographical manuscripts detailing the lives of the first 26 kings, modern scholars note that the lives of the 27th king to the 32nd were better documented.[2] The kings from Songsten Gampo, the 33rd king, to U dum Tsen the last king of the Yarlung dynasty, are well documented in many reliable Tibetan sources, and in Chinese and foreign sources.
A unified Tibetan state is documented during the times of the kings number 31, 32, and 33. All of the earlier and later kings were known as representatives of the Yarlung dynasty, named after the Yarlung Tsampo River in the Yarlung Valley. Their titles more correctly translate as 'chief', and not as 'emperor' of Tibet.[3]
Traditional Tibetan titles for the king include tsenpo ("Chief") and lhase ("Divine Son").[4]
List
In the list the common transliteration is given first, the academic one in brackets.
| Number | Name | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyatri Tsenpo (gNya'-khri bTsan-po) | 127–? BCE |
| 2 | Mutri Tsenpo (Mu-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 3 | Dingtri Tsenpo (Ding-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 4 | Sotri Tsenpo (So-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 5 | Mertri Tsenpo (Mer-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 6 | Dakrri Tsenpo (gDags-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 7 | Siptri Tsenpo (Sribs-khri bTsan-po) | |
| 8 | Drigum Tsenpo (Gri-gum bTsan-po) | |
| 9 | Chatri Tsenpo | |
| 10 | Esho Lek (E-sho-legs) | |
| 11 | Desho Lek (De-sho-legs) | |
| 12 | Tisho Lek (Thi-sho-legs) | |
| 13 | Guru Lek (Gu-ru-legs) | |
| 14 | Trongzhi Lek ('Brong-zhi-legs) | |
| 15 | Isho Lek (I-sho-legs) | |
| 16 | Zanam Zindé (Za-nam Zin-lde) | |
| 17 | Detrul Namshungtsen (lDe-'phrul gnam-gzhung-btsan) | |
| 18 | Senöl Namdé (Se-snol gNam-lde) | |
| 19 | Senöl Podé (Se-snol Po-lde) | |
| 20 | Senöl Nam (lDe-snol-nam) | |
| 21 | Senöl Po (lDe-snol-po) | |
| 22 | Degyel Po (lDe-rgyal-po) | |
| 23 | Detrin Tsen (lDe-sprin-btsan) | |
| 24 | Tori Longtsen (rGyal-to-ri Long-btsan) | |
| 25 | Tritsen Nam (Su-khri bTsan-nam) | |
| 26 | Tridra Pungtsen | |
| 27 | Tritog Jetsen (Khri-rje Thog-btsan) | |
| 28 | Lha Thothori Nyantsen (lHa-tho-tho-ri gNyan-btsan) | |
| 29 | Trinyen Zungtsen (Khri-gnyan gZung-btsan) | |
| 30 | Drongnyen Deu ('Bro-gnyan lDe'u) | |
| 31 | Tagbu Nyasig (sTag-ri gNyan-gzigs) | 579–619 |
| 32 | Namri Songtsen (gNam-ri Srong-btsan) | ?–629 |
| 33 | Songtsen Gampo (Srong-btsan sGam-po) | 618–649 |
| 34 | Gungsrong Gungtsen (Gung-srong gung-btsan) | 638–655? |
| 35 | Mangsong Mangtsen | 653–676 |
| 36 | Tridu Songtsen | 676–704 |
| 37 | Me Agtsom (Khri-lde-gtsug-brtsan) | 680–743 |
| 38 | Trisong Detsen | 755–797 |
| 39 | Muné Tsenpo | 797–799? |
| 40 | Sadnalegs | c. 800 or 804–815? |
| 41 | Ralpacan | 815–836 |
| 42 | Langdarma | 836–842 |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Haarh, Erik: Extract from "The Yar Lun Dynasty", in: The History of Tibet, ed. Alex McKay, Vol. 1, London 2003, p. 144.
- ↑ Haarh, Erik: Extract from "The Yar Lun Dynasty", in: The History of Tibet, ed. Alex McKay, Vol. 1, London 2003, p. 147; Richardson, Hugh: The Origin of the Tibetan Kingdom, in: The History of Tibet, ed. Alex McKay, Vol. 1, London 2003, p. 159 (and list of kings p. 166–167).
- ↑ Kirkland, Russell: The Spirit of the Mountain, in: The History of Tibet, ed. Alex McKay, Vol. 1, London 2003, p. 183.
- ↑ Samten Karmay, in McKay 2003, pg. 57
References
- McKay, Alex (ed.). Tibet and Her Neighbors: A History (2003) Walther Konig. ISBN 3-88375-718-7