| 500 BC |
Birth of Buddha in Nepal. |
| AD 173 |
Birth of Tho-tho-ri-Nyantsen, 28th king of Tibet. |
| 233 |
Tho-tho-ri-Nyantsen receives a Buddhist scripture, marking the introduction of Buddhism into Tibet, an event of such importance that Tibetan currency notes were dated from this year. |
| 608-650 |
Reign of Songtsen Gompo, 32nd king. He sends scholars to India to study Sanskrit, and a Tibetan script is devised. |
| 634 |
Tibet sends envoys and tribute to China. |
| 640 |
Tibet occupies Nepal. |
| 641 |
Marriage of Songtsen Gampo to Chinese princess, Wen Cheng, daughter of Emperor Tai Zong. She and his Nepalese wife influence the spread of Buddhism in Tibet. Founding of the Jokhang. |
| 645 |
Songtsen Gampo sends a minister to the court of China requesting permission to build a temple on Mt Wu Tai in Shanxi Province. The request is granted. |
| 654-676 |
Tibetan conquest of state of Tuyulun and acquisition of Chinese territories in Central Asia. |
| 676-704 |
Tibetan expansion of Central Asia possession and partial reconquest of these by the Chinese. |
| 704 |
Tride Tsugtsen (died 755) becomes king. |
| 707-710 |
Peace settlement with Chinese. Tride Tsugtsen marries Chinese princess, Jin Cheng. |
| 730 |
Another treaty negotiated with Chinese. |
| 755-797 |
Reign of Trisong Detsen, Tride Tsugtsen's son. Reconquest of Central Asian possessions. |
| 763 |
Tibetans invade Chinese capital, Changan, and withdraw 15 days later. |
| 779 |
Foundation of monastery of Samye. Buddhism recognized as state religion. |
| 783 |
Peace treaty with China. |
| 785-805 |
Tibetan army advances westward to the Pamirs as far as the Oxus River. |
| 797 |
Muni Tsangpo, Trisong Detsen's son, becomes king. |
| 799-815 |
Reign of Sadneleg. |
| 815-836 |
Reign of Ralpachen, son of Sadneleg. Intense activity of translation of Buddhist texts. |
| 821 |
Peace treaty with China; the Tibetans retain most of their Central Asia possessions. |
| 836-842 |
Reign of Lang Darma, brother of Ralpachen. As a supporter of the Bon religion, he severely persecutes Buddhism. |
| 842-1247 |
Lang Darma murdered. Struggle for power ensues with small factions constantly warring or allying with each other. |
| 978 |
Rinchen Tsangpo, a famous translator, invites Indian teachers to western Tibet, marking the beginning of the renaissance of Buddhism. Monasteries are established in western Tibet. |
| 1040 |
Birth of Milarepa (died 1123), great Tibetan poet and mystic. |
| 1042 |
Atisha (died 1054), a great Mahayana teacher from India, arrives in Tibet and carries out missionary activities in western and central Tibet. |
| 1057 |
Founding of Reting Monastery. |
| 1071 |
Founding of Sakya Manastry. |
| 1182 |
Birth of Sakya Pondit (died 1251), learned scholar of the Sakya Sact. |
| 1189 |
Genghis Khan (1167-1227) becomes leader of the Mongols. |
| 1207 |
Tibetans send delegation to Genghis Khan; friendly relations and tribute established. |
| 1227 |
Death of Genghis Khan. Tibetans cease paying tribute to Mongols. |
| 1244 |
Sakya Pandit invited to meet Mongol Khan, and invested with temporal power over central Tibet. |
| 1252-53 |
Mongol invasion |
| 1254 |
Kublai Khan grants Phagspa Lodro Gyaltsen (1235-80), Sakya Pandit's nephew, supreme authority over Tibet, thus forming a politico-religious relationship between the Mongols and Tibetans (which later developed into the patron-lama link between the Manchu emperors and the dalai lama). |
| 1354 |
Fighting breaks out between the Sakyapa Sect and the powerful Lang family. The might of the Sakyapa Sect declines and a reorganization of the state takes place. |
| 1357 |
Birth of Tsong Khapa (died 1419), founder of the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect. |
| 1391 |
Birth of Gedun Truppa (died 1419), disciple of Tsong Khapa and head of the Gelugpa Sect. Posthumously named as the First Dalai Lama. |
| 1409 |
Founding of Ganden Monastery. |
| 1416 |
Founding of Drepung Monastery. |
| 1419 |
Founding of Sera Monastery. |
| 1434-1533 |
Constant power struggles, lasting more than 100 years, between the provinces of U and Tsang, whose leaders adhered to the Geligpa and Karmapa sects respectively. |
| 1447 |
Founding of Tashilhunpo Monastery. |
| 1475 |
Birth of Second Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso (died 1542) |
| 1543 |
Birth of Thied Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (died 1588). He visits Mongolia where Altan Khan confers the title "dalai lama" on him. |
| 1582 |
Founding of Kumbum Monastery. |
| 1588 |
Birth of Fourth Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso (died 1616), conveniently the great-grandson of Altan Khan and the only non-Tibetan in the line of dalai lamas. |
| 1617 |
Birth of Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lozang Gyatso (died 1682), builder of the Potala. Collapse of the province of U and victory to the Tsang provincial forces resulting in a growth of power of the Karmapa Sect. |
| 1624-36 |
Jesuit missionaries arrive in weatem Tibet. |
| 1641-42 |
Gusri Khan of the Qosot Mongols overthrows king of Tsang and hands territory over to Fifth Dalai Lama. |
| 1642-59 |
Consolidation of the Tibetan theocracy. Many Karmapa Sect monasteries handed over to the Gelupa Sect. Abbot of Tashilhunpo Monastery given title of "panchen lama" by the Fifth Dalai Lama. |
| 1652 |
Fifth Dalai Lama visits China. |
| 1670-1750 |
Chinese conquest of Mongolia and Xinjiang and occupation of Lhasa. |
| 1682 |
Death of Fifth Dalai Lama; his death is kept secret by the regent. |
| 1683 |
Birth of Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. |
| 1697 |
The Sixth Dalai Lama enthroned after death of Fifth Dalai Lama made public. |
| 1705 |
The Khan of Qosot, Lhanjang Khan, invades Tibet and conquers Lhasa. |
| 1706 |
The Khan of Qosot deposes Sixth Dalai Lama and sends him to China, but he dies en route. The Khan declares Sixth Dalai Lama not to have been a true reincarnation and enthrones a monk of his own choice. |
| 1707 |
Italian Capuchin monks arrive in Tibet. |
| 1708 |
Another reincarnation of Sixth Dalai Lama discovered. For reasons of security he takes refuge in Kumbum Monastery. |
| 1716 |
jesuit Father Ippolito Desideri arreves in Lhasa. |
| 1717-20 |
Junggar Mongols occupy and sack Lhasa, killing the Khan of Qosot. The Manchu emperor of China deposes the dalai lama appointed by the Khan of Qosot and recognizes claimant from Kumbum Monastery (Kelzang Gyatso), who is officially recognized as Seventh Dalai Lama in 1720. |
| 1733-47 |
Pholhanas (died 1747) brings internal struggles to an end and, with the support of the Chinese, becomes effective ruler of Tibet. |
| 1751 |
After an attempted revolt against the Chinese garrison, dalai lama is recognized as ruler of Tibet but without effective political power. |
| 1757 |
Seventh Dalai Lama dies. |
| 1758 |
Birth of Eighth Dalai Lama, Jompal Gyatso (died 1804). |
| 1774-75 |
First British mission to Tibet led by George Bogle. |
| 1783-84 |
British mission led by Samuel Turner. Chinese troops impose the Peace of Kathmandu following Gurkha incursions into Tibet. |
| 1806-15 |
The Ninth Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso. |
| 1811-12 |
Thomas Manning, British explorer, reaches Lhasa. |
| 1816-37 |
The Tenth Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Gyatso. |
| 1838-56 |
The Eleventh Dalai Lama, Khedrup Gyatso. |
| 1846 |
Lazarist monks, Huc and Gabet, arrive in Lhasa. |
| 1854-56 |
Conflict with Nepal. |
| 1856-75 |
The Twelfth Dalai Lama, Trinley Gyatso. |
| 1876 |
Birth of Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso. Diplomatic conflict between Russia and Britain over contacts and privileges with Tibet. |
| 1890 |
British Protectorate over Sikkim. |
| 1904 |
British military expedition, under Col Younghusband, forces its way to Lhasa. Thirteenth Dalai Lama flees to Mongolia. Conclusion of agreement with abbot of Ganden Monastery. |
| 1909 |
Dalai Lama returns to Lhasa. |
| 1910 |
Restoration of Chinese control over eastern Tibet and dispatch of troops to Lhasa. |
| 1911 |
Manchu Dynasty overthroen. Chinese Republic founded. Tibetan uprising against Chinese. |
| 1912 |
Dalai Lama resumes rule without Chinese influence. |
| 1913-14 |
Conference of Simla with British, Chinese and Tibetan plenipotentiaries: Chinese refuse to ratify agreement. |
| 1920-21 |
Mission of Sir Charles Bell to Tibet. |
| 1923 |
Ninth Panchen Lama flees to Chine. |
| 1933 |
Death of Thieteenth Dalai Lama. |
| 1934 |
Appointment of regent (abbot of Reting Monastery). |
| 1935 |
Birth of Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso enthroned in 1940. |
| 1947 |
Indian independence and end of the British Tibet Policy. |
| 1949 |
Founding of the People's Republic of China. |
| 1950 |
Fourteenth Dalai Lama flees to border with Sikkim. Returns to Lhasa after receiving assurances from Chinese government. |
| 1951 |
Arrive of People's Liberation Army in Lhasa. |
| 1954 |
Dalai Lama visits Beijing. |
| 1959 |
Attempted uprising. Dalai Lama flees to India. |
| 1964 |
Tibet formally claimed to be an "autonomous region" without the People's Republic of China. |
| 1966-76 |
Cultural Revolution. |
| 1976 |
Death of Chairman Mao Zedong. |
| 1989 |
Death of Tenth Panchen Lama in Shigatse. |
| Present |
Dalai Lama remains in exile. |
MCMXCV-MM Tetsuya MURASE, All rights reserved.
