[April 25] Trinley, Dalai Lama of Tibet

True Name: འཕྲིན་ལས་རྒྱ་མཚོ་
Date of Birth: 26 January 1857

Predecessor: Khedrup

Reign: 1858 – 1875

Summary: Trinley ruled Tibet as a minor in a time of intense struggle. Neighboring Qing China had been the defenders and supporters of Tibet since it took the Chinese throne in the 1700s. But India, to the south, was dominated by the United Kingdom at this time and wished to occupy Tibet as well. In 1858, Trinley was recognized as the twelfth reincarnation of the original Dalai Lama. His upbringing was unique in that all foreigners were banned from Tibet in an attempt to keep the Dalai Lama apart from foreign influence. The future Indian province of Sikkim and the country of Bhutan, both on Tibet's Himalayan border, were in open war with Britain. The two countries were controlled by lamas loyal to the Dalai Lama. Further influence from Christian missionaries sneaking in through the Mekong and Salween Rivers were turned away throughout the 1860s. During Trinley's reign, Tibet turned increasingly isolationist, only retaining ties with the quickly crumbling Qing state. Trinley never left a mark in history dying of a mysterious disease at the age of eighteen. He only ruled for two years outside of his minority, and nothing of note occurred in those years. His successor, Thubten, was the first active Dalai Lama in three decades.

Date of Death: 25 April 1875

Successor: Thubten

Other Monarch Deaths:

Mark, pope of Alexandria (68)

Géza I, king of Hungary (1077)

Sancho IV, king of Castile (1295)

Naresuan, king of Siam (1605)

Congzhen, emperor of China (1644)