Timeline of Bhutanese history

A timeline of Bhutanese history shows the important changes and events that shaped Bhutan and its earlier states. It includes legal changes, territorial shifts, and political moments that helped form the country as it is today.

This timeline is always growing and changing, which means it might not list every single important event. Anyone can help make it better by adding missing pieces and checking the facts against reliable sources.

Understanding this timeline helps us see how Bhutan developed over many years and why it is the way it is now.

7th century

Year	Event
627	Tibetan ruler Songtsän Gampo (reigned 627–49) ordered the construction of many Buddhist temples, including two in Bhutan: Jambay Lhakhang at Bumthang in central Bhutan, and Kyichu Lhakhang on the Kyi River in the Paro Valley. The construction of these temples marked the arrival of Buddhism in Bhutan. (to 649)

8th century

Year	Event
747	Buddhist saint Padmasambhava, known as "Guru Rimpoche", comes to Bhutan from India at the invitation of Sindhu Raja of the Kingdom of Bumthang, one of the numerous kingdoms predating modern Bhutan. Padmasambhava converts the king to Buddhism and then continues to Tibet. When he returns to Bhutan at the invitation of Trisong Detsen, he oversees the construction of new monasteries in the Paro Valley and sets up his headquarters in Jakar. According to tradition, Padmasambhava thus founds the Nyingma, or "Red Hat," sect of Vajrayana Buddhism. Padmasambhava plays a great historical and religious role as the national patron saint who revealed the tantras to Bhutan. He returned for a third visit during the reign of Murthi Tsenpo (764–817), son of Trisong Detsen.

Year

Event

747

Buddhist saint Padmasambhava, known as "Guru Rimpoche", comes to Bhutan from India at the invitation of Sindhu Raja of the Kingdom of Bumthang, one of the numerous kingdoms predating modern Bhutan. Padmasambhava converts the king to Buddhism and then continues to Tibet. When he returns to Bhutan at the invitation of Trisong Detsen, he oversees the construction of new monasteries in the Paro Valley and sets up his headquarters in Jakar. According to tradition, Padmasambhava thus founds the Nyingma, or "Red Hat," sect of Vajrayana Buddhism. Padmasambhava plays a great historical and religious role as the national patron saint who revealed the tantras to Bhutan. He returned for a third visit during the reign of Murthi Tsenpo (764–817), son of Trisong Detsen.

9th century

Year	Event
807	Alternate date for Padmasambhava's invitation to Bhutan by Sindhu Raja. Naguchhi's sons spread the realm into parts of modern Sikkim and Tibet.
809	Padmasambhava comes again to Bhutan. Around the same time, independent monarchies develop.
824	Tibetan King Ralpacan (reigned 816–836), grandson of Trisong Detsen, goes to war with an Indian people ruler in Bhutan, driving him out. Tibetan troops who remained in Bhutan were called Milog, meaning "those that will not return." The region they settle is referred to as Tshochhen Gyed. Its eight parts or divisions are Wang, Be, Med, Kawang, Chang, Thi, Thim, and Lar.
836	Tibetan King Ralpacan is murdered by agents of his brother Langdarma. Tibetans seek refuge in Bhutan from ensuing political and religious upheaval during the reign of Langdarma (836–842). After Langdarma's assassination in 842, Tibetans continue to flee to western Bhutan, thus creating the homeland of the modern Ngalop people. The centuries that follow, known in Tibet as the Era of Fragmentation, are characterized by their lack of political cohesion. During much of this period, the dominant Bhutanese polity was the Kingdom of Bumthang.
900	In the late 9th century, ethnic Tibetan forces expel Indian people princes from parts of modern Bhutan. Tibetans in this period and location develop the roots of Ngalong culture.

10th century

Year	Event
1000	By the 11th century, Tibetan-Mongol forces occupy the whole of Tibet. More waves of Tibetans seek refuge in Bhutan from religious persecution. Charismatic lamas become the de facto leaders of regions in western Bhutan.

11th century


Year	Event
1143	Before the arrival of Phajo Druggom, the followers of Nyoe Gyalwa Lhanangpa, a disciple of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon (1143–1217), the founder of the Drikung Kagyud, known as Lhapa had great influence and controlled a large part of western Bhutan.

12th century

Year	Event
1180	Tibetan lama Tsangpa Gyare (1161–1211) founds Ralung Monastery for the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school, named after the thunder dragons (druk) he witnessed on his quest for an appropriate foundation site. With the proliferation of the Drukpa, the druk become synonymous with Bhutan and later its central national symbol.

13th century

In the 13th century, Bhutan began to form as a unified country under the leadership of its spiritual leaders. This period marked the start of important cultural and political changes that shaped the nation's future. The influence of Buddhism grew strongly, helping to create a shared identity for the people.

14th century

Year	Event
1360	Gelug monks flee to Bhutan from Tibet.

15th century

Year	Event
1475	Pema Lingpa, a Bhutanese religious figure and tertön from Bumthang, discovered his first terma from Lake Membar near Bumthang.

17th century

18th century

The 18th century was a time of important changes in Bhutan. Many legal and political events shaped the country during this period, laying the groundwork for its future.

19th century

Year	Date	Event
1815		British mission to Thimphu fails to reach a conclusion amid increasing border tensions.
1838		British mission to Thimphu offers Bhutan a treaty providing for the extradition of Bhutanese officials responsible for incursions into Assam, free and unrestricted commerce between India and Bhutan, and settlement of Bhutan's debt to the British. In an attempt to protect its independence, Bhutan rejected the British offer.
1841		British annex Bhutanese controlled Assam Duars, paying a compensation of 10,000 rupees a year to Bhutan.
1842		Bhutan cedes control of the troublesome Bengal Duars to Britain.
1862		Bhutanese forces raid Sikkim and Cooch Behar; the British respond by withholding all compensation payments and demanding release of all captives and return of stolen property. These demands went unheeded by the Druk Desi, as he was alleged to be unaware of frontier officials' raids.
1864		Britain sends a peace mission to Bhutan in the wake of a recent civil war, during a period when two rival claimants to the office of Druk Desi competed for power. Though the British attempt to deal with both Druk Desis, the peace mission is rejected by Bhutan.
1864	November	Britain declares war on Bhutan. The Duar War lasts five months, resulting in Bhutan's defeat and cession of significant territory under the Treaty of Sinchula.
1865	11 November	Bhutan signs the Treaty of Sinchula, ceding territories in the Assam Duars and Bengal Duars, as well as the eighty-three-square-kilometer territory of Dewangiri in southeastern Bhutan, in return for an annual subsidy of 50,000 rupees.
1870		In the 1870s and 1880s, renewed competition among regional rivals – primarily the pro-British penlop of Trongsa and the anti-British, pro-Tibetan penlop of Paro – resulted in the ascendancy of Ugyen Wangchuck, the penlop of Trongsa. (to 1880)
1885		Ugyen Wangchuck, penlop (governor) of Trongsa, puts down civil unrest across Bhutan, consolidates power, and cultivates closer ties with British India.

20th century

The 20th century brought many important changes to Bhutan. New laws were created, and the country’s land and government grew in new ways. This time saw Bhutan shape its place in the modern world.

Year	Date	Event
1903		The last reigning Shabdrung dies, and a successor is not found until 1906. In the meantime, the civil administration comes under the power of the Ugyen Wangchuck as Druk Desi.
1903		Ugyen Wangchuck volunteers to accompany a British mission to Lhasa as a mediator in the British expedition to Tibet and resulting Anglo-Tibetan Convention. In return, Ugyen is knighted and thereafter continues to accrue greater power in Bhutan. (to 1904)
1907	17 December	Ugyen Wangchuck is elected Bhutan's first hereditary ruler (Druk Gyalpo) after having politically unified the country.
1910	8 January	The Treaty of Punakha amends two articles of the 1865 Treaty of Sinchula: the British agree to double the annual stipend to 100,000 rupees and "to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan." In turn, Bhutan agrees "to be guided by the advice of the British Government in regard to its external relations."
1926	21 August	King Ugyen Wangchuck dies; his son Jigme Wangchuck begins to reign.
1927	16 March	Coronation of Jigme Wangchuck.
1931		The 7th Shabdrung Jigme Dorji dies at Talo monastery. Jigme Dorji is the last Shabdrung recognized by the government of Bhutan, though subsequent claimants to the incarnation continue today.
1947		The British Empire leaves India, and direct political by the British ends. Bhutan remains relatively isolated from international affairs.
1949	8 August	India and Bhutan sign the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which provided that India would not interfere in Bhutan's internal affairs but that Bhutan would be guided by India in its foreign policy. The same year, India cedes to Bhutan some territories lost to the British in the 1865 Treaty of Sinchula.
1952	24 March	King Jigme Wangchuck dies; his son Jigme Dorji Wangchuck begins to reign. Bhutan begins a program of planned development and democratization. The same year, the National Assembly is established, and the post of Chief Minister (Gongzim) is abolished.
1957		Major glacial lake outburst flood from glacial lakes.
1958		Slavery is abolished.
1958		The first Nationality Act is enacted, defining Bhutanese citizenship and introducing a compulsory registration process.
1959		Bhutanese enclaves in western Tibet are seized by the Chinese.
1960		Major glacial lake outburst flood from glacial lakes.
1961		First Five-Year Plan is introduced.
1964	5 April	Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji is assassinated in a dispute among competing political factions. The King's own uncle, a military cadre, was among those executed for their role in the attempted coup. After a brief tenure by acting Prime Minister Lhendup Dorji, the post of Prime Minister is abolished until 1998.
1965		Unsuccessful attempt to assassinate King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
1966		The capital is moved from Punakha to Thimphu through a transition period when Punakha was the winter capital and Thimphu the summer capital.
1968		King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck establishes the first Council of Ministers, or executive cabinet. At the same time, the king renounces his power of veto, which had never been used. The king also creates the High Court (the Thimkhang Gongma) and empowers it to review the king's decisions. The Bank of Bhutan is also founded as a central bank, charged with supervising the transition from a barter economy to a monetary economy.
1968		Major glacial lake outburst flood from glacial lakes.
1969		Jigme Dorji Wangchuck called for a triennial vote of confidence by the National Assembly to renew the Druk Gyalpo's mandate to rule. This vote was later abolished by his successor.
1970		Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 300,000.
1971		Bhutan joins the United Nations.
1972	21 July	King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck dies; his son Jigme Singye Wangchuck begins to reign.
1974	March	Strains between the Wangchucks and Dorjis were relieved with the return that year of the exiled members of the latter family. The reconciliation, however, was preceded by reports of a plot to assassinate the new Druk Gyalpo before his coronation could take place and to set fire to the Tashichho Dzong, the seat of government in Thimphu. Yangki, the Druk Gyalpo's Tibetan mistress, was the alleged force behind the plot. Thirty persons were arrested, including high government and police officials. (to April)
1974	2 June	Coronation of Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The same year, the first foreign tourists are allowed to enter Bhutan.
1978		Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 400,000.
1982		The Royal Government establishes the Royal Monetary Authority, the central bank of Bhutan.
1985	10 June	The Bhutanese Citizenship Act 1985 is enacted.
1986		Bhutan's population reaches an estimated 500,000.
1986		One thousand illegal Lhotshampa laborers are expelled.
1987		Gasa District is split up among Punakha and Thimphu Districts; Chhukha District is carved out from parts of Samtse, Paro, and Thimphu Districts.
1988		Bhutan conducts its first census. As a result, many Lhotshampa (ethnic Nepalis) are branded as illegal immigrants.
1988		After a census, the government begins evicting those it identifies as illegal immigrants among the Nepali-speaking population in southern Bhutan. Over two decades, the population of Bhutanese refugees in refugee camps in neighboring Nepal climbed to 107,000 by 2008 according to UNHCR.
1989		The driglam namzha, the official behaviour and dress code, is elevated from recommended to mandatory in public and educational settings. Nepali ceases to be a language of instruction in schools, escalating tensions between Ngalops and Lhotshampas.
1989		Tek Nath Rizal, leader of the Bhutan Peoples' Party, is arrested and imprisoned.
1990		Violent ethnic unrest and anti-government protests in southern Bhutan pressing for greater democracy and respect for minority rights. The Bhutan Peoples' Party, whose members are mostly Lhotshampa, begin a campaign of violence against the government. Pro-government citizen militias form in response to rising crime and violence including clashes between Lhotshampa demonstrators and the Royal Bhutan Army. The Bhutan Peoples' Party is subsequently banned.
1991		Jigme Singye Wangchuck threatens to abdicate in face of hardline opposition in the National Assembly to his efforts to resolve ethnic unrest, leaving an international summit to attend to unrest.
1992		Tek Nath Rizal, leader of the illegal Bhutan Peoples' Party, is sentenced to life imprisonment.
		Gasa District is carved out from Punakha District; Tashi Yangtse District is split from Trashigang District. Other district boundaries are also changed
	2 November	The National Security Act is enacted. The Act defines treason and speech crimes, as well as unlawful assembly, rioting, and states of emergency, providing for lengthy prison sentences, capital punishment, and the use of deadly force by the government to stop unlawful demonstrations.
1994		Major glacial lake outburst flood from glacial lakes, devastating Punakha.
1998		The Council of Ministers (Lhengye Zhungtshog) replaces the cabinet, and King Jigme Singye Wangchuck withdraws from his role in the decision-making of the cabinet. The post of Prime Minister (Lonchen) is restored. (to 1999)
1999		Television is introduced.
1999	18 December	Tek Nath Rizal, leader of the illegal Bhutan Peoples' Party, is pardoned and released from prison along with some 40 other political prisoners. He goes into exile in Nepal, a common condition of release among Lhotshampa political dissidents.
2000		Bhutan and Nepal reach an agreement regarding the repatriation of certain classes of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in Nepal, subject to joint government verification. Points of contention included that some camp inhabitants were never citizens – or some even residents – of Bhutan before attaining refugee status. Also, the Bhutanese government regarded many political groups among the Nepalese Lhotshampa community, such as the Bhutan Peoples' Party (BPP) and Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), as terrorist or anti-national groups.