The Roles of Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck in the Conflict between the British Raj and Tibet in 1888
We know Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck successfully
mediated the conflict between the British Raj and Tibet in 1904. With the
skillful mediation of Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck, the British Raj and Tibet signed
the Potala Treaty in 1904. Both Tibet and the British Raj were grateful to
Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck. The British Raj conferred on Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck the
title "Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.)" the
following year. Therefore, Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck received the title
"Sir."
But this was not Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck’s first act
of mediation between two neighbors. Gongsa had already carried out such
benevolent mediation in earlier years.
Sikkim became a protectorate of the British Raj in
1861 under the Treaty of Tumlong. Tibet invaded Lingtu in 1886 and Gnathong in
1888. Lingtu and Gnathong were Sikkimese territories; however, the British Raj
repelled the Tibetan forces.
When this border conflict occurred near Bhutan,
Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck offered to mediate. Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck wrote
letters to both warring parties asking permission to mediate peacefully. Both
the British Raj and Tibet, however, felt mediation was unnecessary; they
replied to Gongsa that if they needed his help, they would communicate with him
later.
One surprising claim in the sources is that Alu
Dorji and his accomplices—who had taken refuge in Tibet—participated in the
conflict on the Tibetan side. This is based on British Indian sources and has
yet to be corroborated by Tibetan sources.
As the conflict began, both the British Raj and
Tibet speculated about Bhutan’s position. The British Raj may have thought
Bhutan would side with Tibet, and Tibet may have had the same concern about
Bhutan siding with the British. There were exchanges of letters between the
British Raj and Bhutanese leaders and between Tibet and Bhutan. I do not have
samples of letters exchanged between Bhutan and the British Raj, but I found some
letters from the Tibetan government sent to the Druk Desi and to Gongsa Ugyen
Wangchuck of Bhutan, which are mentioned in the Journal of the Tibetological
Society by Nornang and Epstein.
Below I share sample excerpts of letters sent to the
Druk Desi and to Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck.
Text I is a letter addressed to the Druk Desi, and
Text II is a letter addressed to Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck. I have shared
only parts of each letter.
References
1. Miele, Matteo. 2018.The British Expedition to Sikkim of 1888: The Bhutanese Role,
West Bohemian
Historical Review, VIII | 2018 | 2
2. Stoddard, H. 2006. The Great Piling
dMag zlog of 1888, IATS, Bonn
3. Nornang, N.L & Epstein, L….. Correspondence Relating to the Anglo -
Tibetan war of 1888, Journal of the Tibetan Society.
