The Roles of Trongsa Penlop Ugyen Wangchuck in the Conflict between the British Raj and Tibet in 1888

 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.