Kingdom of Derge
The Kingdom of Derge (Tibetan: སྡེ་དགེ་, Wylie: sde dge; Chinese: 德格王國) was a kingdom in Kham from the 15th to the 19th century. It was a center of industry, religion and politics, with the seat of its kingdom in the town of Degé. The kings of Derge belonged to a 1300-year lineage. During the Qing dynasty it was considered a Tusi under the umbrella of the Qing Empire.
Kingdom of Derge སྡེ་དགེ་ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15th century–1956 | |||||||
| Capital | Dêgê | ||||||
| Common languages | Khams Tibetan | ||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||
| Derge Gyalpo | |||||||
• 16??–16?? | Lodro Tobden | ||||||
• ?–1812 | Tsewang Lhamo | ||||||
• 1897–1908 | Doje Senkel | ||||||
• 1926–1942 | Tsewang Donden | ||||||
• 1942–1956 | Jamyang Palmo | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 15th century | ||||||
| 1853 | |||||||
| 1908 | |||||||
• Restored by Tibet | 1918 | ||||||
| 1950 | |||||||
| 1956 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Today part of | China | ||||||
| History of Tibet |
|---|
| See also |
| Asia portal • China portal |
At its height, the population of the kingdom consisted of 12–15,000 families. The northern border of the kingdom was defined by Qinghai Lake; on the east, the boundary terminated at those states that utilized the Horpa variation of the Rgyalrongic languages, Chantui and Litang; the southern and western boundaries were defined by Batang, Sanai, Gonjo and Draya; and Lhato and Chamdo, respectively.
The kingdom was known for its metal working and was an important center in the establishment of the Rimé movement in Tibetan Buddhism. The royal family of Derge were known as supporters of art, producing such artists as Situ Panchen, the kingdom's senior court chaplain, who is also known for his contributions to medicine and religion. Regent Queen Tsewang Lhamo (d. 1812) was known for her support of printing and publishing.