Songtsän Gampo
Songtsän Gampo, also known as Srong-brtsan-sgam-po, was a significant historical figure who became the first Buddhist king of Tibet around 627 CE. Ascending the throne as a minor, he played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the Tibetan Empire through both military conquests and adept diplomacy. His reign saw the empire's control extend over large areas of Central Asia, including the Tibetan plateau and parts of western China, and it included important trade routes like the Silk Road. Songtsän Gampo moved the capital from the Yarlung Valley to Lhasa, a city that remains central to Tibetan culture and politics today.
Under his rule, Buddhism was established as the state religion, leading to its widespread adoption and the formation of a powerful ecclesiastical structure that would shape Tibetan civilization for centuries. He is historically recognized for the transformation of religious practices within the region. His burial site in the Yarlung Valley became the final resting place for many members of the Yarlung Dynasty. Despite facing challenges during his reign, the stable empire he created lasted until the mid-ninth century, leaving a lasting legacy in Tibetan history and culture.
Songtsän Gampo
Related civilizations: Tang Dynasty, China, India, Nepal
Major role/position: King, military and religious leader
Life
Known as the first Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po (SRAWN-burt-SAHN-SKAHM-poh), while still a minor, attained the throne of what was to become the central Tibetan Empire about 627 c.e. Aided by powerful state ministers, he was responsible for the dramatic expansion and consolidation of the empire through military conquest and skillful diplomacy. In his lifetime, the empire controlled much of Central Asia, including what is today the Tibetan plateau, the Transhimalaya to the south, west, and north, western China, and the extremely important Silk Road. He moved the capital of his empire from the Yarlung valley to Lhasa, where it has been maintained through modern times.
Buddhism was established as a court religion during his reign, and, in time, it came to dominate religious practice on the plateau. He was buried in a massive mound in the Yarlung valley, which became the historic burial grounds of the Yarlung Dynasty.
Influence
Despite minor setbacks, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po created a stable empire in the central Tibetan region that was to last until the mid-ninth century c.e.Tibetan Buddhism grew from a limited court religion to a powerful monastic and ecclesiastical force during this time, profoundly transforming the course of Tibetan civilization.
Bibliography
Beckwith, S. The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1987.
Sinor, Denis. The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
Stein, R. A. Tibetan Civilization. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1972.