Ugyen Wangchuck

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Ugyen Wangchuck
Ugyen Wangchuck Name.svg
1st King of Bhutan
Reign December 17, 1907–August 21, 1926
Born 1862
Birthplace Bumthang, Wangduecholing Palace
Died August 7, 1926 (aged 64)
Predecessor None (Hereditary Monarchy Created)
Successor Jigme Wangchuck
Consort Ashi Tsundue Lhamo
Offspring

Jigme Wangchuck Lemo Wangchuck

Lhadron Wangchuck
Royal House Wangchuck Dynasty
Father Jigme Namgyal
Mother Ashi Pema Choki

Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck (Dzongkha: Ugyen Wangchuck Name.svg, Wylie: o rgyan dbang phyug; 1862–1926) was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.

He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop (governor) of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa. From his power base in central Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck defeated his political enemies and united the country following several civil wars and rebellions in 1882–1885.

Ugyen Wangchuk with his family in 1905

In 1907, an epochal year for the country, Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously chosen as the hereditary monarch of the country by the people at Punakha, the old capital of Bhutan.

For his services in mediating between the British and Tibetans during the Younghusband Expedition to Lhasa, Tibet,[1] he was knighted by the British in 1904. He was appointed Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) in the 1921 New Year Honours,[2] having already been appointed Knight Commander (KCIE) in 1904.

[edit] Honours

King Ugyen Wangchuk, receiving the order of the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire at Punakha Dzong

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Rose, Leo E. (1977). The Politics of Bhutan. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-8014-0909-8. 
  2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32178. p. 5. 1 January 1921.

[edit] See also

Ugyen Wangchuck
Born: 1861 Died: 26 August 1926
Regnal titles
Preceded by
None
(Hereditary Monarchy Created)
First King of Bhutan
17 December 1907 - 21 August 1926
Succeeded by
Jigme Wangchuck
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