Chronology of Tibetan History

500 BC Birth of Buddha in India

AD 173 Birth of Tho-tho-ri-Nyantsen,28th king of Titet

233 Tho-tho-ri-Nyantsen receives a Buddhist scripture, making the introduction of Buddhism into Tibet, an event of such importance that Tibetan currency notes were dated from this year

608-650 Reign of Songtsen Gampo, 32nd king ,He sends scholars to India to study Sanskrit,and a Tibetan script is devised

634 Tibet sends envoys and tribute to the Tang Dynasty.

640 Tibet occupies Nepal 

641 Marriage of Songtsen Gampo to Tang's princess, Wen Cheng,daughter of Emperor Tai Zong. She and his Nepalese wife influence the spread of Buddhism in Tibet.Founding of the Jokhang

645 Songtsen Gampo sends a minister to the court of Tang requesting pertmission to build a temple on Mt Wu Tai in Shanxi Province.The request is granted

676-704 Tibetan expansion of Central Asian possessions and partial reconquest of these by the Tang Dynasty.

704 Tride Tsugtsen (died 755) becomes king

707-710 Peace settlement with Tang. Tride Tsugtsen marries Tang's princess, Jin Cheng

730 Another treaty negotiated with Tang.

755-797 Reign of Trisong Detsen, Tride Tsugtsen's son. Reconquest of Central Asian possessions

763 Tibetans invade Tang's capital, Changan, and withdraw 15 days later

Foundation of monastery of Samye. Buddhism recognized as state religion

783 Peace treaty with Tang.
785-805 Tibetan army advances westward to the Pamirs as far as the Oxus River

797 Muni Tsangpo,Trisong Detsen's son, becomes king

799-815 Reign of Sadneleg

815-836 Reign of Ralpachen,son of Sadneleg.Intense activity of translation of Buddhist texts 

821 The Tibetans retain most of their Central Asian possessions

836-842 Reign of Lang Darma, brother of Ralpachen. As a supporter of the Bon religion,he severely persecutes Buddhism

842-1247 Lang Darma murdered.Struggle for power ensues with small factions constantly warring or allying with each other

978 Rinchen Tsangpo,a famous translator,invites Indian teachers to western Tibet, marking the beginning of the renaissance to Buddhism. Monasteries are established in western Tibet.

1040 Birth of Milarepa (died 1123), great Tibetan poer and mystic

1042 Atisha (died 1054), a great Mahayana teacher from India, arrives in Tibet

1057 Founding of Reting Monastery

1071 Founding of Sakya Monastery

1182 Birth of Sakya Pandit (died 1251),learned scholar of the Sakya Sect

1189 Genghis Khan (1167-1227) becomes leader of the Mongols

1207 Tibetans send delegation to Genghis Khan; friendly relations and tribute established

1227 Death of Genghis Khan.Tibetans cease paying teibute to Mongols

1244 Sakya Pandit invited to meet Mongol Khan, and invested with temporal power over central Tibet

1252-53 Mongol invasion

1354 Fighting breaks out between the Sakyapa Sect and the powerful lang family. The might of the Sakyapa Sect declines and a reorganization of the state takes place

1357 Birth of Tsong Khapa(died1419), founder of the Gelugpar or Yellow Hat Sect

1391 Birth of Gedun Truppa (died1474), disciple of TsongKhapa and head of the Gelugpa Sect. Posthumously named as the First Dalai Lama

1409 Founding of Ganden Monastery

1416 Founding of Drepung Monastery

1419 Founding of Sera Monastery

1434-1533 Constant power struggles,lasting more than 100 years, between the provinces of U and Tsang, whose leaders adhered to the Gelugpa and Karmapa sects respectively

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