Lungtok Gyatso - The 9th Dalai Lama

Unknown

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Lungtok Gyatso - The 9th Dalai Lama, Unknown

Oil on canvas

Lungtok Gyatso‘s life was tragically short. Born in 1805 (or early 1806) in the Tsang region, he was recognized as the 9th Dalai Lama and enthroned in Lhasa in 1808. However, his reign lasted only until 1815, when he died at the tender age of nine.

As a child, actual governance was in the hands of appointed regents, and Lungtok Gyatso could not influence policy. His premature death contributed to a growing pattern of early Dalai Lama passings during the 19th century—a phenomenon that raised suspicions among Tibetan observers. Many believed that internal power struggles, with regents and Qing ambans seeking to extend their influence, might have played a role in these untimely demises.