Bhutan Historical Timeline
Prehistory
| Year | Event |
| 2000 BCE | Earliest known inhabitants of Bhutan |
7th Century
| Year | Event |
| 627-649 | Tibetan religious king Songstan Gampo orders the construction of Buddhist temples, including two in Bhutan: Jambay Lhakhang at Bumthang and Kyichu in the Paro valley. The construction of these temples marks the arrival of Buddhism in Bhutan |
8th Century
| Year | Event |
| 747 | Buddhist saint Padmasambhava known in Bhutan as Guru Rinpoche comes to Bhutan from India. He converts the King to Buddhism and then continues to Tibet. On his return he oversees the construction of new monasteries in the Paro valley and establishes himself at Bumthang. Guru Rinpoche is revered in Bhutan for his historical and religious role as the national patron saint who revealedvajrayana Buddhism Bhutan. |
9th Century
| Year | Event |
| Independent monarchies develop. The next two centuries are characterized by a lack of political cohesion. The dominant polity was the kingdom of Bumthang. Political and religious upheaval in Tibet causes many Tibetans to flee into Western Bhutan. |
11th Century
| Year | Event |
| Ca. 1000 | More waves of Tibetans seek refuge in Bhutan from persecution. Charismatic lamas become the de facto leaders of regions in Western Bhutan. |
12th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1180 | Tibetan Lama Gyarey Yeshe Dorji (1161-1211) founds Ralung Monastery of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage in Tibet, named after the thunder dragons (druk) that appeared to him on his quest for an appropriate foundation site. With the proliferation of the Drukpa Kagyu sect, the druk becomes synonymous with Bhutan and later its central national symbol. |
| Gyalwa Lhanangpa, founder of the Lhapa Kagyu lineage, establishes Tango Goemba in the Thimphu valley and a system of forts based on Tibetan dzongs. |
15th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1433 | Thangtong Gyalpo, the Iron Bridge Lama, visits Bhutan from Tibet in search of iron ore and builds eight bridges. |
| 1450-1521 | Pema Lingpa, the great ‘treasure finder’, (terton) discovers sacred texts and artifacts in Bhutan left by Guru Rinpoche. |
| 1455-1529 | Lama Drukpa Kunley, the Divine Madman, travels throughout Bhutan preaching an unconventional approach to Buddhism and life. |
17th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1616 | The first Zhabdrung, Ngawang Namgyal arrives in Bhutan from Ralung Tibet marking the ascendancy of the Druk Kagyu lineage. |
| 1621 | Zhabdrung establishes monk body (sangha) near Thimphu at Cheri Goemba . |
| 1627 | Portuguese Jesuits, Fathers Cacella and Cabral are the first European visitors to Bhutan. They stay 8 months. |
| 1629-1647 | Bhutan defeats repeated invasion attempts by Tibet. |
| 1637 | Punakha dzong constructed as the second dzong in the country. It remains the capital of Bhutan until the mid-1950s. |
| 1639 | Tibet recognizes Zhabdrung as the supreme authority in Bhutan. |
| 1643 | Mongols defeated in Southern Bhutan. |
| 1647 | Drukgyel Dzong constructed at the head of Paro valley to mark victory over Tibet and to prevent any further Tibetan incursions. Ngawang Namgyal’s success in repelling Tibetan attacks further consolidates his position as ruler of Bhutan. His large militia also gives him effective control over the whole country. The Zhabdrung unites all the valleys of the central and eastern parts of the country under his rule by about 1649. The campaign to build the great dzongs was also completed by approximately 1650. |
| 1651 | Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal dies, but his death is kept a secret for over 50 years in order to preserve stability. |
18th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1705 | Demise of Zhabdrung finally revealed. |
| 1772-1774 | Bhutan skirmishes with the troops of the British East India company over Cooch Behar (currently in West Bengal). Peace treaty signed in 1774 between the Druk Desi (secular ruler) and the British. |
| 1783 | Captain Samuel Turner leads a grand British expedition to Bhutan and Tibet. More British expeditions followed in 1810, 1812, 1815, and 1837, seeking trading arrangements and to settle border disputes. |
19th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1841-1865 | Bhutan and Britain fight the ‘Duar wars’ over strategic and fertile lowland ‘gateways’ to Bhutan. In 1865 Bhutan signs a treaty ceding the Duars in exchange for an annual subsidy and agreeing free trade between the two countries. |
| 1885 | Ugyen Wangchuck, governor (penlop) of Trongsa quells civil unrest across Bhutan, and emerges as the most powerful figure in the country. |
20th Century
| Year | Event |
| 1907 | The secular ruler or desi of Bhutan dies and Ugyen Wangchuck is elected as the first hereditary ruler of Bhutan by unanimous vote of Bhutan’s chiefs and Lamas. He takes the title of Druk Gyalpo, Dragon King. |
| 1910 | Treaty of Punhaka is signed between Britain and Bhutan in which Britain pledges no interference in internal Bhutanese affairs. While relations are cordial, Bhutan refuses to permit the installation of a British resident. |
| 1926 | The First King Ugyen Wangchuck (1862-1926) dies and is succeeded by his 24 year old son, Jigme Wangchuck (1905-1952), who sees Bhutan through the Great Depression and Second World War. Neither event has much effect on Bhutan whose economy is still largely barter-based and generally isolated. |
| 1949 | Bhutan signs a treaty with newly-independent India reaffirming Bhutan’s sovereignty and pledging continuing relations with India. India returns some duar land ceded to the British earlier. |
| 1952 | The Second King Jigme Wangchuck dies, and is succeeded by his son Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1928-1972). The Third King embarks on a planned reform program and gradual opening to the wider world. |
| 1953 | The Third King establishes the National Assembly and draws up a 12 volume code of law. |
| 1958 | Bhutan abolishes serfdom. |
| 1962 | Bhutan joins the Colombo Plan, a regional development body. Membership gives Bhutan access to technical assistance and training from member countries. |
| 1968 | Bhutan establishes its first cabinet. |
| 1969 | Bhutan joins the Universal Postal Union. |
| 1971 | Bhutan joins the United Nations. In the same year, India and Bhutan establish formal diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors. |
| 1972 | The Third King dies at the age of 44 and is succeeded by his 16 year old son, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. He continues the policy of cautious modernization, coining the phrase Gross National Happiness as a guiding principle for development and social progress. |
| 1974 | In conjunction with the official coronation of the Fourth King, a small number of international visitors is invited to witness the royal ceremony. This marks the advent of small scale tourism in Bhutan. |
| 1983 | International airport opens at Paro. |
| 1998 | King Jigme Singye Wangchuck transfers full executive power to an elected Council of Ministers. Further reform includes a cabinet elected by the National Assembly. In this year the famed Tiger’s Nest monastery (Takstang) is seriously damaged by fire. |
| 1999 | TV and Internet are officially introduced into Bhutan. First Internet café opens in Thimphu. |
| 2001 | Drafting of the first constitution of Bhutan begins. |
| 2005 | The Fourth King announces plans to abdicate and to turn over the throne to the Crown Prince, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. In this year the draft constitution is released and circulated ahead of a nation-wide referendum vote. |
| 2006 | The Fourth King abdicates in favor of his son. |
| 2007 | Political parties form to contest upcoming democratic elections. Nation -wide vote is held for the upper house, the 25 member National Council. |
| 2008 | 2008 is a very special year for Bhutan. It represents the 100th anniversary of the monarchy. A nation-wide vote is held for the lower house, the 47 member National Assembly. The Fifth Druk Gyalpo is formally crowned at the age of 27. The Constitution of Bhutan is officially adopted. |
Sources: Wikipedia, BBC News – Timeline Bhutan.
