Langdarma

Reign: 838–841
Died: 841 AD
Parents: Sadnalegs
Name: Langdarma Langdarma
Father: Sadnalegs
Predecessor: Ralpacan
Role:King
Great-grandparents: Me Agtsom

Burial 'phrul-rgyal, pying-bar (mordern
Qonggyai County)
Issue Tride Yumten Namde Osung
Mother: 'bro-bza' lha-rgyal-mang-mo-rje
Grandparents: Trisong Detsen, Magyal Dong
People also search for Ralpacan, Trisong
Detsen, Sadnalegs, Magyal Dongkar
Great Minister We Gyaltore Taknye

Langdarma (Wylie: glang dar ma, THL: Lang
Darma "Mature Bull" or "Dharma Bull", property
name U Dumtsen Wylie: 'u dum btsan) was the
Tibetan Emperor, who most likely reigned from
838 to 841 CE. Early sources call him Tri
Darma "King Dharma". His domain extended
beyond Tibet to include Dunhuang and
neighbouring Chinese regions.


By tradition Langdarma is held to have been
anti-Buddhist and a follower of Bon. He is
attributed with the assassination of his
brother, King Ralpacan, in 838 AD and he is
generally held to have persecuted Buddhists
According to traditional accounts, during the
first two years of his rule, Langdarma
remained a Buddhist, but under the influence
of Wégyel Toré (Wylie: dbas rgyal to re), he
became a follower of Bon.

The anti-Buddhist portrayal of this king has
been questioned by several historians, most
prominently Zuiho Yamaguchi.
Langdarma's reign was plagued by external
troubles. The Uyghur Khaganate to the north
collapsed due to a revolt by the Yenisei Kirg
in year 840 and many displaced people fled
Tibet. According to one source, he only reign
for a year and a half, while others give six
thirteen years.

 According to traditional
accounts, a Buddhist hermit or monk named
Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje assassinated Langdarm
in 842 or 846. His death was followed by civil
war and the dissolution of the Tibetan empire
leading to the Era of Fragmentation.

Langdarma is said to have had two sons: Tri
Yumten, by his first wife and Namde Ösung
his second wife. They apparently competed
power, the former ruling over the central
kingdom of Ü, and the other ruling over the
"left wing", probably the eastern territories
One of Langdarma's grandsons, Kyidé Nyim
Gön (Wylie: skyid lde nyi ma gon), conquere
Ngari in the late 10th century, although his
army originally numbered only 300 men. Kyide
Nyima Gön founded several towns and castle
and he apparently ordered the construction
the main sculptures at Shey. "In an inscription
he says he had them made for the religious
benefit of the Tsanpo (the dynastical name
his father and ancestors), and of all the
people of Ngaris (Western Tibet).

This shows that already in this generation Langdarma's
opposition to Buddhism had disappeared."
Shey, just 15 km east of modern Leh, was the
ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings.