A short brief history of our great kings.

On the 111^th national day celebration, I present you all a short history of our great kings.

Desi Jigme Namgyel was born in the year 1825 to Pila Goenpo Wangyal and Sonam Pelzom. He belonged to dungkar choje noble lineage and was born in dungkar village under Lhuentse dzongkhag. Desi Jigme Namgyel starts his career as tozep serving at the court of Trongsa Penlop and in the year 1849 he was appointed to the post of Trongsa Zimpon. Later in the year 1853 Jigme Namgyel became Trongsa poenlop and after 17 years Jigme Namgyel was enthroned as the 48^th Desi in the year 1870. Lama Jangchub Tsondru, his root teacher designed and consecrated the Raven Crown for Jigme Namgyel. Desi Jigme Namgyel passed away at the age of 56 in the year 1881 at Semtokha Dzong.

 The first king Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck was born in the year 1862 to the family of Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyel and Ashi Pema Chhoekey. He was enthroned as the first hereditary king of Bhutan on 17^th December 1907. At the age of 17, he was appointed as the Paro Poenlop in the year 1879. Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck was conferred the KCIE (Knight Commander of the Indian Empire) title in 1905 by the British political officer Sir John Claude White in Sikkim. Sir Ugyen Wangchuck visited India for the first time in the year 1906 and accompanied by Gongzim Ugyen Dorji visited for the second time in 1911 for the occasion of Coronation Durbar of King George V in Delhi. Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck sent six monks to Tibet in 1917 to study Zhungchen Chusum (the thirteen expository texts) and to be trained in the field of Allopathic medicine, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck sent some Bhutanese students to India. Ashi Rinchhen Pemo was the first wife of Trongsa Poenlop Ugyen Wangchuck followed by Ashi Ludrong Dolma, Ashi Ngodrup Pemo and in the year1903 he married to Ashi Tshuendu Lhamo (also known as Ashi Lemo). For the renovation of Phagpa Shingkum or the Swayambunath stupa in Nepal by Tobden Sakya Shri, Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck donated Rs 70,000 in 1917. King Ugyen Wangchuck passed away on 21^st August 1926 at the age of 64.

Druk Gyalpo Jigme Wangchuck was born in the year 1905. King Jigme Wangchuck was appointed as the Trongsa Droenyer in 1921 and after 2 years he was appointed as Trongsa Poenlop. King Jigme Wangchuck was born to King Ugyen Wangchuck and Queen Tsundue Pema Lhamo. At the age of 21, King Jigme Wangchuck was crowned as the second Druk Gyalpo on March 14, 1927. In the year 1923, the royal wedding between King Jigme Wangchuck and Ashi Phuntsho Choden took place.    In the year 1931 King Jigme Wangchuck was presented the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (KCIE). He passed away in the year 1952.

Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck known as the father and the founder of modern Bhutan was born in the year 1928 at Thruepang palace. The first official appointment given to His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck at the age of 15 was Trongsa Dronyer and was awarded the red scarf in the year 1943. In 1948, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck went to Kalimpong for a year to study with a private tutor named Mr. Frank Ludlow. At the age of 22 His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was appointed as the Paro Poenlop and in the year 1952, he was ascended to the throne as 3^rd king of Bhutan in Punakha Dzong. In the year 1969, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck issued a kasho(order) exempting the people from the woola system. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck issued a royal command stating that all decisions of the Tshogdue (national assembly) shall be final and binding and will not need royal approval in the year 1968. The royal wedding between His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and Her Majesty Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck took place in the year 1951 at Paro dzongkhag. His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck passed away at the age of 44 on 23 July 1972.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born on 11^th November 1955. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck received education from the educational institute called Ugyen Wangchuck Academy. His Majesty made his first visit to India in the year 1974 and first state visit to Bangladesh in 1974. His majesty is also known as the father of Bhutan’s development philosophy, popularly known as Gross National Happiness (GNH). In the year 1991 His Majesty relinquish the chairmanship of Planning Commission, His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck commanded the establishment of the 39-member Constitution Drafting committee in the year 2001. His majesty married with 4 queens namely Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Pem, and Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck attended the 5^th NAM summit (Which Non-Aligned Summit) in Colombo, Srilanka in 1976. One of the International magazine titled Time Magazine named His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk as one of 100 People Who Shape Our World in 2006. At the age of 17, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck became the world’s youngest king.

                   

The present king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was born on 21^st February 1980. On 9th December 2006, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was crowned as the Fifth King of Bhutan. He became the Trongsa poenlop on 31^st October 2004. The royal wedding of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema took place on 13^th October 2011at Punakha Dzong.