Person

Ngawang Namgyal

1594–1651 · 17th century · Also known as Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

Ngawang Namgyal was a Tibetan lama of the Drukpa school who fled to Bhutan in 1616 after a dispute over his recognition as a reincarnation. There he built fortress-monasteries (dzongs), repelled Tibetan invasions and unified the country under a dual system of religious and civil government. Known by the title Zhabdrung, he is regarded as the founder of the Bhutanese state.

Ngawang Namgyal
Image: Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Zhabdrung Bhutan

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Ngawang Namgyal. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ngawang-namgyal
MLA
“Ngawang Namgyal.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ngawang-namgyal. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Ngawang Namgyal.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ngawang-namgyal.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Ngawang Namgyal’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ngawang-namgyal (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻