kingdom · Indian princely states
Kingdom of Sikkim
Origins
In 1642 three Tibetan lamas consecrated Phuntsog Namgyal as the first Chogyal at Yuksom, founding a Buddhist monarchy over the Bhutia and Lepcha peoples. Later capitals included Rabdentse and Tumlong.
Rule and society
The Chogyals ruled through Bhutia nobles and monasteries such as Pemayangtse, with Tibetan Buddhism as state religion. Sikkim lost territory to Nepal and Bhutan, and in 1861 a treaty with Britain made it a protectorate; the capital moved to Gangtok in 1894. Nepali settlers came to form a majority of the population.
Decline and legacy
After 1947 Sikkim became an Indian protectorate. Agitation against Palden Thondup Namgyal in the 1970s led to a 1975 referendum that abolished the monarchy, and Sikkim became India's 22nd state.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Kingdom of Sikkim was a protectorate of British Raj1861 CE – 1947 CE
- Kingdom of Sikkim was a protectorate of Dominion of India1947 CE – 1950 CE
More states of Indian princely states →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Sikkim. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-sikkim
- MLA
- “Kingdom of Sikkim.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-sikkim. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Sikkim.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-sikkim.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Sikkim’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-sikkim (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻