12th Dalai Lama

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The 12th Dalai Lama was Trinley Gyatso (also spelled Trinle Gyatso or Thinle Gyatso). He lived from December 28, 1856 to April 25, 1875.

He was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama in 1858 and officially became the Dalai Lama in 1860. He was fully enthroned on March 11, 1873, but he could not govern Tibet for long because he died at the age of 18 on April 25, 1875.

Trinley Gyatso’s life happened during a time of big political trouble. Tibet faced wars with neighboring countries. Britain was expanding its power in India, and the Qing dynasty in China was weakened after the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion. Tibet tried to keep its independence while dealing with these outside pressures.

As a child, Tibet banned Europeans from entering the country because of regional wars with Sikkim and Bhutan. There were fears about Christian missionaries reaching Tibet, and in the 1860s the Tibetans stressed Qing authority to protect their land.

He was the successor of the 11th Dalai Lama, Khedrup Gyatso, and the next Dalai Lama after him was Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama.