Editing Dalai Lama (section)

=== 5th Dalai Lama ===
{{Main|5th Dalai Lama}}
{{multiple image |width=200 |direction=vertical 
|image1=Jokhang,Gushi Khan Fresco.Color.jpg|caption1=[[Güshi Khan]]
|image2=Mongolia XVII.png|caption2=Map showing the extent of the [[Khoshut Khanate]], 1642–1717, after the Unification of Tibet under the 5th Dalai Lama with Sonam Chöphel and Güshi Khan
|image3=Tibet-claims.jpg|caption3='Greater Tibet' as claimed by exiled groups
}}

The death of the Fourth Dalai Lama in 1617 led to open conflict breaking out between various parties.<ref name=TN2 /> Firstly, the [[Tsangpa]] dynasty, rulers of Central Tibet from Shigatse, supporters of the [[Karmapa]] school and rivals to the [[Gelugpa]], forbade the search for his incarnation.<ref name=SK>{{cite journal|author1=Karmay, Samten C.|title=The Great Fifth|journal=The Newsletter|year=2005|volume=Winter 2005|issue=39|page=2|url=http://www.iias.nl/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL39_1213.pdf|access-date=14 June 2015|series=Research|publisher=International Institute for Asian Studies|location=Leiden, the Netherlands|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207235713/http://www.iias.nl/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL39_1213.pdf|archive-date=7 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, in 1618 [[Sonam Rapten|Sonam Rabten]], the former attendant of the 4th Dalai Lama who had become the [[Ganden Phodrang]] treasurer, secretly identified the child,<ref name=shak101>Shakabpa 1984, pp. 101–102.</ref> who had been born to the noble Zahor family at Tagtse castle, south of Lhasa. Then, the [[Panchen Lama]], in Shigatse, negotiated the lifting of the ban, enabling the boy to be recognised as [[Lobsang Gyatso]], the 5th Dalai Lama.<ref name=SK />

Also in 1618, the Tsangpa King, Karma Puntsok Namgyal, whose Mongol patron was [[Choghtu Khong Tayiji]] of the [[Khalkha Mongols]], attacked the Gelugpa in Lhasa to avenge an earlier snub and established two military bases there to control the monasteries and the city. This caused Sonam Rabten who became the 5th Dalai Lama's ''changdzo'' or manager,<ref>Mullin 2001, p. 198.</ref> to seek more active Mongol patronage and military assistance for the Gelugpa while the Fifth was still a boy.<ref name=TN2 /> So, in 1620, Mongol troops allied to the Gelugpa who had camped outside Lhasa suddenly attacked and destroyed the two Tsangpa camps and drove them out of Lhasa, enabling the Dalai Lama to be brought out of hiding and publicly enthroned there in 1622.<ref name=shak101 />

In fact, throughout the 5th's minority, it was the influential and forceful Sonam Rabten who inspired the [[Dzungars|Dzungar Mongols]] to defend the Gelugpa by attacking their enemies. These enemies included other Mongol tribes who supported the Tsangpas, the Tsangpa themselves and their Bönpo allies in Kham who had also opposed and persecuted Gelugpas. Ultimately, this strategy led to the destruction of the Tsangpa dynasty, the defeat of the Karmapas and their other allies and the Bönpos, by armed forces from the Lhasa valley aided by their Mongol allies, paving the way for Gelugpa political and religious hegemony in Central Tibet.<ref name=SK />

Apparently by general consensus, by virtue of his position as the Dalai Lama's ''changdzo'' (chief attendant, minister), after the Dalai Lama became absolute ruler of Tibet in 1642 Sonam Rabten became the "''Desi''" or "Viceroy", in fact, the ''de facto'' regent or day-to-day ruler of Tibet's governmental affairs. During these years and for the rest of his life (he died in 1658), "there was little doubt that politically Sonam Chophel [Rabten] was more powerful than the Dalai Lama".<ref name=GM199>Mullin 2001, p. 199.</ref> As a young man, being 22 years his junior, the Dalai Lama addressed him reverentially as "''Zhalngo''", meaning "the Presence".<ref>Karmay 2014, p. 4.</ref>

During the 1630s Tibet was deeply entangled in rivalry, evolving power struggles and conflicts, not only between the Tibetan religious sects but also between the rising [[Manchu people|Manchus]] and the various rival [[Mongol]] and [[Oirats|Oirat]] factions, who were also vying for supremacy amongst themselves and on behalf of the religious sects they patronised.<ref name=TN2 /> For example, [[Ligdan Khan]] of the [[Chahars]], a Mongol subgroup who supported the Tsang Karmapas, after retreating from advancing Manchu armies headed for [[Qinghai|Kokonor]] intending destroy the [[Gelug]]. He died on the way, in 1634.<ref>Michael Weiers, ''Geschichte der Mongolen'', Stuttgart 2004, p. 182f</ref>

His vassal [[Choghtu Khong Tayiji]], continued to advance against the Gelugpas, even having his own son Arslan killed after Arslan changed sides, submitted to the Dalai Lama and become a Gelugpa monk.<ref>Shakabpa 1984, p. 104.</ref> By the mid-1630s, thanks again to the efforts of Sonam Rabten,<ref name=SK /> the [[5th Dalai Lama]] had found a powerful new patron in Güshi Khan of the [[Khoshut]] Mongols, a subgroup of the [[Dzungars]], who had recently migrated to the Kokonor area from [[Dzungaria]].<ref name=TN2 /> He attacked [[Choghtu Khong Tayiji]] at Kokonor in 1637 and defeated and killed him, thus eliminating the Tsangpa and the Karmapa's main Mongol patron and protector.<ref name=TN2 />

Next, Donyo Dorje, the [[Bönpo]] king of Beri in [[Kham]] was found writing to the Tsangpa king in Shigatse to propose a co-ordinated 'pincer attack' on the Lhasa Gelugpa monasteries from east and west, seeking to utterly destroy them once and for all.<ref>Shakabpa 1984, pp. 105–106.</ref> The intercepted letter was sent to Güshi Khan who used it as a pretext to invade central Tibet in 1639 to attack them both, the Bönpo and the Tsangpa. By 1641 he had defeated Donyo Dorje and his allies in Kham and then he marched on Shigatse where after laying siege to their strongholds he defeated [[Karma Tenkyong]], broke the power of the Tsang Karma Kagyu in 1642 and ended the Tsangpa dynasty.<ref>Shakabpa 1967, p. 105–111.</ref>

Güshi Khan's attack on the Tsangpa was made on the orders of [[Sonam Rapten]] while being publicly and robustly opposed by the Dalai Lama, who, as a matter of conscience, out of compassion and his vision of tolerance for other religious schools, refused to give permission for more warfare in his name after the defeat of the Beri king.<ref name=GM199 /><ref name=shak106>Shakabpa 1984, p. 106–110.</ref> Sonam Rabten deviously went behind his master's back to encourage Güshi Khan, to facilitate his plans and to ensure the attacks took place;<ref name=SK /> for this defiance of his master's wishes, Rabten was severely rebuked by the 5th Dalai Lama.<ref name=shak106 />

After Desi [[Sonam Rapten]] died in 1658, the following year the 5th Dalai Lama appointed his younger brother [[Depa Norbu]] (aka Nangso Norbu) as his successor.<ref>Karmay 2014, p. 403.</ref> However, after a few months, Norbu betrayed him and led a rebellion against the Ganden Phodrang Government. With his accomplices he seized Samdruptse fort at Shigatse and tried to raise a rebel army from Tsang and Bhutan, but the Dalai Lama skilfully foiled his plans without any fighting taking place and Norbu had to flee.<ref>Karmay 2014, pp. 409–425.</ref> Four other Desis were appointed after Depa Norbu: Trinle Gyatso, Lozang Tutop, Lozang Jinpa and [[Sangye Gyatso]].<ref>Shakabpa 2010, p. 1133.</ref>

==== Re-unification of Tibet ====
Having thus defeated all the Gelugpa's rivals and resolved all regional and sectarian conflicts Güshi Khan became the undisputed patron of a unified Tibet and acted as a "Protector of the Gelug",<ref>René Grousset, ''The Empire of the Steppes'', New Brunswick 1970, p. 522.</ref> establishing the [[Khoshut Khanate]] which covered almost the entire Tibetan plateau, an area corresponding roughly to '[[Greater Tibet]]' including [[Kham]] and [[Amdo]], as claimed by exiled groups (see maps). At an enthronement ceremony in [[Shigatse]] he conferred full sovereignty over Tibet on the Fifth Dalai Lama,<ref name="bell273">Bell 1946, p. 273.</ref> unified for the first time since the collapse of the Tibetan Empire exactly eight centuries earlier.<ref name=TN2 /><ref name=TN3>Smith 1997, p. 108.</ref> Güshi Khan then retired to [[Qinghai|Kokonor]] with his armies<ref name=TN2 /> and [according to Smith] ruled Amdo himself directly thus creating a precedent for the later separation of Amdo from the rest of Tibet.<ref name=TN3 />

In this way, Güshi Khan established the Fifth Dalai Lama as the highest spiritual and political authority in Tibet. 'The Great Fifth' became the temporal ruler of Tibet in 1642 and from then on the rule of the Dalai Lama lineage over some, all or most of Tibet lasted with few breaks for the next 317 years, until 1959, when the [[14th Dalai Lama]] fled to India.{{sfn|Buswell|Lopez|2014|p=210}} In 1645, the Great Fifth began the construction of the [[Potala Palace]] in Lhasa.<ref name=mull201>Mullin 2001, p. 201.</ref>

Güshi Khan died in 1655 and was succeeded by his descendants [[Dayan Khan (Khoshut)|Dayan]], [[Tenzin Dalai Khan]] and Tenzin Wangchuk Khan. However, Güshi Khan's other eight sons had settled in Amdo but fought amongst themselves over territory so the Fifth Dalai Lama sent governors to rule them in 1656 and 1659, thereby bringing [[Amdo]] and thus the whole of Greater Tibet under his personal rule and Gelugpa control. The Mongols in Amdo became absorbed and Tibetanised.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Karmay, Samten C.|title=The Great Fifth|journal=The Newsletter|year=2005|volume=Winter 2005|issue=39|page=2|url=http://www.iias.nl/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL39_1213.pdf|access-date=14 June 2015|series=Research|publisher=International Institute for Asian Studies|location=Leiden, the Netherlands|quote=Over time the region's Mongols were completely Tibetanized but continued to enjoy prestige among the Tibetans as Gushri Khan's descendants and played a significant role in the Gelug Order's expansion in Amdo.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207235713/http://www.iias.nl/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL39_1213.pdf|archive-date=7 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Visit to Beijing ====
In 1636 the [[Manchu people|Manchus]] proclaimed their dynasty as the [[Qing dynasty]] and by 1644 they had completed [[Qing conquest of the Ming|their conquest of China]] under the [[prince regent]] [[Dorgon]].<ref>{{Cite book |doi = 10.1002/9781118455074.wbeoe287|chapter = China, imperial: 8. Qing or Manchu dynasty period, 1636-1911|title = The Encyclopedia of Empire|pages = 1–13|year = 2016|last1 = Hang|first1 = Henry Choi Sze|isbn = 9781118455074}}</ref> The following year their forces approached [[Amdo]] on northern Tibet, causing the Oirat and Khoshut Mongols there to submit in 1647 and send tribute. In 1648, after quelling a rebellion of Tibetans of Gansu-Xining, the Qing invited the Fifth Dalai Lama to visit their court at Beijing since they wished to engender Tibetan influence in their dealings with the Mongols. The Qing were aware the Dalai Lama had extraordinary influence with the Mongols and saw relations with the Dalai Lama as a means to facilitate submission of the [[Khalka Mongols]], traditional patrons of the [[Karma Kagyu]] sect.<ref name="Smith 1997, pp. 108–113">Smith 1997, pp. 108–113.</ref>

Similarly, since the Tibetan Gelugpa were keen to revive a [[priest-patron]] relationship with the dominant power in China and Inner Asia, the Qing invitation was accepted. After five years of complex diplomatic negotiations about whether the emperor or his representatives should meet the Dalai Lama inside or outside the Great Wall, when the meeting would be astrologically favourable, how it would be conducted and so on, it eventually took place in Beijing in 1653.<ref name="Smith 1997, pp. 108–113"/>

The Shunzhi Emperor was then 16 years old, having in the meantime ascended the throne in 1650 after the death of Dorgon. For the Qing, although the Dalai Lama was not required to [[kowtow]] to the emperor, who rose from his throne and advanced 30 feet to meet him, the significance of the visit was that of nominal political submission by the Dalai Lama since Inner Asian heads of state did not travel to meet each other but sent envoys. For Tibetan Buddhist historians, however, it was interpreted as the start of an era of independent rule of the Dalai Lamas, and of Qing patronage alongside that of the Mongols.<ref name="Smith 1997, pp. 108–113"/>

When the 5th Dalai Lama returned, he was granted by the emperor of China a golden seal of authority and golden sheets with texts written in Manchu, Tibetan and Han Chinese languages.<ref name="陈庆英2005_p41">{{cite book |author=陈庆英 |title=达赖喇嘛转世及历史定制英 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=haMIsdC3iZwC&pg=PA41 |year=2005 |publisher=五洲传播出版社 |isbn = 978-7-5085-0745-3 |pages=41–}}</ref><ref name=K309>Karmay 2014, p. 309.</ref> The 5th Dalai Lama wanted to use the golden seal of authority right away.<ref name="陈庆英2005_p41" /> However, Lobzang Gyatsho noted that "The Tibetan version of the inscription of the seal was translated by a Mongol translator but was not a good translation". After correction, it read: "The one who resides in the Western peaceful and virtuous paradise is unalterable Vajradhara, Ocean Lama, unifier of the doctrines of the Buddha for all beings under the sky". The words of the diploma ran: "Proclamation, to let all the people of the western hemisphere know".<ref name=K309 /> Tibetan historian Nyima Gyaincain points out that based on the texts written on golden sheets, Dalai Lama was only a subordinate of the Emperor of China.<ref name="王家伟尼玛坚赞1997">{{cite book|author1=王家伟|author2=尼玛坚赞|title=中国西藏的历史地位|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWCa0NSILSsC&pg=PA38|year=1997|publisher=五洲传播出版社|isbn=978-7-80113-303-8|pages=38–}}</ref>

However, despite such patronising attempts by Chinese officials and historians to symbolically show for the record that they held political influence over Tibet, the Tibetans themselves did not accept any such symbols imposed on them by the Chinese with this kind of motive. For example, concerning the above-mentioned 'golden seal', the Fifth Dalai Lama comments in ''Dukula'', his autobiography, on leaving China after this courtesy visit to the emperor in 1653, that "the emperor made his men bring a golden seal for me that had three vertical lines in three parallel scripts: Chinese, Mongol and Tibetan". He also criticised the words carved on this gift as being faultily translated into Tibetan, writing that "The Tibetan version of the inscription of the seal was translated by a Mongol translator but was not a good translation".<ref name=K309/> Furthermore, when he arrived back in Tibet, he discarded the emperor's famous golden seal and made a new one for important state usage, writing in his autobiography: "Leaving out the Chinese characters that were on the seal given by the emperor, a new seal was carved for stamping documents that dealt with territorial issues. The first imprint of the seal was offered with prayers to the image of Lokeshvara ...".<ref>Karmay 2014, p. 402.</ref>

==== Relations with the Qing dynasty ====
The 17th-century struggles for domination between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the various Mongol groups spilled over to involve Tibet because of the Fifth Dalai Lama's strong influence over the Mongols as a result of their general adoption of Tibetan Buddhism and their consequent deep loyalty to the Dalai Lama as their guru. Until 1674, the Fifth Dalai Lama had mediated in [[Dzungar people|Dzungar Mongol]] affairs whenever they required him to do so, and the [[Kangxi Emperor]], who had succeeded the Shunzhi Emperor in 1661, would accept and confirm his decisions automatically.<ref name="TN6">Smith 1997, pp. 116–117.</ref>

For the Kangxi Emperor, the alliance between the Dzungar Mongols and the Tibetans was unsettling because he feared it had the potential to unite all the other Mongol tribes together against the Qing Empire, including those tribes who had already submitted. Therefore, in 1674, the Kangxi Emperor, annoyed by the Fifth's less than full cooperation in quelling a rebellion against the Qing in [[Yunnan]], ceased deferring to him as regards Mongol affairs and started dealing with them directly.<ref name="TN6"/>

In the same year, 1674, the Dalai Lama, then at the height of his powers and conducting a foreign policy independent of the Qing, caused Mongol troops to occupy the border post of [[Dartsedo]] between Kham and Sichuan, further annoying the Kangxi Emperor who (according to Smith) already considered Tibet as part of the Qing Empire. It also increased Qing suspicion about Tibetan relations with the Mongol groups and led him to seek strategic opportunities to oppose and undermine Mongol influence in Tibet and eventually, within 50 years, to defeat the Mongols militarily and to establish the Qing as sole 'patrons and protectors' of Tibet in their place.<ref name=TN6 />

==== Cultural development ====
The time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, who reigned from 1642 to 1682 and founded the government known as the [[Ganden Phodrang]], was a period of rich cultural development.<ref>Snellgrove & Richardson 1968, p. 197.</ref> His reign and that of [[Desi Sangye Gyatso]] are noteworthy for the upsurge in literary activity and of cultural and economic life that occurred. The same goes for the great increase in the number of foreign visitors thronging Lhasa during the period as well as for the number of inventions and institutions that are attributed to the 'Great Fifth', as the Tibetans refer to him.<ref>Stein 1972, p. 84–5.</ref> The most dynamic and prolific of the early Dalai Lamas, he composed more literary works than all the other Dalai Lamas combined. Writing on a wide variety of subjects he is specially noted for his works on history, classical Indian poetry in Sanskrit and his biographies of notable personalities of his epoch, as well as his own two autobiographies, one spiritual in nature and the other political (see [[#Further reading|Further Reading]]).<ref name=mull83244>Mullin 1983, p. 244.</ref> He also taught and travelled extensively, reshaped the politics of Central Asia, unified Tibet, conceived and constructed the Potala Palace and is remembered for establishing systems of national medical care and education.<ref name=mull83244 />

==== Death of the fifth Dalai Lama ====
The Fifth Dalai Lama died in 1682. Tibetan historian Nyima Gyaincain points out that the written wills from the fifth Dalai Lama before he died explicitly said his title and authority were from the Emperor of China, and he was subordinate of the Emperor of China
.<ref name="王家伟尼玛坚赞1997" />

The Fifth Dalai Lama's death in 1682 was kept secret for fifteen years by his regent [[Desi Sangye Gyatso]]. He pretended the Dalai Lama was in retreat and ruled on his behalf, secretly selecting the 6th Dalai Lama and presenting him as someone else. Tibetan historian Nyima Gyaincain points out that Desi Sangye Gyatso wanted to consolidate his personal status and power by not reporting the death of the fifth Dalai Lama to the Emperor of China, and also collude with the rebellion group of the Qing dynasty, Mongol [[Dzungar people|Dzungar]] tribe in order to counter influence from another Mongol [[Khoshut]] tribe in Tibet. Being afraid of prosecution by the Kangxi Emperor of China, Desi Sangye Gyatso explained with fear and trepidation the reason behind his action to the Emperor.<ref name="王家伟尼玛坚赞1997" />

In 1705, Desi Sangye Gyatso was killed by [[Lha-bzang Khan]] of the Mongol [[Khoshut]] tribe because of his actions including his illegal action of selecting the 6th Dalai Lama. Since the Kangxi Emperor was not happy about Desi Sangye Gyatso's action of not reporting, the Emperor gave [[Lha-bzang Khan]] additional title and golden seal. The Kangxi Emperor also ordered [[Lha-bzang Khan]] to arrest the 6th Dalai Lama and send him to Beijing, the 6th Dalai Lama died when he was en route to Beijing.<ref name="王家伟尼玛坚赞1997" /> Journalist Thomas Laird argues that it was apparently done so that construction of the Potala Palace could be finished, and it was to prevent Tibet's neighbors, the Mongols and the Qing, from taking advantage of an interregnum in the succession of the Dalai Lamas.{{sfn|Laird|2006|pp=181–182}}