Norzang (1403–1466), in full Norbu Zangpo (), was the founder of the power of the

Rinpungpa Rinpungpa (; ) was a Tibetan dynastic regime that dominated much of Western Tibet and part of Ü-Tsang between 1435 and 1565. During one period around 1500 the Rinpungpa lords came close to assemble the Tibetan lands around the Yarlung Tsangpo R ...

Dynasty in

Central Tibet Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

Religious activities

Norzang was the son of Namkha Gyalpo, the chief of the Rinpung fief in Tsang (West Central Tibet). His grandfather Namkha Gyaltsen, the founder of the line, married a sister of the Phagmodrupa ruler

Drakpa Gyaltsen Dragpa Gyaltsen may refer to: *Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147–1216), third of the five Sakya Patriarchs * Duldzin Dragpa Gyaltsen (1350–1413), one of the main disciples of Je Tsongkhapa *Gongma Drakpa Gyaltsen (1374–1432), ruler of Tibet from 13 ...

. Namkha Gyalpo was one of the principal ministers of the

Phagmodrupa dynasty The Phagmodrupa dynasty or Pagmodru (, ; ) was a dynastic regime that held sway over Tibet or parts thereof from 1354 to the early 17th century. It was established by Tai Situ Changchub Gyaltsen of the Lang () family at the end of the Yuan dynast ...

, and the patron of the Tsangrong monastery. Norzang inherited his functions at the early age of eleven and completed the construction of the Chamchen temple. In religious matters he favoured the

Sakya The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu. Origins Virūpa, 16th century. It depict ...

and

Kagyud The ''Kagyu'' school, also transliterated as ''Kagyü'', or ''Kagyud'' (), which translates to "Oral Lineage" or "Whispered Transmission" school, is one of the main schools (''chos lugs'') of Tibetan (or Himalayan) Buddhism. The Kagyu lineag ...

sects of Buddhism. According to a somewhat doubtful story a Sakya cleric, the Choje of

Ngor Ngor or Ngor Éwam Chöden (, ) is the name of a monastery in the Ü-Tsang province of Tibet about southwest of Shigatse and is the Sakya school's second most important gompa. It is the main temple of the large Ngor school of Vajrayana Buddhi ...

, gave religious instructions to Norzang in return for the promise that the Rinpung lord would fulfil three wishes of the Choje. These were to force all members of the rival Geden sect to yield to Sakya, to put an end to the construction of a monastery directed by

Gedun Drub Gedun Drupa (; 1391–1474) was considered posthumously to have been the 1st Dalai Lama. Biography Gedun Drupa was born in a cow-shed in Gyurmey Rupa near Sakya in the Ü-Tsang, Tsang region of central Tibet, the son of Gonpo Dorjee and Jom ...

(posthumously counted as the first

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...

), and to supply provisions for the female servants of the new monastery at Ngor. Norzang refused the requests since they would cause disturbances.

Taking power

When the king

died in 1432 the succession of the Phagmodrupa throne was in doubt. The influential Norzang recommended that a revered abbot who was a member of the dynasty, the Chenga of Thel, should make the decision. The latter pointed out

Drakpa Jungne Drakpa Jungne (, 1414–1445) was a king of central Tibet who ruled in 1432–1445. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa Dynasty which was the leading regime in Tibet from 1354 to 1435, and exerted some influence until the early 17th century. His reign sa ...

, nephew of the deceased ruler. In 1434 the old Chenga himself died and the Phagmodrupa were wrecked by a violent internal conflict when Drakpa Jungne's father Sangye Gyaltsen tried to secure power at the expense of his own son. The disturbances enabled the Rinpungpa to take control over the strategic town

Shigatse Shigatse, officially known as Xigazê (; Nepali: ''सिगात्से''), is a prefecture-level city of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Its area of jurisdiction, with an area of , corresponds to the histor ...

in Tsang in 1435 (or, according to recent research, in 1446 when there was a Phagmodrupa interregnum ). The place was later on headed by Norzang's son Dondup Dorje. Seeing this as an act of open defiance against the Phagmodrupa, the elites of Tsang began to ally with the Rinpungpa. Norzang brought various Tibetan petty princes under his authority.

Later years

In spite of the violent expansion of Norzang's power, he continued to pay formal homage to the Phagmodrupa monarchs

(1432–45) and

Kunga Lekpa Kunga Lekpa (, 1433–1483) was a King of central Tibet who ruled from 1448 to 1481. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa Dynasty, which was the leading political regime in central Tibet from 1354 to 1435, and retained a certain political status until the ...

(1448–81). A Rinpungpa lady was given to Kunga Lekpa as his wife. However, the marriage was unhappy, and Kunga Lekpa felt dissatisfied with Norzang's behaviour when he made a tour in Tsang. Norzang and his brother Rinchen Palzang married the Phagmodrupa princess Yeshe Tsogyal, daughter of Sangye Rinchen, thus following the Tibetan practice of

polyandry Polyandry (; ) is a form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time. Polyandry is contrasted with polygyny, involving one male and two or more females. If a marriage involves a plural number of "husbands and wives" ...

. He or his brother sired three sons in this marriage, namely Upasika (b. 1444),

Kunzang Kunzang (1445 – c. 1479), in full Kuntu Zangpo (), was a prince of the Rinpungpa Dynasty that wielded power in Tsang (West Central Tibet). He was the second son of Norzang, the founder of the power of the family, and the Phagmodrupa princess Y ...

(1445–c. 1479), and Dondup Dorje (b. 1447). By a different woman he begot

Tsokye Dorje Tsokye Dorje (, 1450–1510) was a regent of Tibet who ruled in 1491–1499. He belonged to the Rinpungpa family and headed the central government in Nêdong during the minority of the heir of the Phagmodrupa Dynasty. Rinpungpa ascendency Tsokye ...

(1450–1510) and Shakya Gyaltsen (1456–1488). He died in 1466, and his death caused a temporary downturn in the fortunes of the Rinpungpa.Giuseppe Tucci, 1971, p. 223.

References

{{Rinpungpa rulers Phagmodrupa dynasty 1466 deaths 15th-century rulers in Asia 15th-century Tibetan people Year of birth unknown 1403 births Founding monarchs