Empress Khri ma lod (or Thrimalö) was an Empress regent of Tibet. She was Empress consort by marriage to emperor Mangsong Mangtsen. She was the ruler of the

Tibetan empire The Tibetan Empire (, ; ) was an empire centered on the Tibetan Plateau, formed as a result of imperial expansion under the Yarlung dynasty heralded by its 33rd king, Songtsen Gampo, in the 7th century. The empire further expanded under the 3 ...

twice: in 675-689 during the minority of her son emperor

Tridu Songtsen Tridu Songtsen (), Tridu Songtsen or Dusong Mangban, (b.668 – 704d.; r. 676–704 CE) was an emperor of the Tibetan Empire from 676 to 704. Ascent to throne 'Dus-rong ascended the Tibetan throne after the death of his father, Mangsong Mangtse ...

, and in 704-712 during the minority of her grandson emperor Gyältsugru. Her title as regent was ''tsenmo'' (the female equivalent of ''tsenpo'', the Tibetan title most frequently translated as emperor).

Life

Khri ma lod was married to emperor Mangsong Mangtsen (''Trimang Löntsen or ''Khri-mang-slon-rtsan''). The emperor died in the winter of 676-677, and in the same year she gave birth to the emperor's son

(''Khri 'dus-srong btsan'' or ''Khri-'dus-srong-rtsan''). pp. 14, 48, 50. The

Zhangzhung Zhangzhung or Shangshung was an ancient culture and kingdom in western and northwestern Tibet, which pre-dates the culture of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. Zhangzhung culture is associated with the Bon religion, which has influenced the philosophie ...

revolted early in her son's reign. She shared power with the Gar (''Mgar'') clan. When her son Tridu campaigned in the northeast 700-4 CE, she resumed her administrative regency at home. Khri ma lod's grandson Gyältsugru (''Rgyal-gtsug-ru'') was born in 704 to her daughter-in-law Chimza Tsunmotog (''mChims-bza' bTsan-ma Thog-thog-sten''), Princess of Chim. Upon the death of Tridu Songtsen that year, his elder son Lha Balpo (''Lha Bal-pho'') briefly succeeded him before Khri ma lod dethroned him at Pong Lag-rang in favor of the infant Gyältsugru. Khri ma lod had arranged for a royal marriage of Gyältsugru to a Chinese princess. The

Princess Jincheng Princess Jincheng (, also ; , 698 – 739), surnamed Li (surname 李), Li, was an Empress consort of Tibetan Empire, Tibet. She was a member of a minor branch of the royal clan of the Chinese Tang dynasty. Life Princess Jincheng was a daugh ...

(金城公主, Tibetan: Kyimshang Kongjo) arrived in 710, but it is somewhat unclear whether she married the seven-year-old Gyältsugru or the deposed Lha Balpo.Beckwith 1983: 276. Khri ma lod died in 712. Gyältsugru was then officially enthroned with the royal name Tride Tsuktsän. Khri ma lod remains the only woman in Tibetan history to rule Tibet.

References

External links

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
{{Emperors of Tibet 712 deaths 7th-century Tibetan people Tibetan empresses Tibetan Buddhists 8th-century rulers in Asia 8th-century Tibetan people Year of birth unknown 8th-century women rulers 7th-century women rulers