Battle of Five Lamas
| Second Battle of Simtokha Dzong | |||||||||
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| Part of the Unification of Bhutan and the Tsangpa-Ngawang Namgyal conflict |
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 The reconstructed Simtokha Dzong. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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forces of Zhabdrung Rinpoche Ngawang Namgyal | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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| Strength | |||||||||
| Five Tibetan divisions Unknown number of lamaist troops |
Unknown, but probably small | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Tsangpa: likely heavy ”Five Lamas”: Unknown |
Unknown | ||||||||
Tsangpa retreat, strategic victory of Ngawang Namgyal
The Second Battle of Simtokha Dzong or the Second Tibetan Invasion of Bhutan was a military confrontation in 1634 between the supporters of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and the forces of the Tibetan Tsangpa dynasty and several Bhutanese lamas allied against him. The latter initially conquered Zhabdrung’s seat, Simtokha Dzong, threatening to eliminate his young dominion. The castle’s ammunition stores were accidentally ignited during the battle, however, resulting in an explosion that destroyed Simtokha Dzong and much of the Tibetan army. Seizing this chance, Zhabdrung’s followers rallied and ousted the Tibetans from their territory, turning the battle into a decisive strategic victory of Ngawang Namgyal, paving the way for the Unification of Bhutan under his rule.
As result of a theological and political dispute in Tibet over the reincarnation of the Drukpa Lineage-holder, there were two men who claimed to be the rightful 18th abbot of Ralung Monastery: Ngawang Namgyal and Gyalwang Pagsam Wangpo. Both were backed by different groups within the Drukpa sect, but the latter also enjoyed the support of the Tsangpa dynasty that dominated central Tibet at the time. The conflict eventually escalated, and Ngawang Namgyal, whose "high level of intelligence, charisma and ambition were perceived as significant threats to the establishment", was forced to go into voluntary exile in 1616/17. Invited by the lama of Gasa, he and his retinue settled down in the region that would later become western Bhutan. This area was at the time divided among several different chiefdoms, petty kingdoms and Buddhist sects that constantly fought for supremacy. Ngawang Namgyal was well received by the local Drukpa Kagyu clergy and began to garner support among the local populance while continuning to openly defy his rivals in Tibet, including the Tsangpa dynasty. As his fame and popularity grew, "he acquired the sobriquet ‘Zhabdrung Rinpoche’, literally ‘the precious jewel at whose feet one submits’."
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Wikipedia