Jigme Namgyal (Bhutan)

Wangchuck
Country	Bhutan
Parent house	—
Titles	Dragon King of Bhutan
Founded	17 December 1907 AD
Founder	Ugyen Wangchuck
Current head	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Desi Jigme Namgyel of Bhutan (Dzongkha: འཇིགས་མེད་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་; Wylie: jigs med rnam rgyal, 1825–1881) is a forefather of the Wangchuck Dynasty. He served as 51st Druk Desi (Deb Raja, the secular executive) of Bhutan (1870–1873), and held the hereditary post of 10th Penlop of Trongsa.

Son of Dasho Pila Gonpo Wangyal and his second wife, Sonam Pedzom, Desi Jigme Namgyel was born in 1825 at Lhuntse Dzong and died in 1881 at Semtokha Dzong. He was an outstanding military commander. The qualities of loyalty, bravery, integrity and risk-taking were crucial factors in the rise of Jigme Namgyel. Desi Jigme Namgyel was from Kurtoe Dungkar, from where the ancestry of Wangchuck dynasty originates. He was a descendent of Kheydrup Kuenga Wangpo, the son of Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) and Kheydrup’s consort, who was a descendant of terton Guru Choewang (1212-1270).

Around 1846, he joined the Trongsa administration that governed eastern Bhutan, which consisted then of the Assam Duars. He rose rapidly through the ranks to become the Tongsa Penlop in 1853.

While he was a high official of Trongsa, Jigme Namgyel married Pema Choki, the daughter of Trongsa Penlop (Tamzhing Choeje family), Ugyen Phuntsho, by his wife, Rinchen Pelmo. His marriage to Pema Choki further enhanced Jigme Namgyel’s noble lineage. The ancestry of Jigme Namgyel’s wife also went back to Pema Lingpa as she was the daughter of Tamzhing Choeje.

While Jigme Namgyel was the Zimpon (Chamberlain) of Trongsa, he met his root Lama, Jangchub Tsundru (1817-1856). Lama Jangchub Tsundru had a significant influence on him as a spiritual companion. The Lama designed the sacred Raven Crown for Jigme Namgyel. The Raven Crown has symbolized the Kings of Bhutan since then.

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