Lhasa riot of 1750

The Lhasa riot of 1750 (Chinese: 珠爾默特那木札勒之亂) took place in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, and lasted several days during the period of Qing rule of Tibet. The uprising began on November 11, 1750 after the expected new regent of Tibet, Gyurme Namgyal, was assassinated by two Manchu ambans.

During the uprising against Chinese authority both ambans were murdered by the mob, and 51 Qing soldiers and 77 Chinese citizens were killed. A year later the leader of the rebellion, Lobsang Trashi, and fourteen other rebels where executed.

Pholhanas, the regent of Tibet, died in February 1747, during his time in office the country had enjoyed a relatively tranquil period, still he had had discords with the Dalai Lama and news of them had reached Beijing after 1745. The ambans had mediated some of these conflicts, but the relations between them remained tense. In 1746 the Dalai Lama secretly sent a mission to Beijing to complain to the Emperor about Pholhanas treatment to him.

After Pholhanas death he was succeeded by his second son, Gyurme Namgyal, as regent. The new regent also maintained bad relations with the Dalai Lama, he even rejected the Dalai Lama's offer to sing sutras in the funerary ceremony in honor of his father. Fucine mediated and the prince later agreed to the Dalai Lama's offer. Relations with the Qing also soured, because the Manchus suspected that the Tibetan prince was working to isolate the Dalai Lama from his followers while also preparing to military prevent a Qing intervention. Gyurme Namgyal even killed his brother, Gyumey Tseten, who was more pro-Qing.

The Manchus believed that the prince had sent an envoy to the Dzungars, who rivaled the Qing control of Tibet.

The ambans Fucine and Labdon decided to act before the prince had a chance to rebel, the emperor's withdrawal of the garrison of Lhasa had deprived them of a physical means with which enforce their authority so they decided on a bold plan. In November 11 of 1750 the prince was back in Lhasa, and the ambans summoned him to a conference in their office, the house that had been the residence of Lha-bzang Khan the last Khoshut King of Tibet, to assassinate him.

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