Ngawang Namgyal (Rinpungpa)

Ngawang Namgyal (Tibetan: ངགཌབང་རྣམ-རྒྱལ, Wylie: ngag-dbang rnam-rgyal) (died 1544 or 1554) was a prince of the Rinpungpa Dynasty that dominated Tsang in West Central Tibet between 1435 and 1565. He reigned from 1512 to 1544 (or 1554).

Ngawang Namgyal was the son of Tsokye Dorje and the grandson of the founder of the dynasty's fortune, Norzang. He is first mentioned in 1510, when his father died. At this time the Rinpungpa had a dominating role in the politics of Central Tibet and also held suzerainty over Guge in western Tibet. The leader of the family was Ngawang Namgyal's cousin Donyo Dorje. The Phagmodrupa dynasty, the actual monarchs (gongmas) of Tibet, had been reduced to relative insignificance. However, since 1509 a conflict had arisen between the Rinpungpa and the young and able Phagmodrupa gongma Ngawang Tashi Drakpa. When the funeral for Tsokye Dorje were still going on in 1510, Donyo Dorje ordered Ngawang Namgyal to lead a military incursion to Gyeladring, which was opposed by the Phagmodrupa. A reconciliation between the two princely families followed, but in 1512 the powerful Donyo Dorje died without leaving an adult son to succeed him. In his will he pointed out Zilnonpa of Nakhartse (b. 1505), the son of a mistress, as his successor. Zilnonpa is occasionally mentioned in the sources up to 1567. However, in the decades after 1512 it is Ngawang Namgyal who is the military leader of the Rinpungpa, sometimes referred as dsongpon (vassal lord) and foremost minister under the gongma.

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