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Tibet Overview: History
Ancient history | 20th century | Recent key events | History books
Ancient Tibetan history is a complex fabric woven from threads of myth and mystique. Recorded Tibetan history reveals two main periods beginning in approximately the first century AD. The first is the period of rule of the Tibetan monarchy until 1000AD, and the second is the period of Tibetan Buddhism, from 1000AD to the present. Whether the monarchy or religion provided the leaders of the state, wars within Tibet and with the neighbouring countries have been a fact of life throughout its lengthy history.
The 20th century has been a period of enormous upheaval for the Tibetan population. Its years of relative isolation from the rest of the world, especially the West, were to end and its autonomy was to be lost. Colonel Francis Younghusband of the British army based in India entered Tibet by force from Sikkim in 1904. The British retained a small presence in Tibet until the mid 20th century.
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Rock sculptures near Drepung
Monastery, Lhasa
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