PhD Candidate, Departments of History

(Graduate Resident Spring 2025)

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (1876–1933), assumed political authority over Tibet during a period of waning Qing influence in the region and the emergence of more powerful local forces in the Buddhist nation. A number of crucial factors influenced the trajectory of Sino-Tibetan relations from the ascendance of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1895 until the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911. The British military expedition to Lhasa in 1904 represented a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Qing-Tibet power dynamic, as it significantly altered the nature of the Tibetan theocracy, especially following the 13th Dalai Lama’s escape from Lhasa. It is noteworthy that the Dalai Lama’s prolonged periods of exile had a profound impact on his worldview and attitude toward the Qing. In light of the aforementioned historical context, this dissertation presents a critical examination of the pivotal factors that led to the dissolution of the centuries-long priest-patron relationship between the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchs and the Qing emperors.