Kingdom of Sikkim

Not to be confused with Sikh Kingdom or Sikh Empire.
Kingdom of Sikkim
Protectorate of British India (1861–1947)
Protectorate of India (1947–1975)
1642–1975 →
Seal of Sikkim
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
Jahan Bagcha Teesta Rangeet
where flows Teesta Rangeet
Historical Map of Sikkim in northeastern India
Capital Yuksom (1642–1670)
Rabdentse (1670–1793)
Tumlong (1793–1894)
Gangtok (1894–1975)
Languages Sikkimese, Nepali
Religion Mahayana Buddhism
Government Monarchy
Chogyal
 •  1642–1670 Phuntsog Namgyal (first)
 • 1963–1975 Palden Thondup Namgyal (last)
Legislature State Council
History
 •  Established 1642
 • Treaty of Titalia signed 1817
 • Darjeeling gifted to British India 1835
 • Palden Thondup Namgyal forced to abdicate 1975
 •  Merger with India 16 May 1975
Today part of India

The Kingdom of Sikkim was a hereditary monarchy from 1642 to 16 May 1975 in the Eastern Himalayas. It was ruled by a hereditary Chogyal (King).

History

Nepalese domination

In the mid-18th century, Sikkim was invaded by Nepal (then the Gorkha Kingdom) and was under the Gorkha rule for more than 25 years. Between 1785 and 1815, almost 100,000 ethnic Nepalis from Eastern and Central Nepal migrated to Sikkim and settled down after pledging allegiance to the Chogyal. However, with the arrival of the British in neighboring India, Sikkim allied itself with them as they had a common enemy – Nepal. The infuriated Nepalese attacked Sikkim with vengeance, overrunning most of the region including the Terai. This prompted the British East India Company to attack Nepal in 1814, resulting in the Anglo-Nepalese War. The Sugauli Treaty between Britain and Nepal and the Treaty of Titalia between Sikkim and British India returned territory annexed by the Nepalese to Sikkim in 1817.

Anglo-Indian protectorate and merger with India

Under the 1861 Treaty of Tumlong Sikkim became a British protectorate, then an Indian protectorate in 1950. Sikkim formally merged with India in 1975 and it became one of the states of India.

Culture and religion

In culture and religion, Sikkim was linked closely with Tibet, from which its first king migrated, and Bhutan, with which it shares borders. The presence of a large ethnic Nepali population, mainly from the Eastern and Central Nepal, also leads to cultural linkages with Nepal.

List of Chogyals of Sikkim (1642–1975)

Main article: Chogyal

See also

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.