TheLadakh Chronicles, orLa-dvags-rgyal-rabs (Tibetan:ལ་དྭགས་རྒྱལ་རབས,Wylie:La dwags rgyal rabs),^[a] is a historical work that covers thehistory of Ladakh from the beginnings of thefirst Tibetan dynasty of Ladakh until the end of theNamgyal dynasty. The chronicles were compiled by the Namgyal dynasty, mostly during the 17th century, and are considered the primary written source for Ladakhi history.^{[1]: 17 [2]: 1, 3 [3]: 7}

It remains one of only two surviving pre-19th century literary sources from Ladakh. Only seven original manuscripts of the chronicles are known to have existed, of which two survive today.^[2]

Until the early 19th century, European historians believed that there were no written histories from Ladakh.^[4] After reports to the contrary,Alexander Cunningham found the first known manuscript of the chronicles (Ms. Cunningham) during his stay in Ladakh in 1847.^[2][4]: 87

The origin, intent, and time of the authorship of theLadakh Chronicles remains unknown to modern historians.^{[5]: 113 [6]: 28 [b]} It remains one of only two surviving pre-19th century literary sources from Ladakh.^[2]: 3

There are seven extant manuscripts of theLadakh Chronicles:^[2]

• Ms.SBodleian Library in Oxford,MS.Tibet. c.7.: This manuscript belonged to the former King of Ladakh and was stored in the library of thesTog palace. The original manuscript has since disappeared, but its contents were copied in 1856 and later published byEmil Schlagintweit together with a German translation asDie Könige von Tibet.^{[2]: 1 [6]: 29}
• Ms.A: This manuscript only covers the history up until the reign ofSengge Namgyal (r. 1616–1642).^{[2]: 171–172} The original manuscript no longer survives but its text was partly published and translated by missionaryKarl Marx.^[2]: 1 It was published posthumously in theJournal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal between 1891 and 1902.^{[2]: 1 [7][8][9]}
• Ms.B: This manuscript consists of only four pages about the Namgyal dynasty and its conquest by theDogra dynasty ofJammu and Kashmir. The original manuscript no longer exists.^[2]: 1
• Ms.C: This manuscript was compiled at the end of the 19th century by Ladakhi scholar Munshi dPal-rgyas^[c] and includes three appendices about the Dogra conquest. The original no longer exists.^[2]: 1
• Ms.LBritish Museum, Oriental Collection 6683: This manuscript covers Ladakhi history until the reign ofDeldan Namgyal (r. 1642–1694)^{[2]: 171–172} and also contains a plainlist of subsequent rulers until the Dogra conquest.^[2]: 1
• Ms.Cunningham: Covers the history from the reign ofTsewang Namgyal I (r. 1575–1595) until at least the reign ofDelek Namgyal (r. 1680–1691).^{[2]: 2 [2]: 171–172} The manuscript was translated into Urdu for Alexander Cunninhgam during his stay in Ladakh in 1847, from which parts were even reproduced in his English works; he did not consider the story after the end of the 17th century to be important and omitted those parts.^[2]: 2 The original manuscript and its Urdu translations are lost.^[2]: 2
• Ms.Sonam: Consists of approximately 40 pages and covers the entire history of the two Ladakhi dynasties until the Dogra conquest. The manuscript is a modernized and shortened version ofMs.C until events c. 1825, after which it contains extra details that are not covered by the other manuscripts. Its owner also added appendices and minor changes not originally contained in the manuscript, and it is known to be in the private possession of a 'Bri-guh-pa monk, named Sonam, at theLamayuru Monastery.^[2]: 2

In 1926, TibetologistAugust Herman Francke published a non-critical translation of the chronicle, in what was the first detailed history of Ladakh. His edition was based on five manuscripts (Ms.S,Ms.A,Ms.B,Ms.C,Ms.L).^{[3]: 77 [2]: 1 [10]} Francke's edition would become the standard edition for all future studies on the pre-Dogra Ladakh.^[2]: 1

In the later part of the 20th century, research on theLadakh Chronicles was complemented by further studies by Joseph Gergan,Luciano Petech, and Zahiruddin Ahmad.^{[3]: 77 [4][6]: 31–32} Petech, in a comparative study with other texts, notes an abundance of omissions and mistakes; he warns against trusting the chronicle blindly.^[2]: 3 Other scholars have also warned about gaps in the chronicles' treatment of the period before the 17th century.^{[3]: 7 [11]: 356 [12]: 99}

TheLadakh Chronicles were split into three main sections: the first two sections are about the history of central Tibet; the third section is specifically about Ladakh.^[6]: 27 The principal chronicle is theRoyal Genealogy of Ladakh.^[4] The chronicles refers to several dynasties of kings, mentioning that some were descended from the mythological Tibetan heroGesar.^{[1]: 17 [2]: 16}

Tibetans controlled the area from 663, and it was controlled by theTibetan Empire until 842, after which the area was described by the chronicles assplintering into several principalities plagued by warfare and raiding.^{[1]: 17 [2]: 13} The chronicles then describe the establishment ofMaryul by descendants of the central Tibetan monarchy in the 10th century.^{[1]: 17 [2]: 17–18} The chronicles describe the period of conflicts with theMughal Empire during the late 14th to 16th centuries in Ladakh andBaltistan.^{[1]: 18 [2]: 23, 26–28, 30} The chronicles then describe the development of the Namgyal dynasty and its expansion toPurig in the west and the Tibetan lands ofGuge in the east.^{[1]: 18 [2]: 28} The latter parts of theLadakh Chronicles in manuscriptsMs. C andMs. Sonam contain details about thesurprise Dogra invasion of Ladakh.^{[2]: 138–170}

The chronicles also cover the first-millennium presence of Buddhism, the growth of Buddhism in the first half of the second millennium, and the introduction of Islam in the 16th century.^{[1]: 17–18 [2]: 18–19, 30 [13]: 121–122}

The first publication of theLadakh Chronicles' summary of the 1684Treaty of Tingmosgang appeared as an appendix to a book byHenry Ramsay.^[3]: 77 It is held that Prime MinisterDesi Sangye Gyatso of Tibet^{[11]: 342 : 351} and the KingDelek Namgyal of Ladakh^{[2]: 171–172 [11]: 351–353} agreed on the Treaty of Tingmosgang (sometimes called the "Treaty of Temisgam")^[13] in the fortress ofTingmosgang at the conclusion of theTibet–Ladakh–Mughal War in 1684. The original text of the Treaty of Tingmosgang no longer survives, but its contents are summarized in theLadakh Chronicles.^{[14]: 37 : 38 : 40}

The summary contained in theLadakh Chronicles includes six main clauses of the treaty:^{[11]: 356 [10]: 115–118}

1. A general declaration of principle that the region of Guge (mNa'-ris-sKorgSum) was divided into three separate kingdoms in the 10th century;
2. The Tibetan recognition of the independence of Ladakh and the restriction for the King of Ladakh from inviting foreign armies into Ladakh;
3. The regulation of trade of goat-wool, subdivided into two subclauses, for Guge and the northern plain of Tibet (Byaṅ-thaṅ);
4. A clause fixing the Ladakh-Tibet frontier at theLha-ri stream atDemchok, but granting Ladakh an enclave atMen-ser;
5. Another clause regulating Ladakh-Tibet trade;
6. The arrangement of a fee to Mi-'pham dBaṅ-po (then-regent of Ladakh) for his cost in arranging the treaty.

The trade regulations provided for Ladakh's exclusive right to trade inpashmina wool produced in Tibet, in exchange forbrick-tea from Ladakh. Ladakh was also bound to send periodic missions toLhasa carrying presents for the Dalai Lama.^[15] The fee in the sixth clause was later paid byDesi Sangye Gyatso to Mi-'pham dBaii-po in the form of three estates in Tibet sometime between the autumn of 1684 and 1685.^[11]: 356

• 18th-century books
• History books about India
• History books about China
• History books about Pakistan
• History of Ladakh

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Standard Tibetan-language text