WHKMLA : History of Sikkim

Sikkim

A principality located on the southern slope of the eastern Himalayas, between Nepal and Bhutan. The principality was established by a prince from Tibet, Khye Bumsa, in the 13th century. Sikkim was inhabited by the LEPCHAS and BHUTIAS. In 1642 the NAMGYAL DYNASTY succeeded to the throne; Sikkim became a vassal state of TIBET; the title of the king was CHOGYAL (heavenly king).
In 1775 a treaty was signed with Nepal ending a series of Nepalese invasions which had been repelled; however Nepal kept Sikkim territory occupied, which was returned in 1817 after the TREATY OF TITALIA signed between Sikkim and the East India Company (which had defeated Nepal in 1816). In 1835, Sikkim ceded DARJEELING to the East India Company, which established tea plantations there. Britain formally annexed Darjeeling and southern Sikkim in 1860. As the British administration of India seemed intent on gaining economic and strategic control over Sikkim and favoured the Nepali settlers within Tibet, the Namgyal dynasty kings sought for Tibetan protection. Based on the treaty of 1861, Britain (the province of Bengal) claimed a protectorate over Sikkim; it was formally recognized by Tibet in 1904.
In 1947, when India became independent, a treaty was signed which declared Sikkim an INDIAN PROTECTORATE. In 1975 Sikkim was annexed by India.

EXTERNAL
FILES

History of Sikkim, from Sikkim National Information Service

DOCUMENTS

REFERENCE

J.D. Hooker, Himalayan Journals (1854, on Nepal, Sikkim, Bengal, Khasi Hills), posted by Gutenberg Library Online
Article Sikkim, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1913 p.622 [G]
Article Sikkim, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1951 pp.626-627, 1952 p.628, 1953 pp.636-637, 1954 p.639, 1955 p.684, 1956 p.623, 1957 p.685, 1958 p.626, 1959 p.619, 1960 pp.621-622, 1961 p.626, 1962 pp.618-619 [G]
Article : Sikkim, in : Statesman's Year Book 1895 pp.156-157, 1898 pp.156-157, 1901 pp.169-170, 1905 pp.178-179, 1910 pp.155-156 [G]
Article : India and Dependencies : Sikkim, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1918 pp.157-158, 1919 p.163, 1924 pp.162-163, 1925 pp.164-165, 1926 pp.169-170, 1928 pp.170-171, 1929 pp.170-171, 1932 p.173, 1937 pp.187-188, 1943 pp.177-178 [G]
Article : India : Sikkim, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1970-1971 p.388, 1975-1976 pp.396-397, 1976-1977 pp.396-398, 1978-1979 pp.652-654, 1979-1980 pp.657-659, 1980-1981 pp.654-656, 1981-1982 pp.658-660, 1983-1984 pp.660-662, 1984-1985 pp.662-664, 1985-1986 pp.665-667, 1986-1987 pp.667-670, 1987-1988 pp.674-676, 1988-1989 pp.677-679, 1989-1990 pp.683-685, 1990-1991 pp.684-686, 1991-1992 pp.682-685, 1992-1993 pp.756-758, 1993-1994 pp.756-757, 1994-1995 pp.748-749, 1995-1996 pp.744-746, 1996-1997 pp.687-688, 1997-1998 pp.692-694, 1998-1999 pp.744-745, 2000 pp.854-856, 2001 pp.831-833, 2002 pp.865-867, 2003 pp.868-869, 2004 pp.872-874, 2005 pp.874-876, 2006 pp.871-872 [G]

This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on May 24th 2002, last revised on September 15th 2008

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