5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lozang Gyamtso

The 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lozang Gyamtso (1617-1682) was born in the Yarlung Valley into a family of Nyingma practitioners. He was identified as the reincarnation of the 4th Dalai Lama when he was 5 years old.

From 1639-1642 a cruel war raged in Tibet where Mongols, upon the wish of the Dalai Lama administration, conquered the country. The 5th Dalai Lama was installed as the political leader of Tibet by the Mongols and the old system of government was erased. Many of the Nyingma and Kagyü monasteries (7 of Karmapa, 20 of Shamarpa) were converted into Gelug monasteries.