Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Infobox_Monarch | name = Jigme Singye Wangchuck
title = 4th King of Bhutan


caption=
reign = 21/24 July 1972 - 14 December 2006
coronation = 2 June 1974
predecessor = Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
successor = Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
suc-type =
heir =
consort = Ashi Dorji Wangmo
Ashi Tshering Yangdon
Ashi Tshering Pem
Ashi Sangay Choden
issue = Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
Ashi Dechen Yangzom Wangchuck
Dasho Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck
Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck
Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck
Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck
Dasho Jigme Wangchuck
Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck
Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck
royal house =
royal anthem =
father = Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
mother = Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck
date of birth = Birth date and age|1955|11|11|df=y
place of birth = Dechenchholing Palace,
Thimphu, Bhutan
date of death =
place of death =
place of burial=|

Jigme Singye Wangchuck (born November 11, 1955) was the fourth Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) of Bhutan from 1972 to 2006. He acceded to the throne at the age of 17, in 1972, after the sudden death of his father, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. When he was formally crowned on June 2, 1974 he was the youngest monarch in the world and the coronation was noted for inviting foreign dignitaries, thus signalling the end of the long isolation of the country. He is also called "Druk Gyalpo," meaning "Dragon King". He was educated in Bhutan and the United Kingdom.

His reign

The fourth king continued his father's policies of slow modernization and socio-economic development for the country while still trying to preserve Bhutanese culture. In 1988 he instituted the policy of " Driglam Namzha" (Etiquette and Manners) which required all citizens to wear traditional clothing while in public, and established the requirement of teaching Dzongkha (the national language) in schools. In 1998, he voluntarily reduced the scope of his absolute powers, and began to formally rule with the advice of his government. He is the man behind Bhutan's constitution and the country's first democratic elections in 2008.

In late 2003, he ordered Bhutan's first military campaign in well over a century, to oust Assamese separatists who were using Bhutanese territory to launch raids against targets in India (see History of Bhutan). Singye rule was based on the Buddhist principles of compassion and harmony. He also coined the term Gross National Happiness,which champions individual and environmental rights over policies of greed and materialism. This concept which helped guide the economic and development plans of Bhutan.cite web |url=http://www.kirasalak.com/Bhutan.html |title="BHUTAN: JOURNEYS INTO THE VOID" |last=Salak |first=Kira |publisher=National Geographic Adventure ]

Abdication

On December 17, 2005 he [http://2008.bhutan-360.com/2007/09/19/historic-national-day-address/ announced] his intention to abdicate in 2008, leaving the throne to his son [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4539308.stm] . In a royal edict issued on December 14, 2006, the king announced that he would begin handing over power to his eldest son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck immediately. He had ordered a parliamentary election to be held in 2008. [Sengupta, Somini. "Line Up and Pick a Dragon: Bhutan Learns to Vote." New York Times. 24 April 2007. (Accessed 24 April 2007) [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/world/asia/24bhutan.html] ] .

Singye was named as one of "Time" magazine's 100 People Who Shape Our World in 2006. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186840,00.html] . He appeared in the May 8, 2006 issue of "Time". His reign is marked by phenomenal development. Roads and bridges, schools and hospitals, basic services in agriculture and livestock now reach deep into the remote corners of the country.Bhutan has also made tremendous progress in the field of communications, hydro-electric power development, financial sector, environmental protection, and industrial and infrastructural development during the king's reign.

Family life

Jigme Singye Wangchuck is married to four queens (all of whom are sisters) and has five sons and five daughters. Several of his children have been educated abroad.

The names of the Queens:
*Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (December 20 1955, second daughter of Yab Ugen Dorji and Yum Thuiji Zam)
*Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck (December 20 1957, third daughter)
*Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Yangdön Wangchuck (June 21 1959, fourth daughter)
*Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (May 11 1963, fifth daughter)

And of the children:
*HRH Princess Ashi Chimi Yamgzam Wangchuck, daughter of Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck (January 10 1980)
*HM King Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, son of Ashi Tshering Yangdön Wangchuck (February 21 1980)
*HRH Princess Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck, daughter of Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (August 5 1981)
*HRH Princess Ashi Dechen Yangzam Wangchuck, daughter of Ashi Tsering Yangdon Wangchuck (December 2 1981)
*HRH Princess Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck, daughter of Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck (January 23 1982)
*HRH Prince Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, son of Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (July 6 1984).
*HRH Prince Dasho Khamsum Singhye Wangchuck, son of Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (October 6 1985)
*HRH Prince Dasho Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, son of Ashi Tshering Yangdön Wangchuck (April 14 1986)
*HRH Princess Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck, daughter of Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (1993)
*HRH Prince Dasho Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck, son of Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck (1994)

Honours

*Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan-1987
*Order of Ojaswi Rajanya of the Kingdom of Nepal-1988
*Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great of Kuwait-1990
*Order of Khalifa, 1st Class of Bahrain-1990
*Knight of the Order of the Seraphim of Sweden-1994

References

ee also

* Champions of the Earth, 2005 award from United Nations Environment Programme
* Gross national happiness

External links

* [http://2008.bhutan-360.com/2007/11/21/the-royal-family-of-bhutan/ The Royal Family of Bhutan]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1186840,00.html Time Magazine's 100 People Who Shape Our World 2006: King Jigme Singye Wangchuk]
* [http://bhutan2008.blogspot.com/2007/05/tribute-to-his-majesty-jigme-singye.html A Tribute to His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk]