Sadnalegs

Tridé Songtsen , nicknamed Sadnalegs , was the 39th King (Tsenpo) of Tibet from 800 to 815. He was the third and youngest son of Trisong Detsen. He reigned between the disputed king, Muné Tsenpo, and the 40th king, Ralpachen, making the dates of his reign from 800 to 815.

After Trisong Detsen retired to live at Zungkar, he passed the throne to his second son, Muné Tsenpo, who reigned from 797 to 799. It is said that Muné Tsenpo was poisoned by his mother.

Buton Rinchen Drub states that Muné Tsenpo's throne was passed to his brother Mutik Tsenpo, who was later "known by the surname of Sen-na-le (fn. 1351, Sadnalegs)."

Both the Chronicle of Ba, other Tibetan sources, and the Old Book of Tang agree that since Muné Tsenpo had no heirs, the throne passed to his younger brother, Mutik Tsenpo (Sadnalegs) in 800, and he was crowned by 804 CE.

Although Mutik Tsenpo was only four years of age, and five sons while the number of his daughters is unknown.

Support for Buddhism

Indian scholars were invited to Samye Monastery to help translate Buddhist texts. Sadnalegs had the temple of Skar-cung (Karchung) built near Lhasa. Due to opposition to Buddhism, the king called a meeting with delegates and vassals from all over the kingdom and drew up a document pledging support for Buddhism which was signed by all who attended. An inscribed pillar with an account of this pledge was erected in front of the Karchung which still exists and has been translated into English.

In 816, he also standardized the literary Tibetan language used in translating the Buddhist scriptures from India, resulting in its transformation into Classical Tibetan.

Political and military activities

Although Tibetan forces were fighting the Chinese between 799 and 803, with battles in Yanzhou (鹽州, present day Yanchi County, Ningxia), Lingzhou (麟州, Zoigê County, Sichuan), Weizhou (維州, Li County, Sichuan), Yazhou (雅州, Ya'an, Sichuan) and Suizhou (巂州, Xichang, Sichuan), envoys began travelling regularly from 804 onwards between Lhasa and Chang'an, although no formal treaty was signed. When Emperor Dezong died in 805, Ralpacan sent gifts of gold, silver, cloth, oxen and horses for the funeral.

The Tibetan army continued to attack the Arabs to the west and, according to al-Ya'qubi, they besieged Samarkand, the capital of Transoxiana at the time. Finally, the Tibetan governor of Turkestan presented a statue made of gold and precious stones to the Arab Caliph al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833). This statue was later sent to the Ka'ba in Mecca.

Death and succession

Sadnalegs probably died in 815 (though the Blue Annals give 814). He had five sons, the first became a monk, the last two died in childhood. When Sadnaleg died, Langdarma was bypassed as he was anti-Buddhist and hot tempered and the royal power was given to Ralpacan.