The
Phagmodrupa Dynasty or
Pagmodru (, ) was a dynastic regime that held sway over
Tibet or parts thereof from 1354 to the early 17th century. It was established by
Tai Situ Changchub Gyaltsen of the Lang family at the end of the
Yuan dynasty. The dynasty had a lasting importance on the history of Tibet; it created an autonomous kingdom after Mongol rule, revitalized the national culture, and brought about a new legislation that survived until the 1950s. Nevertheless, the Phagmodrupa had a turbulent history due to internal family feuding and the strong localism among noble lineages and fiefs. Its power receded after 1435 and was reduced to
Ü (East Central Tibet) in the 16th century due to the rise of the ministerial family of the
Rinpungpa. It was defeated by the rival
Tsangpa dynasty in 1613 and 1620, and was formally superseded by the
Ganden Phodrang regime founded by the
5th Dalai Lama in 1642. In that year,
Güshi Khan of the
Khoshut formally transferred the old possessions of Sakya, Rinpung and Phagmodrupa to the "Great Fifth".