 Gorampa lived during a period of political instability in Tibet. From 1244 until 1354, the Sakya sect had held political control over Tibet, and was backed by the support of the Mongol army. Eventually the Mongolian court’s interest in Tibet weakened, and the Pagmodruk sect of Tibetan Buddhism ousted the Sakyapas from power in a violent confrontation. The Pagmodrukpas continued to rule over Tibet for over a century, but by the latter half of Gorampa’s life, they had fallen from power, resulting in a number of groups fiercely competing for religious and political dominance.