Tibet is now a focal point in international politics. Drawing on newly available archives, this provides important background for this controversy, situating Tibet in the context of the Anglo-Russian rivalry in Asia at the end of the last century. The author shows the importance role of Russian foreign policy for and describes Tibet's relations with Russia, China, Great Britain, and Mongolia. She shows how the Anglo-Russian convention of 1907 created an opportunity for China to strengthen its position in Tibet and provides details on the Dalai Lama's declaration of independence following the Chinese Revolution in 1911.