Shah Dynasty of Kathmandu

Shah Dynasty of Kathmandu

The Shah Dynasty in Kathmandu shot into prominence with the ascendancy of Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1743. Prithvi Narayan Shah, who succeeded his father King Nara Bhupal Shah of Gorkha race, felt the importance of a unified kingdom. Accordingly, he annexed Nuwakot, Kuti Pass, hills around Kathmandu, and Kiritpur. Prithvi Narayan Shah defeated the combined forces of Jaya Prakash Malla and the British in 1768. By 1769, Prithvi Narayan Shah annexed Bhaktapur and Patan also. Consequently, the people of Kathmandu accepted Prithvi Narayan Shah as their undisputed ruler.

King Prithvi Narayan Shah was successful in bringing the different ethno-religious groups together. This helped in establishing a closed-door economic policy for his kingdom against the British regime, which had established itself in India quite strongly by then.

Subsequently, between 1814 and 1816, a series of battles was fought between the Nepalese and British armies, with the Nepalese army finally succumbing to the superior British force. In 1816, the Treaty of Sugauli was signed between these two parties. Nepal was given the territory between the rivers Mechi in the east and Mahakali in the west.

Kathmandu history, since the 5th century till the 19th century, has been very eventful and attractive to all historians and travelers.