History of Nepal: from unification to the federal republic

Unification

Prithvi Narayan Shah was born in 1779 BS and became King of Gorkha in 1799 BS. His campaign to unify the small hill states began with the conquest of Nuwakot in 1801 BS (1744). He took Kathmandu in 1825 BS (1768) and Bhaktapur in 1826 BS, and made Kathmandu the capital. He died in 1831 BS (1775). His counsel to his successors is known as the Divya Upadesh, in which he likened Nepal to a yam between two boulders. Expansion continued under his successors until Nepal stretched from the Tista in the east to the Sutlej in the west.

Anglo-Nepal War and the Sugauli Treaty

Expansion brought conflict with the British East India Company. The war was fought from 1814 to 1816 (1871 to 1872 BS), when Bhimsen Thapa was Mukhtiyar. Balbhadra Kunwar at Nalapani, Bhakti Thapa at Deuthal and Amar Singh Thapa are remembered for their resistance.

The Sugauli Treaty was signed on 2 December 1815 and ratified on 4 March 1816. Nepal lost about one third of its territory; its borders were fixed at the Mechi in the east and the Mahakali in the west, and a British Resident was stationed in Kathmandu. In 1860 the British returned the far-western Terai (Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur), known as Naya Muluk, in return for Jung Bahadur's help during the Indian uprising of 1857.

The Rana period (1903 to 2007 BS)

The Kot massacre (Kot Parva) of 1903 BS (1846) brought Jung Bahadur to power and began 104 years of hereditary Rana prime ministers. Landmarks:

• Muluki Ain, the first codified law, issued in 1910 BS (1854).
• Chandra Shamsher abolished sati in 1977 BS and slavery in 1981 BS; the 1923 treaty with Britain recognised Nepal's independence.
• Padma Shamsher issued the Government of Nepal Act, 2004 BS, Nepal's first written constitution.
• Four martyrs (Shukraraj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Dashrath Chand and Gangalal Shrestha) were executed in 1997 BS.

The 2007 BS revolution

King Tribhuvan took refuge in the Indian embassy in Kartik 2007, the Nepali Congress launched an armed movement, and a compromise was reached in Delhi. Democracy was proclaimed on 7 Falgun 2007 (18 February 1951), celebrated as Democracy Day. Mohan Shamsher was the last Rana prime minister.

Democratic experiment and the Panchayat era

• The first general election was held in 2015 BS (1959). The Nepali Congress won and B.P. Koirala became the first elected Prime Minister.
• On 1 Poush 2017 (December 1960) King Mahendra dismissed the government and dissolved Parliament.
• The Constitution of 2019 BS introduced the partyless Panchayat system, which lasted about 30 years.
• In the referendum of 2037 BS (1980) the reformed Panchayat system defeated the multi-party option.

The 2046 movement

The first People's Movement (Jana Andolan I) ended the ban on political parties in Chaitra 2046 (April 1990). The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2047 was promulgated on 23 Kartik 2047 (9 November 1990), creating a constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy.

The 2062/63 movement and the republic

Exam pointers

• Sugauli: signed 2 December 1815, ratified 4 March 1816. Do not mix the two dates.
• Rana rule: 1903 to 2007 BS, 104 years, from the Kot massacre to 7 Falgun 2007.
• 1 Poush 2017 is the royal takeover; 2019 BS is the Panchayat constitution; 2037 BS is the referendum.
• Republic Day is 15 Jestha; Constitution Day is 3 Ashwin; Democracy Day is 7 Falgun.
• First written constitution: Government of Nepal Act, 2004 BS.