The Kingdom of Nepal was founded in the second part of the 18th century when
the Kings of the Gurkha Principality - founded in 1559 - gradually conquered
all existing polities and unified them into one state. (1)
(1) The traditional year given for the founding of the Kingdom is 1768
when King Prithivi Narayan Shah of Gurkha (1722 - 1775 ; r. 1743 -
1768 in Gurkha) conquered Kathmandu where he then ruled until 1775.
Situation before unification
(only three major tribal authorities included, but many others
existed all over the country)
- In Central Nepal :
- the Newar Kingdoms of Bhatgaon, Kathmandu and Patan (considered
as the predecessors of present-day Nepal, although they only
controlled a very small portion of its territory)
- the Caubisi ("Twenty-Four") a losse confederation of several -
traditionally 24, but exact number subject to discussion - Kha
Kingdoms (Gurkha, Kaski, Lamjang, ...)
- the Kha Kingdom of Makwampur
- In Eastern Nepal :
- the Kha Kingdoms of Bijayapur and Chaudandi
- the Limbu and Rai tribal authorities
- In Western Nepal :
- the Baisi ("Twenty-Two"), a losse confederation of several -
traditionally 22, but exact number subject to discussion - Kha
Kingdoms (Achham, Dullu, Jumla, ...)
- the Magar tribal authorities
Unification
1744 : conquest of Makwampur
1768 - 1769 : conquest of the Newar Kingdoms
1769 - 1775 : conquest of the Eastern Nepalese polities
1782 - 1790 : conquest of the Baisi, Caubisi and Magar polities
For the fate of the Kingdoms after unification see here.
Expansion outside present-day Nepal
1788 : first intervention in Tibet. A second one in 1791 was
followed by a war with China in 1792 and the signing
of the Treaty of Kathmandu.
1790 : conquest of Kumaon. The start of the expansion into the
Indian territories, which would eventually cause a war
with the British (1814 - 1816) and the signing of the
Treaty of Segauli
1793 : conquest of Sikkim (until 1816)
1856 : a third intervention in Tibet ended with the signing
of a treaty which forced Tibet to pay a yearly tribute,
broke off the last links between the Kingdom of Mustang
and Tibet and gave the Nepalese total freedom of trade
(in this way legalising an old trade monopoly which
would last until 1888) and extraterritorial rights.
It also gave them the right to post a Resident (Vakil)
in Lhassa.
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HEADS OF STATE
Kings
Maharajadhiraja
House of Shah / Saha
(ruled over Gurkha since 1559 - over Nepal since 1768)
During the Rana period (since 1857) the Kings were in a position similar to
that of the Emperors of Japan during the Shogunate : they became figureheads
who continued to be venerated as semi-divine reincarnations of the god Vishnu
but without any real political power.
1847 - 1881 Surendra Bir Bikram Jang Bahadur Shah 1829 - 1881
1881 - 1911 Prithivi Bir Bikram Jang Bahadur Shah,
grandson 1875 - 1911
Regent during the minority of the King
1881 - 1893 Maharani Lalita Rajya
Lakshmi Devi°, mother
1911 - 1950 Tribhuvana Bir Bikram Jang Bahadur Shah,
son of Prithivi Bir Bikram Jang Bahadur
Shah (s.a.) 1906 - 1955
Regent during the minority of the King
1911 - 19.. Maharani Revati Raman Rajya
Lakshmi Devi°, spouse of King
Prithivi Bir Bikram Jang
Bahadur Shah (s.a.) 1878 - 1926
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RANA MILITARY HIERARCHY
The Rana hereditary military hierarchy, which would actually govern Nepal
until 1951, was organized in 1857. It comprized the following ranks :
- the Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of Nepal
- the Commander in Chief
- the Western Senior Commanding General
- the Eastern Commanding General
- the Southern Commanding General
- the Northern Commanding General
- several other Generals, Major Generals, Lieutenant Generals, Colonels and
Lieutenant Colonels.
When, for some reason, a rank became vacant, the incumbent of the next rank
was automatically promoted to the vacant position and all following persons
were promoted likewise.
Prime Ministers and Commanders in Chief of Nepal
The Prime Ministers and Commanders in Chief of Nepal (the formal style was
in English) were the actual leaders of the State, enjoying a position which
may be compared to that of the Japanese Shoguns.
They were Maharaja's of the restored former Kha principalities of Lamjang and
Kaski since 1856 and enjoyed full sovereignity over these territories.
They had the rank of Field Marshal.
They personally supervised the Foreign Office headed by the Mir Munshi, an
office which was for some time hereditary in the Lakshmi Das family.
1857 - 1877 Sir Jang Bahadur Rana (2x) 1817 - 1877
1877 - 1885 Ranaudip Singh Bahadur Rana,
brother 1825 - 1885
1885 - 1901 Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
nephew 1852 - 1901
1901 Dev Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother, deposed 1862 - 1914
1901 - 1929 Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother 1863 - 1929
1929 - 1932 Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother 1865 - 1932
1932 - 1945 Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother 1875 - 1952
Commanders in Chief
The Commanders in Chief were the heads of the whole civil administration and
as such they also held the title of Mukhtyar or Chief Minister.
They were formal heads of the army and supervised amongst others the Home -
and Law Offices and the Treasury.
1863 - 1877 Ranaudip Singh Bahadur Rana s.a.
1877 - 1879 Jagat Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana, brother 1827 - 1879
1879 - 1884 Dhir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother 1828 - 1884
1884 - 1885 Jit Jang Bahadur Rana, son of
Jang Bahadur Rana (s.a.)
1885 - 1887 Khadga Shumsher Jang Bahadur,
son of Dhir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1861 - 1921
1887 - 1901 Dev Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 - 1929 Bhim Shumsher Jang bahadur Rana s.a.
1929 - 1932 Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 - 1934 Rudra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1879 - 1964
1934 - 1945 Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1882 - 1961
Western Senior Commanding Generals
The Western Senior Commanding Generals - also styled Jangi Lat or War Lord -
supervised the Defence Office and as such were the real heads of the army.
1863 - 1877 Jagat Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana s.a.
1877 - 1879 Dhir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1879 - 1882 Jagat Jang Bahadur Rana, son of
Jang Bahadur Rana (s.a.) 1848 - 1885
1882 - 1884 Jit Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1884 - 1885 Padma Jang Bahadur Rana, brother 1857 - 1906
1885 - 1887 Rana Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Dhir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1... - 1887
1887 Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 - 1901 Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 - 1907 Fateh Shumsher Jang Bahadur, brother 1... - 1907
1907 - 1913 Jit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
brother 1... - 1913
1913 - 1929 Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1929 - 1932 Dharma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1... - 1932
1932 Rudra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 - 1934 Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1934 - 1945 Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1885 - 1967
Eastern Commanding Generals
1862 - 1877 Dhir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1877 - 1879 Jagat Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1879 - 1882 Jit Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1882 - 1884 Padma Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1884 - 1885 Ranabir Jang Bahadur Rana, son of
Jang Bahadur Rana (s.a.)
1885 - 1887 Dev Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 - 1901 Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 Fateh Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 - 190. Lalit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
190. - 1907 Jit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1907 - 1913 Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1913 - 1929 Dharma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1929 - 1932 Rudra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 - 1934 Tej Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1885 - 1942
1934 - 1945 Baber Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1888 - 1960
Southern Commanding Generals
1868 - 1877 Jagat Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1877 - 1879 Jit Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1879 - 1882 Padma Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1882 - 1884 Ranabir Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1884 - 1885 Juddha Pratap Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Jagat Jang Bahadur Rana (s.a.) 1861 - 1885
1885 - 1887 Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 - 1901 Fateh Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 Lalit Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 - 190. Jit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
190. - 1907 Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1907 - 1913 Dharma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1913 - 1929 Rudra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1929 - 1932 Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 Tej Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 - 1934 Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1934 - 1945 Keshar Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana ,
son of Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1892 - 1964
Northern Commanding Generals
1868 - 1877 Jit Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1877 - 1879 Padma Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1879 - 1882 Ranabir Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1882 - 1884 Juddha Pratap Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1884 - 1885 Kedah Narasingh Kunwar Rana
nephew of Jang Bahadur Rana (s.a.) 1840 -
1885 - 1887 Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 Fateh Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1887 - 1901 Lalit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 Jit Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1901 - 190. Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
190. - 1907 Dharma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1907 - 1913 Rudra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1913 - 1929 Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1929 - 1932 Tej Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana s.a.
1932 - 1934 Pratap Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1... - 1934
1934 - 1945 Bahadur Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana,
son of Juddha Shumsher Jang Bahadur
Rana (s.a.) 1892 - 1977
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Under the terms of the Peace Treaty of Kathmandu, signed after the end of the
Chinese-Nepalese war in 1792, Nepal was obliged to send a diplomatic mission
to Beijing every 5 years.
But while the Chinese considered these missions as a formal evidence of their
overlordship over Nepal, the Nepalese themselves considered them as gestures
of friendship and respect to a powerfull neighbour, involving no recognition
of Chinese rule.
Heads of Mission
(The years are those of the departure from and the return to Kathmandu, not
of the actual stay at the Chinese Imperial Court which formally only lasted
45 days)
1869 - 1877 no mission
1877 - 1882 Tej Bahadur Rana
1882 - 1886 no mission
1886 - 1891 Rana Bikram Rana
1891 - 1894 no mission
1894 - 1901 Kaji Indra Bikram Rana
1901 - 1906 no mission
1906 - 1910 Kaji Bharab Bahadur Gadhatola (last mission)
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BRITISH REPRESENTATIVES
Although Nepal was linked to British India by a number of Treaties it always
formally remained an independent State. (2)
As a result the British Residents in Kathmandu never had the supervising and
controlling duties, which they had in other Princely Indian States.
They nevertheless had an unformal degree of influence.
In 1920 the title of Resident was replaced by that of Envoy and in 1923 after
the signing of a new Treaty of Friendship, more normal diplomatic relations
were established.
(2) The most important of these Treaties was the perpetual Peace and
Friendship Treaty of Segauli of 1816 which would regulate the
relations between the two countries until 1923. It provided for
- the cession of all Indian territories conquered after 1790.
- the recognition of the independence of Sikkim.
- the - renewed - establishment of a British Residency at Kathmandu.
- the interdiction for Nepal to take Westerners in its service without
British consent.
Finally, by virtue of the Treaty, the British were also allowed to
recrute Gurkha volunteers for their Indian army.
Residents
1867 - 1872 LtCol. Richard Charles Lawrence 1817 - 1896
1872 - 1888 Charles E. R. Girdlestone
1888 - 1891 LtCol. Edward Law Durand 1845 - 1920
1891 - 1899 Col. Henry Wylie 1844 - 1918
1899 LtCol. A. M. Muir
1899 - 1901 LtCol. William Loch 1845 - 1912
1901 - 1902 LtCol. T. Pears
1902 - 1905 LtCol. Charles Withers Ravenshaw 1851 - 1935
1905 - 1916 LtCol. John Manners-Smith 1864 - 1920
1916 - 1918 LtCol. Steuart Farquharson Bayley 1863 - 1938
1918 - 1920 LtCol. William Frederick Travers
O'Connor 1870 - 1943
With the exception of the few Kingdoms which accepted Gurkha rule without
opposing resistance all Kingdoms were abolished after their conquest.
The others became tributary states (3) enjoying at first a large degree of
selfgovernment, their rulers having among others, the right to collect taxes
and to administer justice.
These rights was however gradually abolished and by the end of Rana rule all
what remained of them were some minor judicial functions.
(3) The number of tributary states fluctuated.
Originally there seem to have been 12. Of these some, like the Baisi
Kingdom of Salyan or the Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang, seem to have
existed during the whole Rana period. Others, like the Baisi Kingdom
of Achham, were later abolished. Still others, like the Baisi Kingdom
of Doti, were abolished, re-established and later again abolished.
The situation was further complicated by the fact that from time to
time the Kings of Nepal created new - often temporary - tributary
Kingdoms.
Anyway, by 1870, the following seem to have been in existence :
Achham, Bajhang, Bajura, Bhirkot, Dullu, Galkot, Garahunkot, Jajarkot,
Lamjang and Kaski, Mustang, Phalabang, Salyan, Thalahara.
In the same way as these Kingdoms, Limbu and Rai tribal leaders in
Eastern Nepal also enjoyed a certain degree of selfgovernment during
the Rana period.
The Kingdom of Mustang / Lo (Tib.: Smon-thang / gLo) was founded ca 1380 as
one of the West Tibetan or Ngari states.
Ca 1764 it was conquered by the Baisi Kingdom of Jumla and forced to pay a
yearly tribute, which, after the conquest of Jumla by the Gurkha in 1789,
was then payed to the Kings of Nepal.
At the same time the Kingdom continued however also to have numerous links
with Tibet until the Treaty of 1856.
Under Nepalese overlordship Mustang at first enjoyed a very large measure of
independence. Later this was gradually limited, the abolition of the Mustang
salt-trade monopoly by the Nepalese government in 1890, probably being the
first move in this direction.
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