Reference
A History of Nepal
A concise, reliable history of Nepal from the Gorkha unification to the republic.
Gorkha Kingdom
Kingdom
Level 2
1559 – 1768
Hill kingdom of the Shah dynasty that unified Nepal.
- Capital
- Gorkha
- Region
- Himalaya
- Duration
- 209 years
- Main period
- Mughal Empire
Approximate extent.
Rulers
- Drabya Shah King1559 – 1570Founder.
- Prithvi Narayan Shah King1743 – 1768Began the unification of Nepal.
Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.
Key events
| Year | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1559 | Drabya Shah founds the Gorkha kingdom | Gorkha |
📚 Recommended reading on the Gorkha Kingdom
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Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Gorkha Kingdom for a significant part of its history.
Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Malla Dynasty of Nepal ★
Himalaya · 1201 – 1769
Ahom Kingdom ★
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Mewar (Sisodia) ★
West · 1326 – 1949
Vijayanagara Empire ★
South · 1336 – 1646
Kingdom of Mysore ★
South · 1399 – 1950
Kingdom of Kandy ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Mughal Empire ★
North · 1526 – 1857
British East India Company ★
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Maratha Empire ★
Deccan · 1674 – 1818
Nawabs of Bengal ★
East · 1717 – 1765
Hyderabad State (Nizams) ★
Deccan · 1724 – 1948
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Jaffna Kingdom
Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Kashmir Sultanate
North · 1339 – 1586
Kingdom of Kotte
Sri Lanka · 1412 – 1597
Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1636
Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1686
Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)
Deccan · 1492 – 1619
Portuguese Cochin
Coastal · 1503 – 1663
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
Deccan · 1518 – 1687
Madurai Nayaks
South · 1529 – 1736
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
Coastal · 1534 – 1739
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
Portuguese Hooghly
Coastal · 1579 – 1632
Portuguese Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1597 – 1658
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
Coastal · 1605 – 1825
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)
Coastal · 1610 – 1825
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
Himalaya · 1616 – 1907
Danish India
Coastal · 1620 – 1869
Danish Tranquebar
Coastal · 1620 – 1845
Fort St George, Madras
Coastal · 1639 – 1858
Dutch Chinsurah
Coastal · 1656 – 1825
Dutch Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1658 – 1796
Dutch Malabar (Cochin)
Coastal · 1663 – 1795