Kingdom of Nepal

Kingdom Level 2 ★ Major power
1816 – 2008

Shah monarchy within the borders fixed by the Treaty of Sugauli; Rana prime ministers ruled 1846-1951.

🗺 See on map in 1912
Capital
Kathmandu
Region
Himalaya
Duration
192 years
Main period
British Crown Rule (Raj)

Approximate extent.

Rulers

Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.

Key events

YearEventPlace
1816 Treaty of Sugauli
Fixes most of Nepal's modern borders.
Nepal ceded Kumaon, Garhwal and the Terai and accepted a British resident.
Sugauli
1846 Kot massacre; Rana rule begins in Nepal
Jung Bahadur Rana seized power and Rana prime ministers ruled for 104 years.
Kathmandu
1951 Democracy restored in Nepal Kathmandu
1953 First ascent of Everest
Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary.
Mount Everest
1990 Jana Andolan restores democracy in Nepal Kathmandu
1996 Civil war begins in Nepal Rolpa
2006 Comprehensive Peace Accord in Nepal Kathmandu

Personalities

Bhanubhakta Acharya
1814 – 1868
Adikavi of Nepali who translated the Ramayana

📚 Recommended reading on the Kingdom of Nepal

Reference

A History of Nepal

John Whelpton · Cambridge University Press

A concise, reliable history of Nepal from the Gorkha unification to the republic.

General reading

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Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Kingdom of Nepal for a significant part of its history.

Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Mewar (Sisodia) ★
West · 1326 – 1949
Kingdom of Mysore ★
South · 1399 – 1950
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Mughal Empire ★
North · 1526 – 1857
British East India Company ★
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Hyderabad State (Nizams) ★
Deccan · 1724 – 1948
Sikh Empire ★
North · 1799 – 1849
British Raj (Crown Rule) ★
Pan-Indian · 1858 – 1947
Kingdom of Bhutan ★
Himalaya · 1907 – present
Republic of India ★
Pan-Indian · 1950 – present
Republic of Maldives ★
Islands · 1968 – present
Islamic Republic of Pakistan ★
Northwest · 1971 – present
People's Republic of Bangladesh ★
East · 1971 – present
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ★
Sri Lanka · 1972 – present
Afghanistan ★
Northwest · 1973 – present
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
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
French India
Coastal · 1668 – 1954
Bombay (English East India Company)
Coastal · 1668 – 1858
Chandernagore
Coastal · 1673 – 1950
Pondichéry
Coastal · 1674 – 1954
Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
South · 1692 – 1855
Gaekwad State (Baroda)
West · 1721 – 1949
Mahé
Coastal · 1721 – 1954
Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur
North · 1722 – 1947
Awadh (Nawabs of Oudh)
Gangetic Plain · 1722 – 1856
Travancore
South · 1729 – 1949
Holkar State (Indore)
Central · 1731 – 1948
Scindia State (Gwalior)
Central · 1731 – 1948
Yanam
Coastal · 1731 – 1954
Bhonsles of Nagpur
Central · 1739 – 1853
Karaikal
Coastal · 1739 – 1954