Prithvi Narayan Shah and Unification Campaign

Prithvi Narayan Shah was the eldest son and successor of Narbhupal Shah, the King of Gorkha. He was born on 27th  Poush, 1779 BS. His elder mother Chandraprabhawati was given the responsibility for his education. She gave him lessons on Mahabharat, Ramayan, diplomacy, politics, horse riding, archery and swordsmanship. At the age of 14 years he married Indra Kumari, the daughter of the King of Makwanpur, Hemkarna Sen in 1793 BS but he could not succeed. His second wife was Narendra Laxmi, daughter of Ahiman Sing, a Rajput chief of Benaras in 1797 BS. He had friendship (Miteri) relation with Birnarsingh Malla, the son of the King of Bhaktapur, Ranjit Malla. prithvi Narayan Shah ascended the throne of Gorkha at the age of 20 after his father's demise on 25th Chaitra, 1799 BS. The first phase of unification was completed during his life time by his tireless efforts. After extending the boundary of Nepal upto Mechi River in the east, King Prithvi Narayan Shah passed way at the age of 52 years, at Devighat of Trishuli River in Nuwakot on 1st Magh 1831 BS. He is known as the founder of modern Nepal.

Nepal before the unification was divided into many small kingdoms. There were 22 states in the Karnali Region and 24 states in Gandaki Region known as Baise Rajya and Chaubise Rajya respectively. Similarly, there were 3 Malla kingdoms in Kathmandu Valley called Kantipur, Patan and Bhadgaun. In the east of the kathmandu Valley, there were Sen kingdoms in Koshi Region.

The small kingdoms did not have the good relationship with each other. They were getting weaker due to internal rivalry and frequent battles. The kings were arrogant and involved in wars. At the same time, the British East India Company was conquering India and planning to occupy Nepal and extend their trade with Tibet. The existence of Nepal was in danger. So, Prithvi Narayan Shah started the unification campaign of Nepal.

Unification Campaign of Prithvi Narayan Shah

Unsuccessful Invasion of Nuwakot: 1800 BS: 

After Prithvi Narayan Shah became the King of Gorkha, he planned to begin unification campaign by first attacking Nuwakot. He sent Gorkhali troops under Kaji Biraj Thapa to attack Nuwakot. Biraj Thapa waited at Khinchet by the side of Trisuli River for an appropriate time to launch the attack. Prithvi Narayan Shah didn't like the strategy of Biraj Thapa  and even didn't trust him because of the fault reporting of Maheswor Panta. So, he sent another Gorkhali troops against under Maheshwor Panta to attack Nuwakot. The troops under Maheshwor Panta were defeated. 

Conquest of Nuwakot : 15th Aswin, 1801 BS

From the defeat of Nuwakot, Prithvi Narayan Shah realized the need of increasing trained soldiers, supply of provisions, weapons, cooperation of people and unity of command. He went to Banaras and collected some arms and ammunition there. Indian weapon experts named Shekh jabar, Muhammad Taqi and Bekhsingh were brought to Gorkha to give the special training to army. He appointed Kalu Pande as the kazi of Gorkha respecting the people's favour. He reformed his army by opening weapons manufacturing workshops and making the provision of Marwat. He provided jagir lands to his army as their salary. He reformed his economic status by collecting loans and donations in the form of goods and cash from 12,000 houses. He kept good relationship with other states. After making extensive preparation, Prithvi Narayan Shah commanded the Gorkha army consisting of about 1,000 soldiers and attacked upon the fort of Nuwakot from three sides. Shankhamani Rana, the chief of army of Nuwakot was killed by 12 years old Dalmardan Shah. The army of Nuwakot fled to Belkot. The Gorkhalis captured Belkot also and Jayanta Rana, the father of Shankhamani Rana was arrested and killed mercilessly. In this way Nuwakot was conquered by the Gorkhalis.

Conquest of Dahachowk, Naladum and Mahadev Pokhari: Shrawan, 1811 BS

After the victory over Nuwakot,  Prithvi Narayan Shah continued his attempt to surround the Kathmandu valley. The Gorkhali troops sent under the command of Tularam Pande captured Dahachowk, a place about 2 km far from kathmandu. The troops under the command of Kalu Pande also captured Naladum and Mahadev Pokhari.

First unsuccessful invasion of Kirtipur : 9th Bhadra 1814 BS 

Prithvi Narayan Shah was very excited with his victory over Nuwakot. Though, it was against the wish of Army Chief Kalu Pande, the Gorkhali troops including Prithvi Narayan Shah attacked Kirtipur on 9th Bhadra 1814 BS but could not face the joint force consisting of 4,000 soldiers of three states of Kathmandu valley. Kalu Pande was killed. Prithvi Narayan Shah fled to Nuwakot at night. Total of 400 Gorkhali troops were killed in this battle. 

Conquest of Makwanpur : 9th Bhadra, 1819 BS

After the death of Hemkarna Sen, his son Digbandhan Sen was ruling Makwanpur. Prithvi Narayan Shah didn't have good relation with Digbandhan Sen . The relation between Makwanpur and Kantipur was also growing. So, Prithvi Narayan Shah planned to capture Makwanpur to make economic blockade imposed over Kathmandu valley more effectively. On 9th Bhadra, 1819 BS Gorkhali troops attacked over Makwanpur under the command of Bansha Raj Pande and Keharsingh Basnet. After the continuous battle of 10 hours, Gorkhali troops captured Makwanpur. About 1,000 Makwani soldiers were killed in this battle. King Digbadhan and Minister Kanaksingh Baniya of Makwanpur fled to Hariharpur. In the same year, on 22nd Aswin, Gorkhali troops attacked Hariharpur and captured it. Digbandhan fled to India but soon he returned and surrendered. The Gorkhalis got about 700 guns and ammunition from Makwanpur after the end of that battle.

Battle with Bengali troops : 27th Poush, 1819 BS

When Digbandhan Sen fled to India, he asked Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal for help to regain Makwanpur. Mir Kasim sent his hundreds of Muslims troops under the command of Gurgin Khan to attack Gorkhalis.  They were also defeated by the Gorkhali troops. After the success in this battle, Gorkhali troops captured some places nearer to Kathmandu valley  such as Banepa, Bishankhu, Pharping, Nala, Sanga, etc. and tighten the economic blockade over Kathmandu valley.

Second unsuccessful invasion of Kirtipur : 30th Bhadra, 1821 BS

Prithvi Narayan Shah sent his troops to attack on Kirtipur for the second time on 30th Bhadra, 1821 BS. The troops were under the command of his brother Shurpratap Shah, Daljit Shah and Kazi Shriharsha Panta. Patan and Bhaktapur did not support Kirtipur in this battle due to their growing enmity. The troops of Kirtipur closed the the entrance gate of the fort. As, Shurpratap Shah was ascending upon the wall with the help of bamboo ladder, an arrow struck his eye. He lost his left eye and tumbled down. Another commander Daljit Shah was also injured. The Gorkhalis scattered and suffered a heavy loss in this war.

Conquest of Kirtipur: 3rd Chaitra 1822 BS

Kazi Bansha Raj Pande was sent to impose the blockade upon Kirtipur. The condition of the People of Kirtipur became miserable due to the blockade for six month. On 3rd Chaitra, 1822 BS the Gorkhali troops surrounded Kirtipur from all sides. It created a panic situation in Kirtipur. Thus, Prithvi Narayan Shah sent a message to the Sinkhwal Pradhan, the protector of Kirtipur threatening to surrender so that huge loss of lives and properties could be prevented. Kirtipur was compelled to surrender and it was annexed to Gorkha Kingdom.

Battle with the troops of Captain Kinloch: 1824 BS

Gorkhalis defeated the English troops consisting of 2,500 soldiers under the command of Captain Kinloch at Sindhuli in 1824 BS. They had come to help Jaya Prakash Malla. When the British troops arrived on the slope of Sindhuligadhi, the Gorkhalis suddenly attacked them at Pauwagadhi and defeated them. The Gorkhalis captured about 500 guns of the English force.

Conquest of Kantipur : 13th Ashwin, 1825 BS

After the failure of Captain Kinloch's mission, Jaya Prakash Malla, the King of Kantipur remained helpless and the Gorkhali troops were encouraged after this incident. On 13th Ashwin, 1825 BS at the time of Indrajatra, Gorkhali troops attacked Kantipur from three sides and conquered it. King jaya Prakash Malla fled to Patan with his trusted soldiers and took asylum there. Prithvi Narayan Shah ascended the throne of Kanitpur on the same day.

 

Conquest of Lalitpur: 24th Ashwin, 1825 BS

After 10 days of the victory over Kantipur, Prithvi Narayan Shah sent a message to Six Pradhans or Kazis of Lalitpur asking them to surrender and prevent the lives and properties from being lost. Six Pradhans agreed to surrender according to the advice of Prithvi Narayan Shah. Jaya Prakash Malla and Tejnarsingh Malla, the King of Lalitpur fled to Bhaktapur. In this way, Lalitpur was annexed to Gorkha Kingdom.

Conquest of Bhaktapur: 1st Mangsir, 1826 BS

Ranjit Malla was the King of Bhaktapur. Prithvi Narayan Shah requested him to hand over Jaya Prakash Malla and Tejnarsingh  Malla who were taking asylum there. But he refused it. On 28th Kartik, 1826 BS Ranjit Malla, the king of Bhaktapur surrendered showing a white turban through a window of his room. Prithvi Narayan Shah went to visit all the three defeated Kings. According to their last wish,  Jaya Prakash Mall was sent to Pashupati to spend there rest of his life. Ranjit Malla, as he was the founder of his friend, was sent to Kashi. Tejnarsingh Malla was kept in detention for his whole life. After the occupation of Bhaktapur, Prithvi Narayan Shah made Kathmandu the capital of Nepal.

Conquest of the East : 1830 BS and 1831 BS

After the conquest of Kathmandu valley, Prithvi Narayan Shah attempted to move towards the west. But when the Gorkhali troops were sent to win western side in the leadership of Keharsingh and Bansraj Pande, they were badly defeated. The western campaign was temporarily postponed and eastern movement started. As a result, Chaudandi was occupied by Gorkhali troops in 1830 BS. The King of Chaudandi, Karna Sen fled to Bijayapur. Bijayapur was also occupied by Gorkhali army in 1831 BS. Karna Sen and Buddhikarna Rai, the Minister of Bijayapur fled to Sikkim. Abhiman Singh Basnet, the commander of Nepalese Army requested the King of Sikkim to return Karna Sen and Buddhikarna Rai. But by that time, they again fled away from Sikkim too. Instead of it, the King of Sikkim returned the part of Ilam to Nepal. In this way, Nepal's eastern boundary extended up to Mechi River.

Effects of the unification campaign of Nepal 

After the death of Prithvi Narayan Shah, his eldest son Pratap Singh Shah annexed Chitwan. But he died soon and Rana Bahadur Shah, who was a minor, ascended the throne. Acting on his behalf, Queen Mother Rajendra Laxmi took the state power in her hand and continued the unification campaign. During 1834 BS to 1842 BS, she annexed Lamjung, Tanahun and Kaski belonging to Chubise Rajya (24 Principalities) . After her death, Bahadur Shah, continued teh campaign and won three-fourth part of Sikkim and extended the eastern border to Tista River. Bahadur shah then set for the west. By 1844 BS, he won the Chaubise Rajya. He attacked the Baise Rajya and won Karnali region conquering Jumla. In 1847 BS, he won Doti state and extended the border in the west to Mahakali River. In the same year he attacked Almoda, capital of Kumaun and won it . The following year he attacked Shrinagar, the capital of Gadhwal and made it a subordinate state. But due to war with Tibet, the unification campaign had to be stopped.

Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa and Commander Amarsingh Thapa led the campaign that had been disrupted by the death of Bahadur Shah. In 1861 BS, Shrinagar was attacked again and Gadhwal was fully annexed into Nepal. Thus, the border in the west extended  to Jamuna River. After that, Immediately, Nepali army crossed the river and annexed many small states lying between Jamuna and Sutluj River. In 1863 BS, Amarsingh Thapa crossed Sutluj River winning various places and attacked Kangada. But the Nepali army that had crossed Ravi River could not win Kangada fort. Nepali army kept Sansar Chand, the King of Kangada under seize in Kangada fort but could not penetrate it for four years. Finally, the King of Punjab Ranjit Singh came to his rescue and war ensued. Consequently, Jwalamukhi treaty was signed and Nepali army was compelled to retreat to Sutluj River. If Nepalese had won this fort, the western border of Nepal could have been extended to Kashmir.

The unification campaign initiated in 1799 BS by Prithvi Narayan Shah had resulted in a Greater Nepal extending from Tista in the east and Sutluj in the west by 1863 BS.

A greater Nepal originated from a small state Gorkha like Germany originated from Prussia, Italy from Sardinia and Britain from Wessex.

Effects of Nepal's Unification

• The unification campaign of Prithvi Narayan Shah improved the nation and nationality.
• It controlled the foreign interference and internal conflicts among the small states.
• The divine instructions of Prithvi Narayan Shah became a milestone for good governance and social reform.
• Treaty of Trade and Commerce signed in 1832 BS between Nepal and Tibet had promoted the economic progress of the nation.
• As, Kathmandu was declared the capital of Nepal, it reduced the administrative expenses.
• It increased the participation and access of people in governance system.
• Nepali people became sovereign citizens of a Great Nepal.
• A feeling of cooperation, collaboration and coordination developed in people.