King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Great (श्री ५ वडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह) is the founder of modern Nepal. Before the unification there were more than 50 small kingdoms in present boundary of Nepal. He started the unification process from his small kingdom of Gorkha (less than 5,000 sq km) in 1744 which was carried until 1791 by his daughter-in-law Queen Rajendra Laxmi and his second son Bahadur Shah which extended Nepal all the way from Teesta River in east to Kangara in the west covering more than 250,000 sq km area in the rough himalayan terrain.
Until his death in 1775 King Prithvi had conquered almost half of the present Nepal leading most of battles by himself. Under the leadership of King Prithvi major Kingdoms like 3 kingdoms in Nepal Valley (Kathmandu, Bhadagu & Patan), Sen Kingdoms of south east (Makwanpur, Chaudandi, Bijaypur) etc were unified in Nepal
Until his death in 1775 King Prithvi had conquered almost half of the present Nepal leading most of battles by himself. Under the leadership of King Prithvi major Kingdoms like 3 kingdoms in Nepal Valley (Kathmandu, Bhadagu & Patan), Sen Kingdoms of south east (Makwanpur, Chaudandi, Bijaypur) etc were unified in Nepal
Early age of Prithvi Narayan
King Prithvi was the 10th generation of King Drabya Shah (1559-1570), founder of Shah house in Gorkha.
His father King Narbhupal Shah had 4 queens:- Chandra Prabhawati (Khanchi), Kausalyawati (Palpa), Subhadrawati (Tanahun), Buddimati (Parwat) respectively.
Prithvi was born in 11th Jan, 1723 as the second son of King Narabhupal. Queen Kausalyawati gave birth to him prematurely after 7 months of pregnancy. But Prithvi was raised and educated by Queen Chandra Prabhawati.
As a youth
As a youth
Prithvi had multiple wives and concubines. In 15 years of as in 1738 he married Indra Kumari Devi (1726-1759), daughter of King Hemkarna Sen of Makwanpur. In Feb 1740 he married Narendra Rajya Laxmi Devi, daughter of Abhiman Singh (a Varanasi brahmin) in Gorakhpur. His successor King Pratap Singh Shah and Prince Bahadur Shah was born from Narendra Rajya Laxmi. His notable morganatic wives were Icchavati Devi and Dayavati Devi. From Icchvati Prithvi has 1 son and 4 daughters. When Prithvi died in 11th Jan 1775 his second wife and 8 concubines went Sati.
As he said in Dibyopadesh, one day he was returning from Makwanpur to Gorkha taking his wife back home through Nepal valley (Kathmandu valley as known at that time). When he saw the Nepal valley form the height of Chandragiri Hill he really liked the place and wish to be the king of all three cities in the valley.
He spend about 1 year in Bhaktapur as a royal guest having miteri (friendship) relationship with son of King Ranjit Malla of Bhaktapur.
As he said in Dibyopadesh, one day he was returning from Makwanpur to Gorkha taking his wife back home through Nepal valley (Kathmandu valley as known at that time). When he saw the Nepal valley form the height of Chandragiri Hill he really liked the place and wish to be the king of all three cities in the valley.
He spend about 1 year in Bhaktapur as a royal guest having miteri (friendship) relationship with son of King Ranjit Malla of Bhaktapur.
as a King
In 1733 Gorkha King Narabhupal Shah attacked Nuwakot, a frontier town of Kathmandu Kingdom, but failed to conquer it. He got sick after that and died in 1743.
Prithvi ascended to the throne of Gorkha at the age of 20 in 3rd Apr 1743.
Prithvi ascended to the throne of Gorkha at the age of 20 in 3rd Apr 1743.
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Constructions
7-story Nuwakot durbar in 1762
Constructions
7-story Nuwakot durbar in 1762
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