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{{Short description|Former kingdom in present-day west Nepal}}
{{Infobox former country
|native_name = गोरखा राज्य
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Gorkha
|common_name = Gorkha Kingdom
|government_type = [[Monarchy]]
|image_map =
|image_map_caption =
|capital = [[Gorkha Municipality|Gorkha Darbar]]
|common_languages = [[Khas language|Khas]] (later Nepali)
|religion= [[Hinduism]]
|title_leader =Māhārājādhirāj (''Sovereign King'')
|leader1 = [[Dravya Shah]] (first)
|year_leader1 = 1559–1570 CE
|leader2 = [[Purna Shah]]
|year_leader2 = 1570–1605 CE
|leader3 = [[Ram Shah]]
|year_leader3 = 1609–1633 CE
|leader4 = [[Dambar Shah]]
|year_leader4 = 1633–1645 CE
|leader5 = [[Krishna Shah (Nepalese royal)|Krishna Shah]]
|year_leader5 = 1645–1661 CE
|leader6 = [[Rudra Shah]]
|year_leader6 = 1661–1673 CE
|leader7= [[Prithvipati Shah]]
|year_leader7 = 1673–1716 CE
|leader8 = [[Nara Bhupal Shah]]
|year_leader8 = 1716–1743 CE
|leader9 = [[Prithvi Narayan Shah]] (last)
|year_leader9 = 1743–1768 CE
|today = [[Nepal]]
|year_start = 1559
|year_end = 1768 CE
| p1 = Khasa kingdom
| image_p1 =
| s1 = Kingdom of Nepal
| image_s1 = [[File:Flag of Nepal.svg|24px|link=Nepal|alt=Flag of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal]]
}}
{{History of Nepal}}

'''Gorkha Kingdom''' ({{lang-ne|गोरखा राज्य}}) was a member of the [[Chaubisi rajya]], a confederation of 24 states on the [[Indian subcontinent]] ruled by [[Khas people]]. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, [[Unification of Nepal|annexing several neighbors]] to become present-day [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Hamilton| first = Francis Buchanan | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30364/30364-h/30364-h.htm#page7| title = An Account of the Kingdom Of Nepal and of the Territories Annexed to This Dominion by the House of Gorkha| publisher = Edinburgh: Longman| year=1819| access-date = 12 January 2013}} Page 237.</ref> The Gorkha Kingdom extended to the [[Marshyangdi|Marshyangdi River]] in the west, forming its border with the Kingdom of Lamjung. To the east, the kingdom extended to the [[Trishuli River]], forming its border with the [[Nepal Mandala]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Kirkpatrick| first = Colonel| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ijxAAAAAYAAJ| title = An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul| publisher = London: William Miller| year=1811| access-date = 12 January 2013}} Page 123.</ref> The Gorkha Kingdom was established in 1559 CE by Prince [[Dravya Shah]], second son of King [[Yasho Brahma Shah]] of [[Kingdom of Lamjung|Lamjung]]. The prince replaced the [[Khadka]] chiefs who previously ruled the region.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

== Origin ==
According to legends, one of the earliest Shah rulers was Rishi-raj Rana-Ji, of the [[Lunar dynasty]]. He was made the ruler of [[Chittor Fort|Chittorgarh]] and received the title of ''Bhattarak''.<ref name=DW>Daniel Wright, ''History of Nepāl'', Cambridge University Press, 1877, Nepal. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uy4YAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA273 Chapter X], page 273</ref> The lunar dynasty remained in power for thirteen generations. Then, the [[Muslim]] [[Yavanas]] took power. The Bhattarak had to abdicate and could only retain his caste family name, ''Rana-ji''. The rajas were titled ''Rana-Ji'' for four generations and ''Rana-ji Rava'' for a further seventeen generations.

[[Akbar]], the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor, (1542-1605) wished to marry the daughter of Fatte Sinha Rana-Ji Rava. Akbar was refused because he was not a Hindu but from a different religion (namely [[Islam]]). This decision led to war. Many [[Rajput]], including Fatte Sinha Rana-ji Rava, were killed. The survivors of the war were led by Udaybam Rana-Ji Rava. They founded a settlement, [[Udaipur]].<ref name=DW />

Manmath Rana-Ji Rava went to [[Ujjain]]. His son Bhupal Ranaji Rao went to [[Ridi]]{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} in the northern hills and in 1495 CE ([[Saka Era]] 1417), to [[Sargha]], and then to [[Khium]] in Bhirkot. There, he cultivated the land. The new ruler of Khium had sons, Kancha and Micha.<ref name=DW /> Their ''bartabandha'' (the taking of the Bharmanical thread) was performed. Plans for the boys to marry the daughters of the Raghuvanshi [[Rajputs]] were made. Kancha, the elder son went to [[Dhor]]. He conquered [[Magarat]] and reigned over [[Garhon]], [[Sathum]] and [[Birkot]]. Micha, the younger son, went to Nuwakot in the far west and became ruler there.<ref name=DW />

From Micha, a dynasty of seven rajas commenced in Nuwakot. Kulamandan, the eldest son of Jagdeva, became ruler of [[Kaski District|Kaski]] displacing [[Gurung]] king. He was favoured and became ''Shah'' and succeeded his father. Kalu, the second son was sent to Dura Danda in [[Lamjung]] at the people's request to become their king. Kalu was killed by the Sekhant tribe, who were the ancestor of present-day [[Gurungs]]. In the 1500s, another son, Yasobramha, became the ruler of [[Lamjung]] after he compromised with the [[Gurungs]].<ref name=DW /> The second son of Yasobramha, [[Dravya Shah]] conquered the [[Ghale]] people of neighbouring Ligligkot, now in [[Gorkha District|Gorkha]]. Prince [[Dravya Shah]] in 1559 CE also replaced the [[Khadka]] chiefs then named the newly found kingdom Gorkha.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}
The ancient name of Gor-kha is derived from Gorakhnath<ref>{{cite web|title=Bringing Aid To Gorkha's Poor {{!}} Features {{!}} ECS Nepal - The Nepali Way|url=http://ecs.com.np/features/bringing-aid-to-gorkhas-poor|website=ecs.com.np}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Kings Palace Gorkha Nepal.jpg|The old king's Darbar at Gorkha
File:Nepal30005a.JPG|Mohar of Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah dated [[Shalivahana era|Saka Era]] 1685 (1763 CE)
</gallery>

==List of kings of Gorkha==
[[File:Khas or Kus group, Goorkha, dominant tribe, Nipal.jpg|thumb|Khas or Kus group, Goorkha, dominant tribe, Nipal]]

The following is list of all ten kings of Gorkha hill principality{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}
{{Succession table monarch
| name1 = '''[[Dravya Shah]]'''
| nickname1 =
| native1 = राजा द्रव्य शाह
| life1 = died 1570
| reignstart1 = 1559
| reignend1 = 1570
| notes1 = Son of [[Yasho Brahma Shah]]
| family1 = Shah
| image1 =
| alt1 = Dravya Shah of Gorkha
| name2 = '''[[Purna Shah]]'''/Purendra Shah
| nickname2 =
| native2 = पूर्ण शाह/ पूरेन्द्र शाह
| life2 = died 1605
| reignstart2 = 1570
| reignend2 = 1605
| notes2 = Son of Dravya Shah
| family2 = Shah
| image2 =
|alt2 =Purendra Shah of Gorkha
| name3 = '''[[Chatra Shah]]'''
| nickname3 =
| native3 = छत्र शाह
| life3 = died 1609 (heirless)
| reignstart3 = 1605
| reignend3 = 1609
| notes3 = First son of Purendra/Purna Shah
| family3 = Shah
| image3 =
| alt3 = Chatra Shah of Gorkha
| name4 = '''[[Ram Shah]]'''
| nickname4 = Ram Shah The Just
| native4 = श्रीमन्त महाराजधिराज राम शाह
| life4 = died 1636
| reignstart4 = 1609
| reignend4 = 1633 (abdicated)
| notes4 = Second son of Purna/Purendra Shah<br />adopted title of Svasti Sri Giriraj
| family4 = Shah
| image4 = King Ram Shah.jpg
| alt4 = Ram Shah of Gorkha
| name5 = '''[[Dambar Shah]]'''
| nickname5 =
| native5 = डम्वर शाह
| life5 = died 1645
| reignstart5 = 1633
| reignend5 = 1645
| notes5 = Son of Ram Shah
| family5 = Shah
| image5 =
| alt5 = Dambar Shah of Gorkha
| name6 = '''[[Krishna Shah (Nepalese royal)|Krishna Shah]]'''
| nickname6 =
| native6 = श्रीकृष्ण शाह
| life6 = died 1661
| reignstart6 = 1645
| reignend6 = 1661
| notes6 = Son of Dambar Shah
| family6 = Shah
| image6 =
| alt6 = Krishna Shah of Gorkha
| name7 = '''[[Rudra Shah]]'''
| nickname7 =
| native7 = रुद्र शाह
| life7 = died 1673
| reignstart7 = 1661
| reignend7 = 1673
| notes7 = Son of Krishna Shah
| family7 = Shah
| image7 =
| alt7 = Rudra Shah of Gorkha
| name8 = '''[[Prithvipati Shah]]'''
| nickname8 =
| native8 = पृथ्वीपत्ति शाह
| life8 = died 1716
| reignstart8 = 1673
| reignend8 = 1716
| notes8 = Son of Rudra Shah
| family8 = Shah
| image8 =
| alt8 = Prithvipati Shah of Gorkha
| name9 = '''[[Nara Bhupal Shah]]'''
| nickname9 =
| native9 = नरभूपाल शाह
| life9 = 1697- 3 April 1743
| reignstart9 = 1716
| reignend9 = 1743
| notes9 = Grandson of Prithvipati Shah and Son of Prince [[Birbhadra Shah]]
| family9 = Shah
| image9 =
| alt9 = Nara Bhupal Shah of Gorkha
| name10 = '''[[Prithvi Narayan Shah]]'''
| nickname10 =
| native10 = बडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह
| life10 = {{Birth date|1723|1|11|df=y}}{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} – {{Death date and age|1775|1|15|1723|1|11|df=y}}
| reignstart10 = 1743
| reignend10 = 25 September 1768
| notes10 = Son of Nara Bhupal Shah
| family10 = Shah
| image10 = Prithvi Narayan Shah.jpg
| alt10 = Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha
}}

==Expansion campaign==
{{main article|Unification of Nepal}}
From 1736, the Gorkhalis engaged in a campaign of expansion begun by King [[Nara Bhupal Shah]], which was continued by his son, [[Prithvi Narayan Shah|King Prithvi Narayan Shah]] and grandson [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Prince Bahadur Shah]]. Over the years, they conquered huge tracts of land to the east and west of Gorkha.<ref>{{cite book | last = Hamilton| first = Francis Buchanan | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30364/30364-h/30364-h.htm#page7| title = An Account of the Kingdom Of Nepal and of the Territories Annexed to This Dominion by the House of Gorkha| publisher = Edinburgh: Longman| year=1819| access-date = 6 January 2013}} Page 7.</ref><ref>Northey, William Brook and Morris, Charles John (1928). ''The Gurkhas: Nepal-Their Manners, Customs and Country.'' Asian Educational Services. {{ISBN|9788120615779}}. Pages 30-31.</ref>

Among their conquests, the most important and valuable acquisition was the wealthy [[Newar]] confederacy of [[Nepal Mandala]] centered in the [[Kathmandu Valley]]. Starting in 1745, the Gorkhalis mounted a blockade in a bid to starve the population into submission, but the inhabitants held out.

The Newars appealed to the British [[East India Company]] to help, and in 1767, it sent an expedition under Captain Kinloch which ended in failure.<ref>{{cite book |last=Marshall|first=Julie G.|title=Britain And Tibet 1765-1947 |publisher=Routledge |year=2005 |page=39 |chapter=Gurkha Conquest of Nepal and the Kinloch and Logan Missions |isbn= 9780415336475}}</ref> The three Newar capitals of [[Kathmandu]], [[Patan, Nepal|Lalitpur]] and [[Bhaktapur]] fell to the Gorkhalis between 1768 and 1769. The Gorkhali king subsequently moved his capital to Kathmandu.<ref>{{cite book | last = Hamilton| first = Francis Buchanan | url = http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30364/30364-h/30364-h.htm#page7| title = An Account of the Kingdom Of Nepal and of the Territories Annexed to This Dominion by the House of Gorkha| publisher = Edinburgh: Longman| year=1819| access-date = 15 January 2013}} Page 7.</ref>

In 1788, the Gorkhalis turned their attention north and invaded [[Tibet]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Marshall|first=Julie G.|title=Britain And Tibet 1765-1947 |publisher=Routledge |year=2005 |page=57 |chapter=Nepal 1788-1903 |isbn= 9780415336475}}</ref> They seized the border towns of [[Gyirong County|Kyirong]] and [[Nyalam Town|Kuti]], and forced the Tibetans to pay an annual tribute. When the Tibetans stopped paying it, the Gorkhalis invaded Tibet again in 1791 and plundered the [[Tashilhunpo Monastery]] in [[Shigatse]]. This time the Chinese army came to Tibet's defence and advanced close to Kathmandu but could not achieve success due to strong counterattack.<ref name="nepalarmy"/> The anxious Bahadur Shah asked for 10 howitzer mountain guns from the British East India Company. Captain [[William Kirkpatrick (East India Company officer)|William Kirkpatrick]] arrived in Kathmandu, however the deal was not made due to unfavorable circumstances for the Gorkhalis.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kirkpatrick| first = Colonel| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ijxAAAAAYAAJ| title = An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul| publisher = London: William Miller| year=1811| access-date = 11 February 2013}}</ref> Eventually, the Fu Kanggan was keen to protect his army and the war being resultless was concluded by signing a peace treaty at Betrawati.<ref name="nepalarmy"/><ref>{{cite news|last= Boulnois|first= L.|title= Chinese Maps and Prints on the Tibet-Gorkha War of 1788-92 |url= http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/kailash/pdf/kailash_15_0102_03.pdf|access-date=21 January 2013|newspaper= Kailash |page = 86}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://countrystudies.us/nepal/11.htm|title= The Enclosing of Nepal|author= |publisher= U.S. Library of Congress|access-date=21 January 2013}}</ref>

A later [[Nepalese–Tibetan War]] was fought from 1855 to 1856 in [[Tibet]] between the forces of the Tibetan government ([[Ganden Phodrang]], then [[Tibet under Qing rule|under administrative rule]] of the [[Qing dynasty]]) and the invading Nepalese army, resulting in the victory of Nepal.<ref name="nepalarmy">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nepalarmy.mil.np/history.php?page=three |title=Nepalese Army | नेपाली सेना |access-date=2017-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220102904/http://nepalarmy.mil.np/history.php?page=three |archive-date=2016-12-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Gorkha dominion reached its height at the beginning of the 19th century, extending all along the [[Himalaya]]n foothills from [[Kumaon Kingdom|Kumaon]] and [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwal]] in the west to [[Sikkim]] in the east. They were made to return much of the occupied territories after their defeat in the [[Anglo-Nepalese War]] (1814–1816) .<ref>{{cite book | last = Pradhan| first = Kumar | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Pz4bAAAAIAAJ | title = The Gorkha conquests: the process and consequences of the unification of Nepal, with particular reference to eastern Nepal |publisher = Oxford University Press | year=1991 | isbn = 978-0-19-562723-7 | access-date = 6 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = History of Sikkim, 1817–1904: Analysis of British Policy and Activities | last = Jha | first = Pranab Kumar | year = 1985 | publisher = O.P.S. Publishers | page = 11 | asin = B001OQE7EY }}</ref>

==Gorkha to Nepal==
[[File:1907ca 4paisa Nepal Mi22.jpg|thumb|Postage stamp issued by Gorkha government in 1907]]
[[File:Gorkhapatra masthead 9Jan33.jpg|thumb|''Gorkhapatra'' dated January 9, 1933]]

The Gorkha dominion continued to be known as Gorkha Rajya (meaning the Gorkha Kingdom) until the beginning of the 20th century. Historically, the name 'Nepal' referred mainly to Kathmandu valley, the homeland of the Newars. Since the 1930s, the state began using it to refer to the entire country and 'Nepal Khaldo' (Nepal Valley) became 'Kathmandu Valley'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/history|title=History of Nepal - Lonely Planet Travel Information|last=Planet|first=Lonely|website=www.lonelyplanet.com|access-date=2016-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wiIw2_WFwC4C|title=Nepal 8|last=Bindloss|first=Joseph|date=2010-09-15|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=9781742203614|language=en}}</ref> The name Gorkha Sarkar (meaning Gorkha government) was also changed to Nepal government.

Similarly, the Gorkhali language was renamed as [[Nepali language|Nepali]] in 1933.<ref>Lienhard, Siegfried (1992). ''Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns.'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. {{ISBN|81-208-0963-7}}. Page 3.</ref> The term Gorkhali in the former [[national anthem]] entitled "Shreeman Gambhir" was changed to Nepali in 1951.<ref>{{cite news|title=The kings song |url=http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/4214-.html |access-date=3 April 2012 |newspaper=Himal Southasian |date=June 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025182216/http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/4214-.html |archive-date=25 October 2012 }}</ref> The government newspaper, launched in 1901, is still known as [[Gorkhapatra]] (meaning Gorkha gazette).

The Shah dynasty ruled Nepal until 2008 when it became a republic following a people's movement.<ref>{{cite news|title= Nepal's Gorkha kingdom falls |url= http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-06-02/rest-of-world/27770497_1_narayanhity-dipendra-prithvi-narayan-shah |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130411033226/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-06-02/rest-of-world/27770497_1_narayanhity-dipendra-prithvi-narayan-shah |url-status= dead |archive-date= 11 April 2013 |access-date=11 February 2013|newspaper= [[The Times of India]] |date= 2 June 2008}}</ref> Today, [[Gorkha District]], roughly corresponding to the old kingdom, is one of the 77 administrative districts of Nepal.

==Gurkhas==
[[File:5th Gurkha Rifles, Japan 1946.jpg|thumb|Gurkha soldiers arrive in Japan in 1946 as part of Allied occupation forces]]

Not to be confused with the inhabitants of the old Gorkha Kingdom only, the [[Gurkha]]s are also military units in the British or the Indian army (where they are known as Gorkhas) enlisted in Nepal and India. Their history goes back to the [[Anglo-Nepalese War|Anglo-Gorkha War]] and the [[Sugauli Treaty]] of 1816. It allowed the [[British East India Company]] to recruit men from the Gorkha kingdom hills to serve as mercenaries.

During [[World War II]] (1939–45), a total of 250,280 Gurkhas served in 40 battalions, plus eight [[Nepalese Army]] battalions, plus parachute, training, garrison, and porter units. They earned 2,734 bravery awards, and suffered around 32,000 casualties in all theatres.<ref>{{cite book | last = Parker | first = John | year = 2005 | title = The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers | publisher = Headline Book Publishing | isbn = 978-0-7553-1415-7}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Metal Window.JPG|Metal Window
File:Stone history.JPG|Stone history
File:Gorkha Durbar.JPG|Gorkha Durbar
File:King Prithavi Pal.JPG|King Prithavi Pal
File:Image of Goddess & Gorkha Palace.JPG|Image of Goddess & Gorkha Palace
File:Gorkha Tallo Durbar.JPG|Gorkha Tallo Durbar
File:Shree Panch Bada Maharajadhiraj Prithavi Narayan Shah Dev.JPG|Shree Panch Bada Maharajadhiraj Prithavi Narayan Shah Dev
File:Nepali Cannon.JPG|Nepali Cannon
File:Nagada.JPG|Nagada
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Battle of Kathmandu]]
* [[Kingdom of Nepal]]
* [[List of Hindu empires and dynasties]]
* [[Shah dynasty]]
* [[Rana dynasty]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Nepal topics}}

{{Uttarakhand}}

[[Category:Gurkhas]]
[[Category:History of Nepal]]
[[Category:Empires and kingdoms of Nepal]]
[[Category:16th-century establishments in Nepal]]
[[Category:18th-century disestablishments in Nepal]]
[[Category:Chaubisi Rajya]]
[[Category:Former kingdoms]]

Gorkha Kingdom - Revision history

5.198.113.50 at 21:23, 16 December 2022