Shree 5 Bada Maharajdhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (11 January 1723 – 11 January 1775) was the last king of the Gorkha Kingdom and the founding monarch of the unified Kingdom of Nepal, also referred to as the Gorkha Empire. He is credited with initiating the Unification of Nepal and relocating the royal seat of power to Kathmandu. His reign marks the end of the medieval period and the beginning of the modern history of Nepal.
Shree 5 Bada Maharajdhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah played a central role in the formation of modern Nepal through his campaigns of territorial consolidation, making him a prominent figure in Nepali history, and his efforts at political unification and national identity continue to be recognized in contemporary narratives.
Scholars have drawn comparisons between his historical role and that of George Washington in the United States, citing his vision and leadership within the context of 18th-century South Asia. Some interpretations highlight his efforts to mobilize public support and establish a foundation for a unified state. His legacy remains influential in Nepal's political and cultural discourse.
Early life
Prithvi Narayan Shah was born prematurely on 11 January 1723 as the first child of Nara Bhupal Shah and Kaushalyavati Devi in the Gorkha Palace. His father, Nara Bhupal Shah, was the reigning monarch of the small hill principality of Gorkha. His mother, Kaushalyavati Devi, was a queen known for her piety and influence on the young prince. While his formal teachers provided his primary education, the development of his character was overseen by Queen Chandra Pravawati, a senior queen in the palace. Noticing the indulgent lifestyles of the princes of neighbouring states such as Tanahun, Lamjung, and Kaski, she deliberately kept Prithvi Narayan away from pleasurable pursuits and diversions. As a result, historical records note no traces of youthful indulgence in his early life.
thumb|upright=1.1|alt=Portrait of Prithvi Narayan Shah|Contemporary painting of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, preserved in the Old Palace, Kathmandu.
Personal life
Prithvi Narayan Shah was married twice. His first marriage took place in 1738, when he was 14 years old, to Indra Kumari Devi, the daughter of Hemkarna Sen, the ruler of the Kingdom of Makwanpur.
Prithvi Narayan Shah had six known children: two sons who played significant roles in later Nepalese history (Pratap Singh Shah and Bahadur Shah), a third son Vedum Shah who died young, a daughter Bilas Kumari, and two other sons, Narayan Shah and Vishnu Shah.
Reign and military career
Before Prithvi Narayan Shah's unification movement, there were a total of 54 states in Nepal. The 54 states were named as Baisi Rajya and Chaubise Rajya. In the South-Eastern Terai, there were three Sen states: Makawanpur, Bijayapur, and Chaudandi. In the West, from Gorkha (includes parts west of Trishuli from present day Dhading) to Gandaki Province, there were 24 states. In the province of Karnali, there were 22 states with Kalyan, Samaal, Shahi and Chand dynasties. Along with Gorkha and Mustang, Bhaktapur, Kantipur and Lalitpur made up the remaining five states.
thumb|Prithvi Narayan Shah consulting with his first Army Chief (Senapati) [[Shivaram Singh Basnyat.]]
When Prithvi Narayan Shah ascended to the throne of Gorkha on 3 April 1743 AD, it was still a small state. He then started to contemplate the methods for turning Gorkha into a huge and strong state. He went to Varanasi to gain first-hand knowledge about the neighbouring states and about India to the south. During those days, Varanasi was one of the largest trade centres in India where people from different places gathered. He met with different types of people and gained valuable understandings regarding the political and social conditions of the Indian Sub-Continent. In Varanasi, his father-in-law Abhiman Singh, a Thakuri Chief, procured for him some firearms and a quantity of ammunition.
thumb|upright=1.1|alt=Old Sanskrit letter addressed to King Prithvi Narayan Shah|A historical [[Sanskrit manuscript addressed to King Prithvi Narayan Shah, illustrating the formal communication practices]]
Nuwakot
His first attempt at invasion of Nuwakot in 1743 CE failed and his reign began with an immediate military defeat. Conquering Nuwakot was essential for the unification, as it lay between Kathmandu and the Gorkha District, making it a vital trading route to Tibet.
On his return to Gorkha from Varanasi, Prithvi Narayan Shah first took steps to defeat Nuwakot in the diplomatic field. He entered into friendly alliance with the chiefs of Lamjung, Tanahun and Palpa. This done, Prithvi Narayan Shah sent an army against Nuwakot from three directions. The Chief of Nuwakot Kaji Jayanta Rana Magar (former Kaji of Gorkha) knowing that Gorkha was going to attack them in near future had gone to take help from Jaya Prakash Malla, the king of Kantipur. Thus Kaji Jayant Rana Magar, son Commander of Nuwakot Sankha Mani Rana Magar commanded the Nuwakot army representing his father. The Nuwakot army was defeated in 1744 CE and his country passed into the hands of Prithvi Narayan Shah's Gorkha.
On the 6th of Jestha (28 May 1757), a severe battle was fought, which lasted from evening till 12 gharis of the night. The Gorkhalis, having lost 131 men, retreated. The battle was renewed daily for fifteen days, without the Gorkhalis making any impression. On the 6th of Jeth Sudi a hardly contested battle was fought, which lasted till 14 gharis of the night. At this time a soldier, getting behind Mahindra Sinha, killed him with a khoda and a lance and wounded Narasinha in the left shoulder with a Khukuri, due to which he fell senseless to the ground. Seeing this, the Chaukotiyas fled, and the village was set on fire. In this battle, the Gorkhalis lost 201 men, which, with the 131 killed on the former day, gives a total of 332 men. Shah is said to have planned to annex the Kathmandu valley after seeing it from the Chandragiri Hill.]]
After consolidating the surrounding regions, Prithvi Narayan Shah prepared to take possession of the Kathmandu Valley. His conquest of the whole of Nepal was rendered easier by the internal dissensions among the Nepali rulers. Ranjit Malla, the chief of Bhadgaon, invoked the assistance of the Gorkha Chief due to his feud with the chiefs of Patan and Kathmandu.
In June 1767, The Nepali Vakeels Muktananda and Faqir Ramdoss who came to solicit East India Company help on behalf of Jaya Prakash Malla were examined by Capt. Kinloch at Patna with a view to eliciting every information of military importance. The strength of Prithvi Narayan Shah's troops, as the Vakeels said, was near about 50,000 of which again, only 20,000 were stationed in the Nepal valley and the rest was engaged in cultivation in their native places. Their arms comprised bows and arrows, swords and matchlocks. The Vakeels also made no secret of the fact that there was no time to lose, as the break of monsoon the hilly paths would become unsafe and the hill rivers unforeseeable. They also informed Capt. Kinloch how Prithvi Narayan Shah had "taken ten principal cities and possession of all his (Jaya Prakash's) country" and had kept the towns of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhadgaun, and Zeemy closely blockaded.
The total distance to be covered by the expeditionary force was 96 coss and the journey had to be completed by eleven stages.
The expedition, however, miscarried and the high hopes of the Select Committee were dashed to the ground. The reasons for the failure were set forth in a series of letters that passed between Capt. Kinloch and Mr. Rumbold. The first reason mentioned the destruction of the major part of their provisions by a sudden torrent from the hills. The other reason was that no help in respect to provisions came from the Nepal Rajah. "Famine stared them in the face. Retreat under the present circumstances was out of the question and it was impossible to hold Sindhuli for long as all supplies of provisions had been cut off by the enemy." But as Kinloch insisted the troops had to face the Bagmati River. The troops had built an improvised bridge and rafts but the violent torrent washed them down. Famished and falling sick in an increasingly large number, the troops had no way out but to order an immediate retreat. The retreating troops, however, were hotly pursued by the Gorkhas sent by Prithvi Narayan Shah. Capt. Kinloch then, at last, returned to the Terai and occupied the territories of Bara, Parsa and Hilwall.
Economic policy
Prithvi Narayan Shah strongly emphasized local production. In his Divya Upadesh, he was of the idea that if foreign traders enter Nepal then they will suck the country dry. In the same context, he suggested a boycott on wearing foreign clothes and also promoted the training of the local people to weave clothes. He believed that by doing so, the local wealth would not be allowed to reach out of the country. He encouraged the selling of Nepali herbs to foreign lands and bringing the wealth so attained back to the country. He famously said, "प्रजा मोटो भए दरबार पनि बलियो रहन्छ" (If the people are capable then the palace will also remain stronger).
In January 1775, at the age of 52, Prithvi Narayan Shah died at Devighat, Nuwakot on his birthday. Upon his death, his son, Pratap Singh Shah, succeeded him and his unification campaign was continued by his younger son, Bahadur Shah.
Prithvi Narayan Shah's legacy as the founder of modern Nepal is profound. He transformed a small hill principality into a unified kingdom that could resist external threats. His teachings in the Divyopadesh continue to be quoted in Nepali political discourse, and his emphasis on national unity and self-reliance has made him a national hero.