King Prithivi Narayan Shah
| Prithivi Narayan Shah श्री ५ वडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह |
|
|---|---|
| King of Nepal | |
 |
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| Reign | 25 September 1743 – 11 January 1775 |
| Coronation | 25 September 1743 |
| Predecessor | Nara Bhupal Shah |
| Successor | Pratap Singh Shah |
| Born | 11 January 1723 Gorkha, Gorkha Kingdom, Nepal |
| Died | 11 January 1775 (aged 52) Devighat, Nuwakot, Nepal |
| Spouse | Indra Kumari Devi Narendra Rajya Laxmi Devi Icchavati Devi Dayavati Devi |
| Issue |
Pratap Singh Shah Vedum Shah Bahadur Shah Narayan Shah Vishnu Shah |
| Dynasty | Shah dynasty |
| Father | Nara Bhupal Shah |
| Mother | Kaushalyavati Devi |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775; Nepali: श्री ५ वडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह) was the first King of unified Nepal. He is credited for starting the campaign for a re-unification of Nepal. He was the ninth generation descendant of Dravya Shah (1559–1570), the founder of the ruling house of Prithbinarayan. Prithvi Narayan Shah succeeded his father, King Nara Bhupal Shah, to the throne of the Gorkha Kingdom in 1743, at the age of 20.
Prithivi narayan Shah was born as a prince in the Gorkha Kingdom. Chandra Pravawati (the first wife of King Nara Bhupal Shah) raised him, although his biological mother was Kaushalyavati Devi. From a young age, he took interest in the affairs of his father's state and soon began to take on these responsibilities. Prithivi Narayan Shah had an early dream of conquering Nuwakot, partially as his father had lost it to the Mallas of Kathmandu in an earlier war. After the death of his father in 1743, Prithivi Narayan Shah ascended to the throne of Gorkha at the age of 20. As king, he valued his people and enjoyed talking to his subjects about their general concerns. This practice helped him to build a rapport with his people, and helped him to understand the requirements of the citizens of Gorkha. King Shah sealed his borders and maintained a peaceful environment except for distant relations with the British, who were refusing to trade with Nepal at the time.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah's reign began with an immediate military defeat; his invasion of Nuwakot in 1743 CE failed. Conquering Nuwakot was essential for the unification, as it lay between Kathmandu and the Gorkha District, making it a vital trading route to Tibet. However, he successfully conquered Nuwakot in a subsequent attack in 1744 CE. After capturing Nuwakot, he took possession of the strategic locations in the hills surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. The valley was completely cut off from the outside world and was controlled solely by Shah. He also occupied the Kuti Pass in c.1756 CE, halting all trade through the pass and preventing communication with Tibet.
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