An ambitious ruler, born on 1723 B.S (according to Nepali calendar)
and died on 1775 B.S; was a member of shah, ruling family of Gorkha had played
a vital role in the unification of modern Nepal by conquering small quarrelsome
& disunited principalities around Gorkha and The battles to conquer the
Kathmandu valley continued for over two decades with the fortified town of
Kirtipur in the southwest being the critical target.
The first major assault was in 1757 when the Gorkhali army was
defeated and their commander Kalu Pande was killed. After several years of
blockades a second major assault was launched in 1764, which again failed and
the King’s brother Surpratap was blinded by an arrow.
In 1767, Kirtpur was conquered and the story goes that this
was only possible once Danuvanta a noble from Lalitpur betrayed his people and
led the Gorkhali army into the town. Infuriated by decades of resistance and
losses to the Gorkhali army, all nobles were killed and the noses and ears of
the other inhabitants were cut off.
Even today the shameful mound where supposedly the noses and
lips were piled high can be found on Tyanglaphat: forgotten, rejected and
hidden away between the suburban sprawl. Prithvi Narayan Shah went on to
conquer the Malla kingdoms of Kathmandu and Lalitpur in 1768 and Bhaktapur in 1769.
He then moved his capital to Kathmandu, establishing himself
in the palace at Hanuman Dhoka. The generals and noblemen of Gorkha also moved
to Kathmandu in 1770 to end strategic control over valley by Newar forever. Whereas
east India Company was holding their power in north India were deluded by false
visions of wealthy Tibet, tries to gain entry to Kathmandu and Lhasa. But they
were excluded by King Prithvi Narayan shah and so did he advised Tibetans to
block their entry to Lhasa.
He didn’t stopped there just by conquering Kathmandu and other
small states. The campaigns continued with Abhiman Singh Basnyat commanding the
conquest of Vijaypur and Ilam, then crossing the Mechi River into Darjeeling in
1774.And also it went far beyond its present territory to include Sikkim in the
east and Satlas River in the west.
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