We often complain that the reason Nepal is in such a bad situation is the leaders we have now. We have irresponsible leaders these days who are doing nothing but deteriorating the situation in Nepal. But this was not the case; we always had a fantastic history, and some leaders made the Nepal we have now. Many leaders have given their heart and blood for this Nation.
This article is for those leaders who made Nepal great. While we are talking about kings and kingdoms from history, this article continues with that. We list the names of the most effective and dynamic leaders in the past. They are the ones who made steps towards unifying Nepal.
Table of Contents
Prithivi Narayan Shah
I don’t think there is anyone who is not aware of Prirthivi Narayan Shah. He was the most visionary and farsighted king of all time. Prithvi Narayan Shah is the one who made Nepal great with his bravery and diplomatic skills. Prithvi Narayan Shah is the most skilled, brave, courageous, and visionary leader. He was born in Gorkha to the then king and queen of Gorkha.
At the time of his birth, there was controversy about who should be the king of Gorkha. He was born within seven months of conception, while his brother Brindakeshar was born after ten months.
There was a debate on who was the elder as the elder one got the throne. But later on, Prithivi Narayan Shah became the king. He was courageous and showed the true king’s traits from childhood. He learned all weapon, diplomatic, and war skills in his childhood. His upbringing was such that he gained the character of a king from a very young age. He was very patriotic and passionate about his kingdom.
As he grew up, the East India Company was extending its border. Most neighboring countries were under its rule. Prithvi Narayan Shah knew the more divided we are, the less powerful we are. He knew that it would be clear for the British to take over small states one by one. So, he saw the dream of unification.
With his diplomatic skills and courage, he took over all the powerful states like Nuwakot, Kirtipur, Patan, Bhaktapur, and Kathmandu. After conquering the valley, he moved towards the Chaubise Rajya in the west. He conquered the most powerful states on the west side, Lamjung, Tanahun, Kaski, and Palpa. He eventually won the war with almost all states and became successful in his mission of extending Nepal.
However, his coming generation also did a lot in the unification process. Prithivi Narayan Shah started the steps, and others followed them. Prithivi Narayan Shah will always remain the bravest King of Nepal, and we all owe the kingdom we have now to Prithivi Narayan Shah. Even if he was not there, Nepal would probably be divided into smaller states. But now we have a single country that we can proudly call Nepal.
Rajendra Laxmi
Queen Rajendra Laxmi is another name that has an important role in the unification of Nepal. She is probably the most powerful woman in history. After the death of Prithivi Narayan Shah, his elder son Pratap Singh Shah took over the throne.
He was doing good as a king, but after ruling for three years, he died at the age of 26. Then his two and half-year-old son Rana Bahadur Shah, took over the throne. He was too small to look after the country. His mother, Rajendra Laxmi, watched over the Nation during his reign. He was king of the name; only his mother looked after all the administrative work. She and her brother-in-law Bahadur Shah, together, run the country. Later, they had a fight, and Rajendra Laxmi imprisoned him and started ruling the country alone.
It was the first time a queen was looking over Nepal. But as they say, women prove to be better leaders; she did a fantastic job. That is why she makes it up to the list. During her eight years of rule, she showed extraordinary bravery and diplomatic skills.
She took over many countries during her rule and continued on the path of Prithivi Narayan Shah. Rajendra Laxmi died in 1842 BS, but she is still an example for all women. She ruled over the country in the most effective way when only males used to look after all these things. She continuously struggled to keep the dignity and freedom of the Nation.
Bhimsen Thapa
The great icon of our Nation, Bhimsen Thapa, was born in Nepal’s Gorkha District in August 1975. During the Anglo-Nepal War, when the Rana Regime still ruled Nepal, he was elected the country’s first prime minister. Even though there was tremendous discrimination from the Ranas to the common people at the time, he continued to believe in unity and equality among all Nepalese people despite belonging to higher-class families. Even in these trying times, his optimistic and open-minded outlook helped Nepal get closer to equality.
He has given the country a lot during his time in those posts. He constructed the well-known Dharahara, a nine-story structure from which one could see the entire Kathmandu Valley.
In addition to maintaining good relations among the royal families, he used to advise the monarch on how Nepal could advance together. He possessed a distinctive personality and guided his surroundings toward harmony.
Bahadur Shah
Bahadur Shah was the second son of Prithivi Narayan Shah. Being the youngest son, he couldn’t rule over the kingdom. However, he was as brave and visionary as his father. His brother Pratap Shah ruled the kingdom for three years and died shortly. Then, Bahadur Shah couldn’t rule over the kingdom as the throne was given to two-and-a-half-year-old sons. However, he, along with the wife of Pratap Shah, took over the kingdom.
He also has a very big hand in the unification of Nepal. He studied in India in order to understand the nature of the East India Company. Palpa and Parbat were very powerful at that time. They were significant issues for Bahadur Shah in his unification campaign, so he married the daughter of Mahadutta Singh, King of Palpa.
Then, he made a treaty with Palpa. Bahadur Shah was dealing with internal affairs, and Rajendra Laxmi Shah. The queen even imprisoned him. But despite all the issues, he overcame them and worked on his aim of unifying Nepal. Bahadur Shah has a vital role in unifying the Chaubise states. He also won over the Baise states.
He is an important name in history. However, when the son of Pratap Shah, Rana Bahadur Shah, reached eighteen, he imprisoned Bahadur Shah with false accusations. He did in captivity in 1855 BS after being in jail for three years. Rumors are that he was killed with boiling oil. He became the victim of Rana Bahadur Shah’s diplomacy.
