In 1744, “Nepal” did not exist as a country. The region was a patchwork of over 50 small principalities — some ruled by kings, others by chieftains, all competing for land and power. Within 30 years, one man would weld them into a single nation.
That man was Prithvi Narayan Shah, king of a small hill state called Gorkha. His campaign — the unification of Nepal — is the founding story of the modern country.
The World Before Unification
Before 1744, the Himalayan region was divided into three rough groupings:
- The Chaubise (24) principalities — Small hill kingdoms in central and western Nepal
- The Baise (22) principalities — Western hill kingdoms
- The Malla kingdoms — Three sophisticated city-states in the Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur
The Kathmandu Valley kingdoms were wealthy but rivals. The hill principalities were militarily strong but disunited. None of them could resist a determined conqueror.
Prithvi Narayan Shah: The Man
Born in 1723 in Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah ascended the throne in 1743 at the age of 20. His father, Nara Bhupal Shah, had already begun small military reforms. But Prithvi Narayan had a much bigger vision.
He is said to have declared:
“Nepal is a yam between two boulders.”
Meaning: the country sits between China (north) and India (south). To survive, it must be unified and strong.
He understood something his rivals did not: the British East India Company was expanding across India. If Nepal remained fragmented, it would be swallowed piece by piece.
The Campaign: Key Battles
1. Nuwakot (1744) — The First Victory
Prithvi Narayan’s first major target was Nuwakot (Nuwakot district), a hill town controlling the trade route between Kathmandu and Tibet.
In 1744, his forces captured Nuwakot. This victory gave Gorkha:
- Control of trans-Himalayan trade
- A strategic base overlooking the Kathmandu Valley
- A morale boost for the young king
2. Kirtipur (1767) — The Hardest Battle
Prithvi Narayan attacked Kirtipur (now part of Kathmandu district) multiple times. The first attack failed, and his brother Surapratap Shah lost an eye. The second attack also failed.
On the third attempt in 1767, after a long siege, Kirtipur finally fell. The victory came at a brutal cost — Prithvi Narayan ordered harsh punishment for the town’s defenders.
Kirtipur became the launching point for the conquest of the entire Kathmandu Valley.
3. The Kathmandu Valley (1768–1769)
During the festival of Indra Jatra in 1768, when the valley’s kings and soldiers were distracted by celebrations, Prithvi Narayan’s forces stormed Kathmandu and captured it.
Within months, Patan (Lalitpur) surrendered. In 1769, Bhaktapur — the last Malla stronghold — fell. The three ancient kingdoms were now part of Gorkha.
4. Eastern and Western Campaigns
After unifying the valley, Prithvi Narayan expanded eastward and westward:
- East: Kirat and Limbuwan territories (modern Ilam, Dhankuta, Taplejung)
- West: Chaubise principalities (modern Kaski, Palpa, Gulmi)
By his death in 1775, Gorkha controlled most of present-day Nepal.
How Unification Was Achieved
Prithvi Narayan’s success was not just about battles. He used a combination of:
- Military strategy — Attacking trade routes before cities
- Diplomacy — Making alliances where possible, conquering where not
- Economic warfare — Blockading the Kathmandu Valley to weaken its kings
- Modernization — Hiring Indian and European military advisors
- Timing — Striking during festivals when defenses were lax
- Family support — His brothers and sons fought alongside him
The Legacy
Prithvi Narayan Shah’s unification shaped modern Nepal in lasting ways:
- A single kingdom replacing 50+ principalities
- Kathmandu as capital — moved from Gorkha in 1768
- A unified army — foundation of the modern Nepal Army
- A national identity — “Nepal” as a country, not just a region
- Diplomatic doctrine — the “yam between two boulders” remains relevant today
His successors continued the campaigns until the kingdom stretched from the Mechi River in the east to the Mahakali in the west — the rough shape of modern Nepal.
However, the young nation would soon face a much bigger threat from the south: the British East India Company. That confrontation — the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–1816 — would define Nepal’s modern borders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is the founder of modern Nepal? Prithvi Narayan Shah, king of Gorkha, unified over 50 small kingdoms into the modern nation of Nepal between 1744 and 1775.
Q: When did the unification of Nepal begin? The unification campaign began in 1744 with the conquest of Nuwakot.
Q: Why did Prithvi Narayan Shah want to unify Nepal? He believed a fragmented Nepal would be vulnerable to foreign powers. His famous analogy was that “Nepal is a yam between two boulders” — China to the north and India to the south.
Q: Which was the hardest battle in the unification campaign? The Battle of Kirtipur (1767) was the hardest — Gorkha’s forces failed twice before finally capturing the town.
Q: When did Prithvi Narayan Shah die? He died in 1775, leaving a kingdom that stretched across most of modern Nepal.