Ancient Nepal History

Early Period (4000 BCE - 1200 CE)

• The earliest known inhabitants of Nepal were the Kiratis, who ruled the valley from 800 BCE to 300 CE.
• The Licchavis (400 CE - 750 CE) and Mallas (1200 CE - 1769 CE) dynasties followed, with the Mallas dividing the kingdom into three parts: Kantipur, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur.

Unification and Expansion (1200 CE - 1846 CE)

• In the 18th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkhali king, unified the three kingdoms and established the Kingdom of Nepal in 1769.
• Nepal expanded its territories through conquests, reaching its peak during the reign of Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah (1799-1816).

Anglo-Nepal War and Treaty (1814-1816)

• The Anglo-Nepal War (1814-1816) resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli, which established Nepal's current borders and ceded significant territories to the British East India Company.

Rana Rule (1846-1951)

• The Rana dynasty, which ruled Nepal from 1846 to 1951, was marked by a period of isolationism and stagnation.
• The Ranas maintained power by suppressing the monarchy and restricting access to education and modernization.

Democracy and Modernization (1951-1990)

• In 1951, the Nepali Congress, led by BP Koirala, overthrew the Rana regime, and a constitutional monarchy was established.
• The 1960s and 1970s saw significant modernization efforts, including land reform and the development of infrastructure.

People's Movement and Constitution (1990-2015)

• The 1990 People's Movement led to the establishment of a multiparty democracy and the adoption of a new constitution.
• The Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) and the subsequent peace process resulted in the abolition of the monarchy and the adoption of a federal republican constitution in 2015.

Contemporary Nepal (2015-present)

• Nepal is currently a federal democratic republic, with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government.
• The country continues to face challenges, including poverty, corruption, and infrastructure development, but has made progress in recent years.

Early Period (4000 BCE - 1200 CE)

• The earliest known inhabitants of Nepal were the Kiratis, who ruled the valley from 800 BCE to 300 CE.
• The Licchavis dynasty ruled from 400 CE to 750 CE.
• The Mallas dynasty ruled from 1200 CE to 1769 CE and divided the kingdom into three parts: Kantipur, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur.

Unification and Expansion (1200 CE - 1846 CE)

• Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkhali king, unified the three kingdoms and established the Kingdom of Nepal in 1769.
• Nepal expanded its territories through conquests, reaching its peak during the reign of Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah (1799-1816).

Anglo-Nepal War and Treaty (1814-1816)

• The Anglo-Nepal War (1814-1816) resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli.
• The Treaty of Sugauli established Nepal's current borders and ceded significant territories to the British East India Company.

Rana Rule (1846-1951)

• The Rana dynasty ruled Nepal from 1846 to 1951.
• The Rana dynasty was marked by a period of isolationism and stagnation.
• The Ranas maintained power by suppressing the monarchy and restricting access to education and modernization.

Democracy and Modernization (1951-1990)

• The Nepali Congress, led by BP Koirala, overthrew the Rana regime in 1951.
• A constitutional monarchy was established in 1951.
• The 1960s and 1970s saw significant modernization efforts, including land reform and the development of infrastructure.

People's Movement and Constitution (1990-2015)

• The 1990 People's Movement led to the establishment of a multiparty democracy.
• The 1990 People's Movement led to the adoption of a new constitution.
• The Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) and the subsequent peace process resulted in the abolition of the monarchy.
• The adoption of a federal republican constitution was in 2015.

Contemporary Nepal (2015-present)

• Nepal is currently a federal democratic republic.
• The president serves as head of state and the prime minister as head of government.
• The country continues to face challenges, including poverty, corruption, and infrastructure development.
• Nepal has made progress in recent years.

Learn about the early period of Nepal, from the Kiratis to the Mallas, and the unification of the kingdoms by Prithvi Narayan Shah.