Shah dynasty - kuchewar

The Shah dynasty (Nepali: शाह वंश), also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty from the Indian subcontinent; and derived from the Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May 2008.

The Shah dynasty traces their historical ancestor to King of Kaski, Kulamandan Shah Khand, whose grandson Dravya Shah captured the throne of Gorkha from Khadka kings with the help of accomplices from six resident clans of Gorkha to become the King of Gorkha.

Origins
Coronation of Dravya Shah
Absolute monarchy (1768–1846)
Hereditary prime ministers (1846–1951)
Constitutional monarchy (1990–2008)
- Massacre of the royal family
Abolition of the Shah monarchy
Monarchs of Shah dynasty (1559–2008)
- Monarchs of Shah dynasty of Gorkha (1559–1768)
- Monarchs of Shah dynasty of Nepal (1768–2008)
Paternal roots of Shah dynasty
See also
References
- Footnotes
- Notes
Books
External links

Origins

The Shah descendants claimed to be of Rajput origin. However, they are ranked as Thakuris. He argues that:

The family of Gorkha which now governs Nepal, although it pretends to come from Chittor, according to Sadhu Ram, a good authority, is, in reality, of the Magar tribe; and, at any rate, these people are now firmly attached to its interests, by having largely shared in the sweets of conquest; and by far the greatest part of the regular troops of that family is composed of this nation.

— An account of the Kingdom of Nepal

He further contended on Shah family that:

The family pretends to be of the Pamar tribe; but it is alleged, as I have already explained, that this is a mere fable, and that, on the arrival of the colony from Chitaur, this family were Magars.

— An account of the Kingdom of Nepal

Coronation of Dravya Shah

Dravya Shah was the youngest son of Yasho Brahma Shah, Raja (King) of Lamjung and grandson of Kulamandan Shah Khad, Raja (King) of Kaski. He became the king of Gorkha with the help of accomplices namely Kaji Ganesh Pandey. He ascended the throne of Gorkha on 1559 A.D. 19th century writer Daniel Wright describes the coronation of Dravya Shah as:

On Wednesday the 8th of Bhadon Badi, Saka 1481 (A.D. 1559) Rohini Nakshatra (i.e. the moon in the Rohini mansion) being an auspicious day, Drabya Shah aided by Bhagirath Panth, Ganesa Pande, Gangaram Rana, Busal Arjyal, Khanal Bohra and Murli Khawas of Gorkha, concealed himself in a hut. Ganesa Pande had collected all the people of who wore the brahmanical thread such as the Thapas, Busals, Ranas and Maski Ranas of the Magar tribe, they went by the Dahya Gauda route and the Durbar. Drabya Shah killed the Khadka, Raja his own hand, with a sword, during the battle ensued. At the same auspicious moment Drabya took his seat on the gaddi, amidst the clash music.

— History of Nepal

Previously, the local Ghale people had chosen their king from the winners of an annual running race. Dravya Shah was not a physically robust man but he was cheater his way to the win. He was backed by the Bhattarai, Aryal, Adhikari, Pant and Acharya clans who were Jaisi Brahmin. By 1570, when Dravya Shah died, the running race was but a memory among the people. Dravya Shah used the army of the Magar (an ancient tribe of Nepal) to invade neighboring states and his successors continued this aggression to increase the territory belonging to Gorkha. Kaji Ganesh Pande was his first minister of Gorkha.

Absolute monarchy (1768–1846)

King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the last king of Gorkha Kingdom (1743-1768) and the first Shah king of Nepal (1768-1775)

In 1743, Prithvi Narayan Shah became the ruler of Gorkha. He declared war with other principalities, defeating them one by one. In September 1768, he established the unified kingdom of Gorkha. He became the first king of large Gorkha Kingdom. He, his sons and their successors continued fighting and defeating other kingdoms and enlarging the kingdom of Gorkha. In 1814, the Anglo–Nepalese Warbetween Gorkha and the East India Company began. By 1815, the Shah king had been thoroughly defeated. By 1816, Gorkha had lost one-third of its territory. The Shah kings continued to rule as an absolute monarch until 1846 when the political order changed from absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy.

Hereditary prime ministers (1846–1951)

In 1846, the Rana dynasty gained power in Nepal. The Ranas became prime ministers and reduced the King’s status to a figurehead position. The Ranas ruled Nepal as hereditary prime ministers though in the name of the figurehead king. In 1950, the Shah king King Tribhuvan was forced into exile in India. He and his family, including the crown prince Mahendra, were saved. After India became a secular state in 1950, and the remaining rajas retired, Nepal was the only remaining Hindu kingdom. In 1951, with the help of India, a popular politician common man Matrika Prasad Koirala became the prime minister of Nepal. Tribhuvan returned to Kathmandu. The Shah dynasty regained control and the prime minister, Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, resigned. King Tribhuvan ruled until 1955 and King Mahendra ruled until 1972. Mahendra’s son, Birendra, became king.

Constitutional monarchy (1990–2008)

King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah; the first constitutional monarch of Nepal

In 1990, under King Birendra, Nepal became a constitutional monarchyafter a mass move movement from people forced Birendra Shah to restore democracy.

Massacre of the royal family

On 1 June 2001, a number of members of the Shah dynasty were murdered in the royal palace. A High Commission report concluded that the royal family was slaughtered by Crown Prince Dipendra. This remains controversial. Among the dead were the Crown Prince’s father, King Birendra and his brother, Prince Nirajan. After the attack, Dipendra was in a coma and was declared king for a short time. He died a few days later. Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Dipendra’s uncle, took the throne. In February 2005, he dismissed the parliament in order to govern in his own right.

Abolition of the Shah monarchy

On 24 December 2007, Nepal’s Provisional Parliament met. It was decided that the monarchy would be abolished in 2008 after the Constituent Assembly elections. The motion enjoyed overwhelming support in the chamber, passing by a 270 vote majority. Of the 329 sitting members of parliament, only three voted against abolishing the monarchy. It was decided that for the time being, Gyanendra would retain his title and continue residing in the Royal Palace, albeit stripped of all political power and authority.

On 28 May 2008, following scheduled elections, the 1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic and the monarchy was abolished, removing the Shah dynasty from power. Kul Bahadur Gurungsaid of the 601 member assembly, 560 voted in favour, 4 were against and 37 were absent or abstained. Following an Assemby agreement involving the Nepali Congress and both Nepalese Communist parties, (the Leninists and the much larger Maoists faction), Gyanendra stepped down.

Gyanendra vacated the palace in Kathmandu which later became a museum. Until they could find permanent accommodation, the royal couple were offered residence as commoners at the Nagarjuna Palace, a former royal summer residence. The Nagarjuna palace lies in forested hills about eight kilometres (five miles) northwest of Kathmandu.

Monarchs of Shah dynasty (1559–2008)

Monarchs of Shah dynasty of Gorkha (1559–1768)

The following is list of all ten kings of Gorkha hill principality.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
Dravya Shah राजा द्रव्य शाह	died 1570	1559	1570	Son of Yasho Brahma Shah	Shah
Purna Shah/Purendra Shah पूर्ण शाह/ पूरेन्द्र शाह	died 1605	1570	1605	Son of Dravya Shah	Shah
Chatra Shah छत्र शाह	died 1609 (heirless)	1605	1609	First son of Purendra/Purna Shah	Shah
Ram Shah Ram Shah The Just श्रीमन्त महाराजधिराज राम शाह	died 1636	1609	1633 (abdicated)	Second son of Purna/Purendra Shah adopted title of Svasti Sri Giriraj	Shah
Dambar Shah डम्वर शाह	died 1645	1633	1645	Son of Ram Shah	Shah
Krishna Shah श्रीकृष्ण शाह	died 1661	1645	1661	Son of Dambar Shah	Shah
Rudra Shah रुद्र शाह	died 1673	1661	1673	Son of Krishna Shah	Shah
Prithvipati Shah पृथ्वीपत्ति शाह	died 1716	1673	1716	Son of Rudra Shah	Shah
Nara Bhupal Shah नरभूपाल शाह	1697- 3 April 1743	1716	1743	Grandson of Prithvipati Shah and Son of Prince Birbhadra Shah	Shah
Prithvi Narayan Shah बडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह	7 January 1723– 11 January 1775 (aged 52)	1743	25 September 1768	Son of Nara Bhupal Shah	Shah

Monarchs of Shah dynasty of Nepal (1768–2008)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
Prithvi Narayan Shah बडामहाराजधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह	7 January 1723– 11 January 1775 (aged 52)	25 September 1768	11 January 1775	Son of Nara Bhupal Shah	Shah
Pratap Singh Shah प्रतापसिंह शाह	16 April 1751 – 17 November 1777 (aged 26)	11 January 1775	17 November 1777	Son of Prithvi Narayan Shah	Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah रण बहादुर शाह	25 May 1775 – 25 April 1806(aged 30)	17 November 1777	8 March 1799 (abdicated)	Son of Pratap Singh Shah	Shah
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah गीर्वाणयुद्ध विक्रम शाह	19 October 1797 – 20 November 1816 (aged 19)	8 March 1799	20 November 1816	Son of Rana Bahadur Shah	Shah
Rajendra Bikram Shah राजेन्द्र बिक्रम शाह	3 December 1813 – 10 July 1881(aged 67)	20 November 1816	12 May 1847 (abdicated)	Son of Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah	Shah
Surendra Bikram Shah सुरेन्द्र बिक्रम शाह	20 October 1829 – 17 May 1881(aged 51)	12 May 1847	17 May 1881	Son of Rajendra Bikram Shah	Shah
Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah पृथ्वी वीर बिक्रम शाह	18 August 1875 – 11 December 1911 (aged 36)	17 May 1881	11 December 1911	Grandson of Surendra Bikram Shah	Shah
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah (1st reign) त्रिभुवन वीर बिक्रम शाह	30 June 1900 – 13 March 1955(aged 54)	11 December 1911	7 November 1950 (went into exile)	Son of Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah (1st reign) ज्ञानेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह	7 July 1946(age 74)	7 November 1950	7 January 1951 (stepped down)	Grandson of Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah (2nd reign) त्रिभुवन वीर बिक्रम शाह	30 June 1900 – 13 March 1955(aged 54)	7 January 1951	13 March 1955	Son of Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah महेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह	11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972(aged 51)	14 March 1955	31 January 1972	Son of Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah वीरेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह	28 December 1944 – 1 June 2001 (aged 56)	31 January 1972	1 June 2001 (assassinated)	Son of Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah दीपेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह	27 June 1971 – 4 June 2001(aged 29)	1 June 2001	4 June 2001 (suspected suicide)	Son of Birendra Bir Bikram Shah	Shah
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah (2nd reign) ज्ञानेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह	7 July 1946(age 74)	4 June 2001	28 May 2008 (deposed)	Son of Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah	Shah

Paternal roots of Shah dynasty

Family tree of the all Shah kings of Nepal (not of previous Gorkha Kingdom) except Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, brother of King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah:

Prithvi Narayan Shah

Narendra Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Rajput)

Pratap Singh Shah

Rajendra Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Thakuri)

Rana Bahadur Shah

Kantavati Devi
(Maithil Brahmin)

Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah

Gorakshya Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(unknown)

Rajendra Bikram Shah

Samrajya Lakshmi Devi
(Rajput)

Surendra Bikram Shah

Trailokya Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Thakuri)

Trailokya, Crown Prince of Nepal (died as prince)

Lalit Rajeshwari Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Chhetri)

Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah

Divyeshwari Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Rajput)

Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah

Kanti Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Rajput)

Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah

Indra Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Chhetri)

Birendra Bir Bikram Shah

Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi
(Chhetri)

Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah