Prithvi Narayan Shah in the context of "Unification of Nepal"

The Kingdom of Nepal (Nepali: नेपाल अधिराज्य) was a Hindu kingdom in South Asia, formed in 1768 by the expansion of the Gorkha Kingdom, and disestablished and replaced by the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal in 2008. The king of Nepal served as its head of state, and it was also known as the Gorkha Empire (Nepali: गोरखा अधिराज्य), or sometimes Asal Hindustan (Nepali: असल हिन्दुस्तान, lit. 'Real Land of the Hindus'). The kingdom was founded by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkha monarch of the Shah dynasty who claimed to be of Thakuri origin from chaubisi.

After the invasion of Tibet and plundering of Digarcha by Nepali forces under Prince Regent Bahadur Shah in 1792, the Dalai Lama and Chinese Ambans reported to the Chinese administration for military support. The Chinese and Tibetan forces under Fuk'anggan attacked Nepal but went for negotiations after failure at Nuwakot. Mulkaji Damodar Pande, who was the most influential among the four Kajis, was appointed after the removal of Bahadur Shah. Chief Kaji (Mulkaji) Kirtiman Singh Basnyat, tried to protect king Girvan Yuddha Shah and keep former king, Rana Bahadur Shah away from Nepal. However, on 4 March 1804, the former king came back and took over as Mukhtiyar and Damodar Pande was then beheaded in Thankot. The 1806 Bhandarkhal massacre instigated upon the death of Rana Bahadur Shah, set forth the rise of the authoritative Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa, who became the de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. During the early nineteenth century, however, the expansion of the East India Company's rule in India led to the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816), which resulted in Nepal's defeat.

Gorkha (Nepali: गोरखा, formerly known as Prithvinarayan Municipality) is a municipality in Gorkha District in Gandaki Province of Nepal created in 1996. It was initially named "Prithvinarayan" (Nepali: पृथ्वीनारायण) after King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who was born in Gorkha and united and founded modern Nepal. In 2009, the name was changed to "Gorkha" municipality after the end of the monarchy in Nepal. At the time of the 2021 Nepal census it had a population of 53,285 people living in 12,641 individual households. In 2014, the neighboring Village development committees Nareshwar, Phinam and thereafter Taple were merged into the municipality. Chhapthok, the most eastern Village, is the ward no.01 of the Municipality.

The old royal palace (Gorkha Durbar), Gorakhnath and Kalika (temple of the goddess Kali) are the main attractions. The Royal Palace itself was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake. However the Gorakhnath shrine and Kalika temple are open with no entrance charges. The lower palace (Tallo Durbar) and a modern park are other major attractions. It is also the starting point of the Manasalu Himal (Mount Manasalu) and Mount Ganesh trekking route. Gorkha Hospital is the hospital and Drabya Saha Multiple Campus and Gorkha Education Campus are the two campuses serving the population.

Kathmandu Durbar Square (Nepal Bhasa: येँ लायकु/𑐥𑐾𑑄 𑐮𑐵𑐫𑐎𑐹, Nepali: हनुमानढोका दरबार; Basantapur Durbar Kshetra) is a historically and culturally significant site in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is one of the three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Although the construction of the square began in the 3rd century, the major structures within it were added in later periods. The outer complex consists of a number of 16th-century temples built during the reign of the Malla kings. These buildings are adorned with meticulously carved facades characteristic of Newar architecture. The central square is surrounded by palace complexes built during the Malla and Shah periods. The most well known among them is the Nautalle Durbar, a nine-story palace built by Prithvi Narayan Shah to commemorate the Unification of Nepal.

The Chaubisi Rajya, Chaubise Rajya, or Chaubisye Rajya (Nepali: चौबीसी राज्य, चौबीसे राज्य; lit. ‘24 principalities’) were a group of sovereign and intermittently allied petty kingdoms located in the mid-hill regions of present-day central and western Nepal. These principalities were ruled by various local dynasties, including Thakuri, Khas, and Magar lineages, reflecting the ethnic and political diversity of the region. One of these kingdoms, Gorkha, under King Prithvi Narayan Shah, began a campaign of unification soon after his accession in 1743 AD. This process led to the gradual annexation of the Chaubisi states between 1744 and 1816 AD. To the west of the Gandaki Basin, a parallel confederation of 22 small kingdoms known as the Baise Rajya (Nepali: बाइसे राज्य) also existed, with similarly diverse ruling groups.

The Shah Kingdom was founded by Drabya Shah, the youngest son of Yasho Brahma Shah, king of Kaski and Lamjung, his eldest son became the king of Kaski and Lamjung which created a fight for supremacy. Palpa was one of the biggest and most powerful kingdoms; the rulers were able to create independent kingdoms in Tanahu, Makwanpur and Vijaypur. The first battle took place in Nuwakot. Prithvi Narayan Shah sent Kaji Biraj Thapa Magar to attack Kathmandu, but he returned without fighting, suggesting that they had misjudged the enemy’s strength and the valley’s defenses. Later, Shah sent Kaji Kalu Pande with a larger force. In 1757, during the first Battle of Kirtipur, Kalu Pande was killed, and the Gorkhali army suffered a heavy defeat, marking an important early setback in Shah’s campaign.

The Baise Rajya (Nepali: बाइसे राज्यहरू, lit. ‘22 kingdoms’) were sovereign and intermittently allied petty kingdoms in the western hills of what is now Nepal, located around the Karnali–Bheri river basin. They formed after the break up of the Khasa-Malla kingdom.These kingdoms were ruled by local dynasties, of Magar chieftains, depending on the region. Several of these kingdoms, particularly in areas like Rukum, Rolpa, and Pyuthan, had strong Magar leadership and populations. The Baise states maintained varying degrees of independence until they were gradually annexed during the unification of Nepal from 1744 to 1810. Although Prithvi Narayan Shah (r. 1743–1775), the founder of the Gorkha kingdom, initiated the unification, it was completed under his successors by the end of the 18th century.

The 22 principalities were Jumla, Doti, Jajarkot, Bajura, Gajur, Malneta, Thalahara, Dailekh District, Dullu, Duryal, Dang, Sallyana, Chilli, Tulsipur State, Darnar, Atbis Gotam, Majal, Gurnakot, and Rukum. These Baise states were ruled by Khasas and several decentralized tribal polities.

Prince Bahadur Shah (Nepali: बहादुर शाह) was the youngest son of King Prithvi Narayan Shah of modern Nepal. He became the regent of Nepal for a brief period after the death of his predecessor Queen Rajendra Laxmi and accelerated his father's campaign for the conquest of the small and scattered Hindu nations of the Himalayas into modern-day Nepal. Despite his many conquests, he also started the tradition of beheading fellow courtiers against his father's advice which would eventually lead to him meeting the same fate. This, along with the political turmoil created in Nepal after his death eventually led to the rise of Bhimsen Thapa and the Anglo-Nepal War.