The Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16), also known as the Gurkha War, was fought between the Kingdom of Gorkha and the East India Company as a result of border disputes and ambitious expansionism of both the belligerent parties. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816, which ceded some Nepalese controlled territory to the British.
Balbhadra Kunwar was a Nepalese military commander and administrator in the Kingdom of Nepal. He is one of the National heroes of Nepal. He was highly praised for his military skill for the defence of the Nalapani fort in the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816). He was Captain in the Nepalese military and was tasked as commander to protect the forts of Dehradun.
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah, also called Girvanyuddha Bikrama Shah, was fourth King of Nepal from 1799 to 1816. Although he was not the legitimate heir to the throne his father made him the heir for being the son of his favourite wife Kantavati Devi.
The Kangra Fort is located 20 kilometers from the town of Dharamsala on the outskirts of the town of Kangra, India.
Himachal Pradesh was established in 1948 as a Chief Commissioner's Province within the Union of India. The Himachal History The province comprised the hill districts around Shimla and southern hill areas of the former Punjab region. Himachal became a part C state on 26 January 1950 with the implemntation of the Constitution of India. Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1 November 1956. On 18 December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union.
The small hill kingdoms enjoyed independence until Muslim invasions in northern India. Provinces of the foothills were highly devastated by the Muslim invaders from timebeing. During the 10th century Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra. Timur and Sikander Lodi also captured several forts and fought many battles. Later, due to internal conflicts within the Mughal dynasty the rulers of the hill provinces took complete advantage. Kangra regained its independence under Maharaja Sansar Chand who ruled for nearly 50 years. He was one of the most powerful administrators of the region. After he took the formal possession of Kangra fort, Maharaja Sansar Chand began to expand his territory. The states of Chamba, Suket, Mandi, Bilaspur, Guler, Jaswan, Siba and Datarpur came under the direct control of Maharaja Sansar Chand.
Rajgad is a hill fort situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumdev, the fort was the capital of the Maratha Empire under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for almost 26 years, after which the capital was moved to the Raigad Fort. Treasures discovered from an adjacent fort Torna were used to completely build and fortify the Rajgad Fort.
Sirmur was an independent kingdom in India, founded in 1616, located in the region that is now the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The state was also known as Nahan, after its main city, Nahan. Sirmur was ruled by the chiefs of sirmour Rajput lineage, who used the title "Raja", later "Maharaja", granted by the British. The Rajputs of Sirmur were fierce warriors who maintained their independence before becoming a protectorate of British India. The state ranked predominant amongst the Punjab hill States. It had an area of 1198 square miles and a revenue of 300,000 rupees in 1891.
Thapa Kaji is a large social group of people of Jharra Chhettri caste in Nepal. Over a period of time, this community has spread to many parts of the world. The surname originated during the Khas Kingdom in Karnali region during middle age-it referred to a position/post of a warrior. Chhetri is considered a derivative form of the Sanskrit word Kshatriya.
Dhaulakuan or Dhaula Kuan is a small town in the Paonta Sahib tehsil of Sirmour district in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located between Nahan, one of the tehsils of Sirmour district, and Paonta Sahib. It lies on National Highway 72 between Dehradun and Shimla. It is situated on the foothills between Renuka and Dadahu, another town in Nahan tehsil.
The Battle of Nalapani was the first battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–1816, fought between the forces of the British East India Company and Nepal, then ruled by the House of Gorkha. The battle took place around the Nalapani fort, near Dehradun, which was placed under siege by the British between 31 October and 30 November 1814. The fort's garrison was commanded by Captain Balbhadra Kunwar, while Major-General Rollo Gillespie, who had previously fought in the Battle of Java, was in charge of the attacking British troops. Gillespie was killed on the first day of the siege while rallying his men and despite considerable odds, both in terms of numbers and firepower, Balbhadra and his 600-strong garrison successfully held out against more than 5,000 British troops for over a month.
The Battle of Jaithak is the subsequent battle fought by the 53rd division of East India Company after the Battle of Nalapani against Nepalese forces. Nalapani had cost both sides dearly, but in Nahan and Jaithak, further West, they were to suffer more. Kazi Amar Singh Thapa’s son, Ranajor Singh Thapa, was in command there. Nahan had been left undefended. Ranajor Singh had orders from his father to retire to a position north of the Nahan town, and to occupy the surrounding heights and the fort of Jaithak, situated at a point where two spurs of mountainous ridges meet, and the peak at the intersection rises to a height of three thousand six hundred feet above the level of the plains. Major-General Martindell, who had assumed command of Gillespie’s forces, took possession of Nahan on 24 December 1814 and immediately set about preparations for the attack on Ranajor Singh’s positions.
Lohgarh is a historic town in Bilaspur tehsil of Yamunanagar district of Haryana in India. It was the capital of the Sikh state under Banda Singh Bahadur from 1710 to 1716.
Nain Singh Thapa or Nayan Singh Thapa was a Nepalese Kaji (minister) and a military general. He died in the offensive campaign of Kangra from bullet injury. He was the owner of Thapathali Durbar.
Ranajor Singh Thapa anglicied as Ranjore Thapa was governor of Kumaun and Garhwal and commander of Jaithak Fort during Anglo-Nepalese war at Battle of Jaithak. He was born to General Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa. His brother Ranadhoj Thapa served as deputy to Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa.
The Gurkha–Sikh War was a small conflict between the forces of the Gurkha Kingdom of Nepal and the Sikh Empire in 1809.
The Kunwar family or Kanwar family was a noble Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, to Pande dynasty through the Thapa dynasty. Two branches of the Kunwars; Ramakrishna and Jayakrishna, were formed with opposite political aspirations. Bal Narsingh Kunwar supported Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa while Chandrabir Kunwar supported Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa due to their marital relations with those families. Later, the Ramakrishna section of the family established the Rana dynasty of Nepal and styled themselves as Rana Rajputs while Jayakrishna section remained as Kunwars.
