NEPAL UNDER THE RANAS

The history of Nepal as a modern state dates from the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley in 1768 by Prithvi Narayan Shah, ruler of the small Himalayan hill state of Gorkha. He and his successors continued to expand the area under their control, subjugating independent tribes and principalities until the Kingdom reached its present size in 1816. However all of Prithvi Narayan Shah’s successors inherited the throne as minors and even when they came of age they proved incapable of governing effectively. Consequently, real power was usually vested in the hands of a chief minister who enjoyed the backing of the army.

In 1846, a young and ambitious minor aristocrat named Jang Bahadur Rana was appointed prime minister. He quickly usurped the power and authority of the crown and made the prime ministership hereditary within his family. This situation, analogous to that of the emperor and the shogun in contemporary Japan, was to last for 104 years until, in 1951, the regime was toppled and the power of the monarchy restored.

This is the story of Nepal during that period; the story of Nepal under the rule of the Rana family.

The purpose of this book is to examine the nature of Rana rule, the devices whereby the Rana family kept itself in power, and the strategies they employed to preserve the independence of Nepal against the encroachment of the British imperial power in India.

“This is a remarkable book and quite clearly the most detailed and comprehensive analysis of the period of Rana rule in Nepal in English and possibly, for the 1847-1951 period, in Nepali as well. Mr Sever’s anecdotal style is also excellent and transforms what could easily be some very tedious sections into perceptions of the Nepali political and social systems that are both amusing and insightful. This study is well organised and presents the necessary background and information to enable the reader to follow very complex political and social developments in Nepal with a sense of confidence.”
- Professor Leo Rose, Head, Institute of East Asian Studies. University of California, Berkely.

Those new to historical writings on Nepal will find this book to be the single best narrative available in English about its Rana rulers.
- Indian Economic and Social History Review.