HISTORY OF NEPAL

Kirat Period

It is found people have been living in Himalayan region for atleast 9000 years and that people were kirati people. Hence Kirats were first to settle down in Kathmandu. The Kirat ruled for about 1000 years. King Yalambar was most remembered kirati king. It is said Yalambar had gone to witness the battle of Mahabharata between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It is also said that that lord Gautam Buddha visited patan, Swayambhu, Guheswari and spend some time there durning a period of 7th kirati king.
Durning the period of 14th kirati king, great emperor of India Ashoka a follower of Buddhism visited Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, and builds stupas in four directions and one in the center of patan. His daughter Charumati married with local prince Devpal in order to spread the religion. As the Kirat dynasty came to an end in the valley, parts still remained in the eastern mountains where they are considered to be the forefathers of today’s Rai and Limbu castes.

Lichhavi and Thakuri Period

The Lichhavi Period is considered as first documented period in the history of Nepal. The Lichhavi was migrated from india. The Lichhavis were probably the Rajputs of India, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. They attacked and defeat gasti last kirati king. Lichhavi era was considered as the golden era of Nepal history as stone water spout, statue of god and godness were created.
The first Thakuri dynasty began with the ascent of Amsuverma. He was not a Lichhavi he married a daughter of the Lichhavi king, Shivadeva. He impressed his father-in-law and became ruler. He was a far-sighted king in the aspect of making family connections making him a great diplomat. Amsuverma married his sister to an Indian prince and his daughter, Bhrikuti, to Tibet’s powerful King Tsrong-tsong Gompo. Bhrikuti is believed to have taken as part of her dowry the begging bowl of Buddha and other artifacts of Buddhism. Together with Gompos second wife, a Chinese princess, they converted the king and Tibet to Buddhism.

Malla Period

After the fall of the Lichchhavis came the Malla period during which the foundation of the city of Kantipur was laid. The early Malla rule started with Ari Malla in the 12th century and over the next two centuries grew into a large empire. The Malla Period is a glorious era in the history of Nepal. Mallas developed trade and commerce, industry, religion and culture. They reached a high level of perfection in the fields of art and architecture.The most popular kings of this period are:

1) Jayasthiti Malla

Jayasthiti Malla didn’t rules for a longer period but he was the most famous of all the Malla Kings. As a great reformer, he codified the whole structure of the Nepalese society in a strictly orthodox Hindu frame. Jayasthiti was a builder of temples and a patron of art and literature. He was also an economic reformer and introduced a new system of measuring land and houses.
Yakshya Malla, the grandson of Jayasthiti Malla, ruled the Kathmandu Valley until almost the end of the 15th century. After his demise, the Valley was divided into three independent Valley kingdoms -- Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan -- in about 1484 A.D. This division led the Malla rulers into internecine wars for territorial and commercial gains.

2) Pratap Malla

Pratap Malla was the King of Kantipur, today’s Kathmandu. He was an authority in religion, music, and the art of warfare. And though he was a Hindu, he tolerated other religions. He even reconstructed the Buddhist shrine of Swayambunath. He constructed Krishna Mandir, the Shrine of Taleju, Rani Pokhari, and Guheswari temple.

3) Prakash Malla

Jaya Prakash was the last King of Kantipur. Although brave and confident, but he was unlucky. He tried to save the Valley from a Gorkha attack, calling for unity among the three states around Kathmandu. But his calling was rejected. Even calling on the army from the East India Company but did not get help. Unfortunetely he lost a battle against gorkha army on Indra jatra festival.

4) Ranjit Malla

Ranjit Malla was the last King of Bhaktapur. As a lover of rare and precious things, he added many courtyards to his palace. And to improve economic conditions in his Kingdom, he imported silver exporting it as coins.

Shah Dynasty

Prithvi Narayan Shah was the one with whom we move into the modern period of Nepal's history. He rules Gorkha after his father demises in 1743 AD. King Prithvi Narayan Shah was quite aware of the political situation of the Valley kingdoms as well as of the Barsi and Chaubisi principalities. He realizes the need for unifying the small principalities as an urgent condition for survival in the future. Thus he started a unification campaign. After he won a battle against Nuwakot, he occupied points in the hills surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. Thus the valley communications with outer worlds were cut off. Finally he took a victory against kirtipur. jaya prakash malla of Kathmandu asked a help from East India company but British force was defeated at Sindhuli by Gorkha army.
After defeating British army, Gorkha army attacked and capture kathmandu while people were celebrating Indrajatra festival. Jaya prakash malla king of kathmandu manage to escape from kathmandu and took asylum in patan. When Patan was captured a few weeks later, both Jaya Prakash Malla and the king of Patan, Tej Narsingh Mallal took refuge in Bhaktapur, which was also captured after some time. Thus the Kathmandu Valley was conquered by King Prithvi Narayan Shah and Kathmandu became the capital of the modern Nepal by 1769.