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Anglo-Nepalese War

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Amar Singh Thapa distinguished as Badakaji Amar Singh Thapa ( Nepali : बडाकाजी अमर सिंह थापा ), or Amar Singh Thapa The Elder , (also spelled Ambar Simha ) also known by the honorific name Bada Kaji ("Senior Kaji") or Budha Kaji ("The Old Kaji"), was a Gorkhali military general, governor and warlord in the Kingdom of Nepal . He was the overall commander of the Nepal Army in the conquest of Western Provinces and authoritative ruler of Kumaon , Garhwal in the Kingdom of Nepal . He was referred by the King of Nepal to have been deployed as Mukhtiyar (equivalent to Prime Minister) of Western Provinces of Kumaon , Garhwal . He is often hailed as Living Tiger of Nepal ( Nepali : ज्यूँदो बाघ ; jyūm̐do bāgha ) and was posthumously regarded as one of the national heroes of Nepal , who led the Anglo-Nepalese War for the Gorkhali Army . Amarsingh Chowk Pokhara and Shree Amarsingh Model Higher Secondary School are named after Amar Singh Thapa.

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117-716: British victory. 100,000 Indian troops during both campaigns. The Anglo-Nepalese War (1 November 1814 – 4 March 1816), also known as the Gorkha War , was fought between the Gorkhali army of the Kingdom of Nepal (present-day Nepal ) and the forces of the British East India Company (EIC). Both sides had ambitious expansion plans for the mountainous north of the Indian subcontinent . The war ended with

234-758: A British victory and the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816, which ceded some of the Nepalese-controlled territory to the EIC. The British war effort was led by the EIC against the Kingdom of Gorkha. Most of the Kingdom of Gorkha's war effort was led by the two Thapa families: the Thapa dynasty and the family of Amar Singh Thapa . In the mid-eighteenth century, the British East India Company actively traded with Nepal. Viewed as an opulence hub, Nepal supplied

351-513: A close watch on the nation. In May 1814, British forces in Nepal temporarily left to escape malaria season. When Nepali forces aimed to reassert power, Company officials were killed in the process. In 1814, Warren Hastings – Governor General of Bengal – officially declared war on Nepal. 16,000 troops were then sent to invade Nepal in September 1814. The Treaty of Sagauli (1816) then marked the end of

468-581: A desire to “eliminate one of the few remaining threats to British dominance in northern India.” Therefore, the Company’s security concerns also aided in causing the war. In the early nineteenth century before the Anglo-Nepalese War, Nepal’s land stood directly north of Bengal, the heart of British administration. This posed a threat to the British. The Company feared that anti-British prejudices among

585-966: A driving cause for war, following from the Company's deep concerns about Nepal’s fluid borders in the preceding years and decades. The acquisition of the Nawab of Awadh 's lands by the British East India Company brought the region of Gorakhpur into the close proximity of the raja(king) of Palpa – the last remaining independent town within the Nepalese heartlands. Palpa and Butwal were originally two separate principalities; they were afterwards united under one independent Rajput prince, who, having conquered Butwal, added it to his hereditary possessions of Palpa. The lands of Butwal, though conquered and annexed, were yet held in fief, or paid an annual sum, first to Awadh, and afterwards, by transfer, to

702-597: A high sense of duty, supported by unsubdued courage. This, and a generous spirit of courtesy towards their enemy, certainly marked the character of the garrison of Kalunga, during the period of its siege. Whatever the nature of the Gurkhas may have been found in other quarters, there was here no cruelty to wounded or to prisoners; no poisoned arrows were used; no wells or waters were poisoned; no rancorous spirit of revenge seemed to animate them: they fought us in fair conflict, like men; and, in intervals of actual combat, showed us

819-628: A liberal courtesy worthy of a more enlightened people. Gorkhali army The Nepali Army ( Nepali : नेपाली सेना , romanized:  Nēpālī Sēnā ), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army ( गोरखाली सेना , Gōrakhālī Sēnā ; see Gorkhas ), is the land service branch of the Nepali Armed Forces . After the Gorkha Kingdom was founded in 1559, its army was established in 1560, and initially became known as

936-502: A pivotal role in spurring conflict between Nepal and British India. Throughout its history, the Himalayas served as a site of political malleability and entangled agrarian entitlements. As such, Nepal’s boundaries remained porous. As opposed to fixed territorial lines, Nepal possessed “an unbounded space” that facilitated heterogeneous movements of trade and people. Nepal’s borders experienced frequent shifts in administration determined by

1053-482: A stronger hold over the region. As 1814 approached, however, the British found themselves concerned by the possibility of an alliance between Nepal and Sikhs in northern India. The Company believed that if Nepal was expelled from its Western lands, the “Terai” region, it would no longer pose a danger. In 1814, this is what the British set out to do, alongside a goal of establishing a second Residency in Kathmandu to keep

1170-469: A train of seven 6- and 3-pounders, and four mortars and howitzers. The third division , was formed at Meerut , under Major-General Gillespie; and it was purposed to march directly to the Dehra Dun ; and having reduced the forts in that valley, to move, as might be deemed expedient, to the eastward, to recover Srinagar from the troops of Amar Singh Thapa; or to the westward, to gain the post of Nahan ,

1287-617: A train of two 18-pounder, ten 6-pounders, and four mortars and howitzers. Lastly, beyond the Koshi River eastward, Major Latter was furnished with two thousand men, including his district battalion, for the defence of the Poornea frontier. This officer was desired to open a communication with the Raja of Sikkim, and to give him every assistance and encouragement to expel the Gorkhas from

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1404-489: Is expressed by one anonymous British soldier as such: ...The territory subject to Nepal consists of a mountainous tract of country, lying between Tibet and the valley of the Ganges, in breadth not exceeding one hundred miles, but in length stretching nearly along the whole extent of the north-west frontier of the British dominions. Below the hills they held possession of a portion of the plain of irregular width, distinguished by

1521-574: Is headquartered in Kathmandu and the incumbent Chief of Army Staff is General Ashok Raj Sigdel . The Nepal unification campaign was a turning point in the history of the Nepali army. Since unification was not possible without a strong army, the management of the armed forces had to be exceptional. Apart from the standard Malla -era temples in Kathmandu , the army organized itself in Gorkha . After

1638-427: Is old and mature, and also true to his salt. Act according to his advice. The village of Amaragadhi in western Nepal is named for him. There is a Khukuri sword named after him called Amar Singh Thapa Khukuri . This Khukuri is modeled on the real Khukuri used by him. The real Khukuri used by Amar Singh is archived at National Museum of Nepal and is more curvy in nature than other traditional Khukuris. Amar Singh

1755-612: Is the army's fifth oldest unit. The unofficial participation of women in Nepal Army was first during the Anglo-Nepalese War on Battle of Nalapani . 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 Gorkha Kingdom . Nepalese women were heavily involved in this battle supporting

1872-439: The Anglo-Nepalese War due to prevalence of weak administration in the western front suggesting a possible revolt from the general people of the newly conquered western front. The appointment letter of two of three Subbas (governor) of one-third territories of Garhwal , Surabir Khatri and Ranabir Khatri on Ashadh Badi 2, 1862 V.S. (i.e. June 1805) explained the supreme authority Mukhtiyarship (premiership) of Amar Singh in

1989-731: The Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814. It became even more involved in the British Indian Army until independence, remaining an independent entity (since it was a protected state of the British Raj until 1947, though nominal autonomy had been achieved in 1923). In 1946, the Royal Nepali Army troops were led by Commanding General Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana at the Victory Parade in London . Prior to 2006,

2106-758: The Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College . The IMET budget for FY2001 was $ 220,000. The EIPC program is an inter-agency program between the US Department of Defense and US Department of State to increase the pool of international peacekeepers and to promote interoperability. Nepal received about $ 1.9 million in EIPC funding. The US Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC) coordinates military engagement with Nepal through

2223-689: The Gorkha Kingdom such as the Pande dynasty , Kunwar family , Basnyat dynasty , and Thapa dynasty before the rule of the Rana dynasty . During the Shah monarchy , the officers were drawn from these aristocratic families. During the Rana dynasty, the Ranas claimed the position as their birthright . The first army chief of was King Prithvi Narayan Shah who drafted and commanded the army. The first civilian army chief

2340-483: The Gorkhali troops captured Nuwakot , the hilly northern part of Kathmandu (Kantipur) in 1744, the Gorkhali armed forces came to be known as the Royal Nepali Army. Their performance impressed their enemies so much that the British East India Company started recruiting Nepali troops into their forces. The native British soldiers called the new soldiers "Gurkhas". The Gurkha-Sikh War began shortly after, in 1809 and

2457-658: The Gorkhali Army. Later it was known as the Royal Nepali Army (RNA) following the Unification of Nepal , when the Gorkha Kingdom expanded its territory to include the whole country, by conquering and annexing the other states in the region, resulting in the establishment of a single united Hindu monarchy over all of Nepal . It was officially renamed simply to the Nepali Army on 28 May 2008, upon

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2574-759: The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC). The ODC Nepal is located in the American Embassy in Kathmandu . The first four army units are the Shreenath, Kali Baksh (Kalibox), Barda Bahadur, and Sabuj companies, founded in August 1762 by King Prithvi Narayan Shah with the Gurung , Magar , Chhetri and Thakuri clans, well before the unification of Nepal. The Purano Gorakh Company was founded in February 1763 and

2691-548: The Punjab where Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Empire had their own aspirations. Territorial conflict represents a significant cause of the Anglo-Nepalese War. First, Nepal’s views on borders and borderlands clashed with the Company’s visions of space and territoriality. Borderlands represent “zones of contact for the management, separation, and negotiation of difference,” and leading up to 1814, conflicts over borderlands played

2808-565: The Tarai towards the heart of the valley of Kathmandu. Major-General Rollo Gillespie and Colonel David Ochterlony commanded columns in the western front. These columns were faced with the Nepalese army under the command of Amar Singh Thapa . About the beginning of October 1814, the British troops began to move towards different depots; and the army was soon after formed into four divisions, one at Benares, one at Meeruth, one at Dinapur, and one at Ludhiana. The first division , at Dinapur , being

2925-465: The 1760s contributed to British security concerns. The Treaty of Sagauli showcases British security concerns. Article 6 of the treaty states, “The Raja of Nepal renounces for himself, his heirs, and successors, all claim to or connection with the countries lying to the west of the River Kali and engages never to have any concern with those countries or the inhabitants there of.” This illustrates that

3042-767: The Anglo-Nepalese War. The Shah era of Nepal began with the Gorkha King Prithvi Narayan Shah invading Kathmandu Valley, which consisted of the capital of the Malla confederacy. Until then, only the Kathmandu Valley had been referred to as Nepal . The confederacy requested help from the East India Company , and an ill-equipped and ill-prepared expedition, numbering 2,500, was led by Captain Kinlock in 1767. The expedition

3159-671: The Bible comes the bayonet." Lord Hastings was not averse to exploiting any commercial opportunities that access to the Himalayan region might offer. He knew that these would gratify his employers and silence his critics, because the East India Company was at this time in the throes of a cash-flow crisis. It needed substantial funds in Britain, in order to pay overheads, pensions, and dividends; but there were problems in remitting

3276-453: The British used territorial limitations as a way of curtailing their security concerns – whether it be their concern over Nepal’s relationships with Sikhs, or concerns around Nepal’s possibility of alliance with north India or Bengal. While trade was indeed a major objective of the company, out of it grew a concept of "political safety," which essentially meant a strategy of dissuasion and larger areas of occupation. The evidence does not support

3393-623: The British were striving to annex the hill regions of Nepal and were the ones responsible for creating border disputes. At the border demarcation, the British representative Major Bradshaw disrespected the Nepalese representatives – Rajguru Ranganath Poudyal and Kaji Dalabhanjan Pande , with a view of invoking a war against the Nepalese. In the meantime, the British found that the Nepalese were preparing for war; that they had for some time been laying up large stores of saltpetre; purchasing and fabricating arms, and organizing and disciplining their troops under some European deserters in this service, after

3510-571: The British. During the regency of Rani Rajendra Laxmi, towards the close of the 18th century, the hill country of Palpa was conquered and annexed to Nepal. The rajah retreated to Butwal, but was subsequently induced, under false promises of redress, to visit Kathmandu, where he was put to death, and his territories in Butwal seized and occupied by the Nepalese. Bhimsen Thapa , the Nepalese prime minister from 1806 to 1837, installed his own father as governor of Palpa, leading to serious border disputes between

3627-536: The Chinese market; buy tea with the proceeds; then ship the tea for sale in Britain (all tea at this time came from China. It was not grown in India until the 1840s). So when Hastings told the directors of the Company about an alternative means of remittance, a rare and precious raw material that could easily and profitably be shipped from India directly to London, they were at once interested. The raw material in question

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3744-533: The Company embarked on surveys and mapmaking projects. These activities involved carving political and administrative boundaries in Nepal to render the territory “more legible for colonial rule.” These maps were then produced by the Revenue Surveys in the nineteenth century, serving as a strategy for the Company to divide land into non-overlapping, fixed spaces. Clashing ideas around borderlands and spatiality, therefore, played an instrumental role leading up to

3861-510: The Company turned its attention toward trade between Tibet and British possessions in Bengal. Under the leadership of Warren Hastings , trade missions were carried out to further these trade interests with the goal of establishing commercial relations with Nepal, Bhutan, and, ultimately, Tibet. Tibet represented a source of Chinese silks, wool, dyestuffs, and other attractive commodities. The Gorkha’s conquest of Kathmandu Valley and Nepal’s push into

3978-494: The Company with commodities such as rice, butter, oil seeds, timber, dyes, and gold. In 1767, British concerns around this partnership grew when the Gorkhas ascended their power and leadership in Nepal. In 1768, the Gorkhas conquered Kathmandu Valley and became Nepal’s ruling force, paving the way for a declining relationship between British India and Nepal. In 1801, the Company established a British Residency in Kathmandu to seek

4095-615: The Garhwal's discontinuance of annual payments to Kingdom of Nepal . The army succeeded in annexing Garhwal to Nepalese territory extending the territory of Nepal up to the Sutlej river in the west. Bada Amar commanded his troops further to Kangra fort of King Sansar Chand . They rested on Jwalamukhi and ultimately captured the fort. King Sansar Chand aided by 1500 soldiers of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh fought against forces of Amar Singh at Ganesh Valley and retreated back only to attack at

4212-601: The General to fall back to Gorakhpur. About 70 Nepalese lost their lives in Nuwakot pakhe Gadhi. Meanwhile, more than 300 of the enemy perished. No special military action had taken place in Hariharpur Gadhi fortress in the first campaign. Major General Bannet Marley and Major General George Wood had not been able to advance for an offensive against Makawanpur and Hariharpur Gadhi fortresses. The Battle of Nalapani

4329-543: The Governor-General failed to solve the problem. The Nepalese Commissioners had remarked to the British the futility of debating about a few square miles of territory since there never could be real peace between the two States, until the British should yield to the Nepalese all the British provinces north of the Ganges, making that river the boundary between the two, "as heaven had evidently designed it to be." However, Nepalese Historian Baburam Acharya contends that

4446-479: The Kathmandu Durbar solicited Nepalese chiefs' opinions about a possible war with the British, Amar Singh Thapa was not alone in his opposition, declaring that – They will not rest satisfied without establishing their own power and authority, and will unite with the hill rajas , whom we have dispossessed. We have hitherto but hunted deer; if we engage in this war, we must prepare to fight tigers. He

4563-598: The Makawanpur and Hariharpur axis. A big attack base was established but Major General Marley showed reluctance to take risks against the Nepalese. Some skirmishes had already started taking place. Similarly, Major General George Wood, sometimes known as the Tiger of the British Indian Army, proved exceedingly cautious against the hard charging Nepalese. Colonel Ranabir Singh Thapa , brother of Bhimsen Thapa,

4680-556: The Nawab Vizier's family, for which guarantee of the British Government had been pledged, and the payment of which, without vexatious retardments, was secured, by the appropriation of the interest to the specific purpose. The sum thus obtained was thrown into the general treasury, whence I looked to draw such portions of it as the demands of the approaching service might require. My surprise is not to be expressed, when I

4797-500: The Nepal Antiquary also mentions sons of Amar Singh as Ranajor , Bhaktavir, Ramdas, Ranasur, Ranabir, Arjun, Narsingh and Bhupal. The genealogical table produced by Nepali historian Kumar Pradhan shows the sons of Bada Amar Singh as - Ranadhoj , Bhaktabir, Narsingh, Ramdas and Ranajor , all of whom were Kaji at some point. His grandsons through daughter Ambika Devi and son-in-law Chandravir Kunwar were Birbhadra Kunwar,

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4914-546: The Nepal Army is as follow: The majority of equipment used by the army is imported from other countries. India is the army's largest supplier of arms and ammunition as well as other logistical equipment, which are often furnished under generous military grants. Germany, the United States, Belgium, Israel, and South Korea have also either supplied or offered arms to the Nepali Army. The army's first standard rifle

5031-639: The Nepalese as a challenge to British supremacy — "Opinion is everything in such a country as India: and whenever the natives shall begin to lose their reverence for the English arms, our superiority in other respects will quickly sink into contempt." The Governor-General looked towards the Nawab of Awadh to finance the impending warfare with Nepal: two crore (20 million) rupees were solicited. Of this matter he writes: ...Saadut Ali unexpectedly died. I found, however, that what had been provisionally agitated with him

5148-524: The Nepalese government to allow them trade access to fabled Tibet through Nepal. Despite a series of delegations headed by William Kirkpatrick (1792), Maulvi Abdul Qader (1795), and later William O. Knox (1801), the Nepalese Durbar refused to budge an inch. The resistance to open up the country to the Europeans could be summed up in a Nepalese precept, "With the merchants come the musket and with

5265-452: The Nepalese had several advantages over the British including knowledge of the region and recent experience fighting in the mountainous terrain. However, the British had numerical superiority and far more modern weapons. In the meantime, the Governor-General also naively believed that "the difficulties of mountain warfare were greater on the defensive side than on that of a well conducted offensive operation." Soldiers like Rollo Gillespie saw

5382-434: The Nepalese might result in either an attack on Bengal that would strain British communication with North India, or may result in Indian states uniting into an anti-British alliance. Gorkhas’ impressive conquests of the Kathmandu Valley further supplied the British with an exaggerated view of Nepal’s strength, contributing to the British viewing Nepal as a security threat. Gorkhas’ strong resistance against British pressure since

5499-459: The Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Chief of the Army Staff, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Home Minister and the Chief Secretary. The President of Nepal is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The Nepalese Army is divided into eight divisions, one each in the seven states and one in the Kathmandu Valley. In addition there are at least 7 independent units: The chiefs of the Nepali Army were mostly drawn from noble Chhetri families from

5616-409: The RNA was involved in the Nepali Civil War . They were also used to quell pro-democracy protesters during the 2006 democracy movement. The Nepali Army has about 95,000 infantry army and air service members protecting the sovereignty of Nepal . In August 2018, The Himalayan Times estimated total army forces to be around 96,000 while The Kathmandu Post estimated it to be 92,000. The position of

5733-407: The River Mitchee including the fort and lands of Nagree and the Pass of Nagarcote leading from Morung into the hills.” These high levels of specificity, once again, showcase the Company’s highly fixed perceptions of borders and borderlands. As a result of the Anglo-Nepalese War and the subsequent treaty, Nepal lost approximately one-third of its land. Disputes over territoriality, therefore, constituted

5850-409: The Royal Court alongside the premier Bhimsen Thapa family . Bada Amar Singh led many conquest battles of Western provinces in the Unification of Nepal . He was leading the conquest of Langur Gadhi in Gadhwal Region before the outbreak of second Sino-Nepalese War (1791–92 C.E.). He reinforced back to Nuwakot travelling around 1000 km in about a month, in defence of Nepalese forces during

5967-445: The Royal Court by Bhimsen Thapa , who was also a member of Bagale Thapa clan. His eldest son Ranadhoj Thapa was deputy to Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) Bhimsen Thapa sharing the authority while other four sons namely – Bhaktabir Singh, Narsingh, Ramdas and Ranjore Singh, all of them were Kajis at some point. His youngest son Ranajor Singh Thapa fought with him in the Anglo-Nepalese War while his eldest son Ranadhoj Thapa ,

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6084-415: The Royal Nepali Army was under the control of the King of Nepal . Following the 2006 Democracy Movement (Nepali: लोकतन्त्र आन्दोलन , romanized:  Loktantra Āndolan ) on 18 May, a bill was passed by the Nepali parliament curtailing royal power, which included renaming the army to simply the Nepali Army. In 2004, Nepal spent $ 99.2 million on its military (1.5% of its GDP). Between 2002 and 2006,

6201-406: The Supreme Commander of the Nepalese Army is the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Until 2006, the King of Nepal (monarchy abolished) was in control of all military forces in the country. The National Army was renamed from Royal Nepalese Army to Nepalese Army after the recent national conversion from a monarchy to a republic on 4th Jestha 2063 B.S. This Council has seven members,

6318-435: The Terai regions during the latter half of the eighteenth century, however, was viewed by the British as a threat to the Company’s trading plans. British economic interests, therefore, played a major role in causing the Anglo-Nepalese War. The Treaty of Sagauli illustrates these economic interests, as seen by Britain ceding Nepali lands that covered these attractive trade routes. The British had made constant efforts to persuade

6435-419: The Western Front ( Kumaon - Gadhwal axis). He commanded Gorkhali forces to defend the town of Srinagar from The third division army under Major-General Gillespie coming from western side. His son Ranjore Singh Thapa was holding forces at Nahan , the chief town of Sirmaur . During the second campaign, he was serving as sector commander of Sindhuli Gadhi and eastern front facing heavy casualties from

6552-411: The Western province: You know at that time that Kaji Ambar Simha Thapa had been sent there in the capacity of Mukhtiyar .......Act in all matters according to the advice of Kaji Ambar Simha Thapa and remain faithful to us..... Similarly, another appointment letter of Subba of one-third territories of Garhwal , Sardar Chandrabir Kunwar on Ashadh Badi 2, 1862 V.S. (i.e. June 1805), also instructed

6669-525: The abolition of the 240-year-old Nepalese monarchy , and of the 449-year-old rule of the Shah dynasty , shortly after the Nepalese Civil War . The Nepali Army has participated in various conflicts throughout its history, going as far back as the Nepali unification campaign launched by Prithvi Narayan Shah of the Gorkha Kingdom. It has engaged in an extensive number of battles within South Asia , and continues to take part in global conflicts as part of United Nations peacekeeping coalitions. The Nepali Army

6786-421: The aftermath of the war, he writes: The richest portion of the territory conquered by us bordered on the dominions the Nawab Vizier. I arranged the transfer of that tract to him in extinction of the second crore which I had borrowed. Of that crore the charges of the war absorbed fifty two lacs: forty eight lacs (£600,000) were consequently left in the treasury, a clear gain to the Honourable Company, in addition to

6903-487: The ancient Carthaginian General Hannibal . A popular patriotic quote in the Nepalese history is attributed to him: Ma Bagh ko Damaru hu, malai sino khane Kukur nasamjha. Translation: I am cub of tiger, don't mistake me with a carcass-eating dog. Translated by Arjun Bhadra Khanal The letter from the central government of Nepal held the praises of Kaji Amar Singh in the letters to other civil and military officers including provincial governors: Kaji Ambar Simha Thapa

7020-438: The assault of Colonel Kelly and Colonel O'Hollorah under Main Operational commander David Ochterlony . His son Ranjore reached Sindhuli Gadhi to defend the fort. The British couldn't reach Sindhuli Gadhi and felt back. Amar Singh was a religious personality who built many forts across Nepal and India. The original Gangotri Temple at Uttarakhand was built by him, which is part of Chhota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. He built

7137-405: The benefit of precluding future annoyance from an insolent neighbour. This was in contrast with the Nepalese who had spent huge amount of resources on the first and second wars against the Tibetans, which had led to the gradual exhaustion of their treasury. To the British, who were used to fighting in the plains, but were unacquainted with the terrain of the hills, the formidability of the topology

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7254-491: The chief town of Sirmaur , where Ranjore Singh Thapa held the government for his father, Amar Singh; and so sweep on towards the Sutlej , in order to cut off that chief from the rest, and thus to reduce him to terms. This division originally consisted of his Majesty's 53d, which with artillery and a few dismounted dragoons, made up about one thousand Europeans, and two thousand five hundred native infantry, totaling 3,513 men. The fourth, or north-western division , at Ludhiana ,

7371-407: The claim that Hastings invaded Nepal only for commercial reasons. It was a strategic decision. He was wary of the Hindu revival and solidarity among the Marathas, the Sikhs, and the Gurkhas amid the decaying Mughal empire. He was hatching pre-emptive schemes of conquest against the Marathas in central India, and he needed to cripple Nepal first, in order to avoid having to fight on two fronts. That it

7488-405: The company and partly restored to its previous rulers, would give British merchants direct access to the wool-growing areas. Similarly David Ochterlony, then an agent at Ludhiana, on 24 August 1814 noted of Dehra Dun as a "potentially thriving entrepot for Trans-Himalayan trade." He contemplated annexing Garhwal not so much with the view to revenue, but for security of commercial communications with

7605-423: The country where the shawl wool is produced. The British soon got to know that Kumaon provided a better facility for trade with Tibet. Therefore, the annexation of these two areas became part of their strategic objectives. Although the immediate cause of disputes between Nepal and the British occurred over territoriality, it is unlikely that the Company would have embarked on such an expensive and arduous war without

7722-411: The eastern hills, short of an actual advance of troops for the purpose. Captain Barré Latter was sent to the border with Poornea and after a successful mission to confine the Gorkhas to their own territory concluded the Anglo-Sikkimese Treaty of Titalia confirming the Raja's dominions, although the latter lost territory from his border to the Tamur River . The Commander-in-Chief of the British forces

7839-486: The environment, tribute and taxation claims, and landholding patterns. As a result, control over Anglo-Gorkha borderlands – Nepal’s frontiers with British India – oscillated frequently among different agents. In the eighteenth century, these borderlands became an area of deep concern for the British. The British viewed borders as fixed and immutable, leading the Company to interpret Nepal’s fluid boundaries as encroachments on British territory. Motivated by territorial concern,

7956-460: The evening. Due to the attack in the evening, Gorkhali Army lost some positions and Bada Amar returned to Sutlej river as per agreement on 24 August 1809 AD. The Gurkhas suffered a strike on their pride but were helpless against the superior Westernized Sikh forces. He later met Akali Chandan Singh Nihang who converted him to Sikhism . For a few years Amar Singh Thapa led the life of a Sikh hermit although he didn't follow Sikhism completely and

8073-460: The full Gorkhali authority over the lands by appointing officials and reviewing land grants. The general administration of the region was looked over and revenue collection was regulated by them. He dissolved the Maafi (rent-free) land grants to Jaisi Brahmins in Butwal area for continuation of payments to Gorkhali soldiers. He commanded the Gorkhali Army with Sardar Bhakti Thapa and Hasti Dal Shah in 1804 against Garhwal Kingdom due to

8190-476: The governor to act according to the advice of Amar Singh. A British soldier commented to the independent authority of Bada Amar Singh in the western front before the Anglo-Nepalese war: Further to the westward lies the valley of the Dhoon, and the territory of Sue-na-Ghur; and further still, the more recent conquests, stretching to the village, in which Umar Sing, a chief of uncommon talents, commanded, and indeed, exercised an authority almost independent. When

8307-489: The height of territorial disputes in 1814 – the onset of the Anglo-Nepalese War. Contents from the Treaty of Sagauli illustrate that clashes over territorial views aided in causing the war. Article 2 states, “The Raja of Nepal renounces all claim to the lands which were the subject of discussion between the two States before the war, and acknowledges the right of the Honourable Company to the sovereignty of those lands.” British forces’ focus on land and territoriality throughout

8424-501: The help of an ousted Palpali king, Major General Wood planned to march on Siuraj, Jit Gadhi and Nuwakot with a view to bypass the Butwal defenses, flushing out minor opposition on the axis, and assault Palpa from a less guarded flank. Nepalese Colonel Ujir Singh Thapa had deployed his 1200 troops in many defensive positions including Jit Gadhi, Nuwakot Gadhi and Kathe Gadhi. The troops under Colonel Ujir were very disciplined and he himself

8541-497: The largest and most fertile of these constitutes the valley of Nepal Proper. To the westward of Nepal, there is a difficult tract, till the country again opens in the valley of Gorkah, the original possession of the present dynasty. – Westward of this the country is again difficult, till it somewhat improves in the district of Kemaoon. Further to the westward lies the valley of the Dhoon, and the territory of Sue-na-Ghur; and further still,

8658-572: The largest, was commanded by Major-General Marley, and was intended to seize the pass at Makwanpur , between Gunduk and Bagmati, the key to Nepal, and to push forward to Kathmandu : thus at once carrying the war into the heart of the enemy's country. This force consisted of 8,000 men, including his Majesty's 24th foot of 907 strong; there was a train attached to it of four 18-pounders, eight 6- and 3-pounders, and fourteen mortars and howitzers. The second division , at Benares , under command of Major-General Wood, having subsequently removed to Gorakhpur ,

8775-557: The male Gurkha warriors. With no firearms in hand, Nepalese women fought British troops with stones and wood. According to the Nepal Army YouTube channel programme Nepali Senama Mahila Sahabhagita (documentary) - Episode 405, the official participation of women in the Nepal Army started in 1961 in the post of Nurse. Now the regular forces also include a significant number of female soldiers holding key appointments and commands. The timeline of official women's participation in

8892-549: The middle of November, on which account the Council did not apprehend my being subjected to any sudden inconvenience through its disposal of the first sum. Luckily I was upon such frank terms with the Nawab Vizier, as that I could explain to him fairly my circumstances. He agreed to furnish another crore; so that the Honourable Company was accommodated with above two millions and a half sterling on my simple receipt. In

9009-488: The model of the companies of East India's sepoy battalions. The conviction that the Nepalese raids into the flatlands of the Terai , a much prized strip of fertile ground separating the Nepalese hill country from India, increased tensions – the British felt their power in the region and their tenuous lines of communication between Calcutta and the northwest were under threat. Since there was no clear border, confrontation between

9126-494: The more recent conquests, stretching to the village, in which Umar Sing, a chief of uncommon talents, commanded, and indeed, exercised an authority almost independent. The initial British campaign was an attack on two fronts across a frontier of more than 1,500 kilometres (930 mi), from the Sutlej to the Koshi. In the eastern front, Major-General Bennet Marley and Major-General John Sullivan Wood led their respective columns across

9243-703: The mountain passes triggered Chinese intervention. In 1792, the Chinese Qianlong Emperor sent an army that expelled the Nepalese from Tibet to within 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of their capital, Kathmandu. Acting Regent Bahadur Shah (Prithvi Naryan's younger son) appealed to the British Governor-General of India for help. Anxious to avoid a confrontation with the Chinese, the Governor-General did not send troops but sent Captain Kirkpatrick as mediator. However, before he arrived

9360-425: The name of a valley. The roads are very insecure, and invariably pathways over mountains, or the beds of rivers, the usual means of transport throughout the country being by hill porters. Notwithstanding this general description, spaces comparatively open and hollow, and elevated tracts of tolerably level land, are to be met with, but so completely detached as to contribute but little to facilitate intercourse. One of

9477-650: The name of the Nepal Turrye, but the period at which the acquisition was made is not ascertained. The general military character of the country is that of extreme difficulty. Immediately at the front of the hills the plain is covered with the Great Saul Forest, for an average width of ten or twelve miles; the masses of the mountains are immense, their sides steep, and covered with impenetrable jungle. The trenches in these ridges are generally water-courses, and rather chasms or gulfs than any thing that deserves

9594-700: The nation. However, on 14 June 1837, the King took over command of all battalions previously under the charge of various courtiers, and became the commander-in-chief. Immediately after the incarceration of the Thapas in 1837, Dalbhanjan Pande and Rana Jang Pande were the joint heads of the military administration. Rana Jang was removed after three months in October 1837. Since the command of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen, only seven army chiefs were non-Rana Chhetris , including Shahs , until 1951. The commander-in-chief title

9711-496: The necessary assets from India. Traditionally the company had bought Indian produce and sold it in London; but this no longer made economic sense. The staple Indian export was cotton goods, and demand for these was declining as home-produced textiles captured the British market. So the company was having to transfer its assets in another, more complicated and expensive way. It was having to ship its Indian textiles to Canton; sell them on

9828-606: The oldest temple in the Mithila city Janakpur, Nepal , the Sri Ram Temple. After establishment of full Gorkha authority over Palpa and adjacent Terai, he built the Amar Narayan temple at Tansen in the hills above Butwal in 1807. Bada Kaji Amar Singh is often hailed as Living Lion of Nepal due to his fighting prowess, greater leadership and patriotism. British Historian Hamilton drew comparisons of him with

9945-885: The ruler of the Sikh state in Punjab, intervened and had driven the Nepalese army east of the Sutlej River by 1809. In the years leading up to the war, the British had been expanding their sphere of influence. While the Nepalese had been expanding their empire – into Sikkim to the east, the Kumaon and the Garhwal to the west, and into Awadh to the south – the British East India Company had consolidated its position in India from its main bases of Calcutta , Madras and Bombay . This British expansion had already been resisted in India, culminating in three Anglo-Maratha wars as well as in

10062-464: The second Sino-Nepalese War of 1791–92 C.E. In July 1804, he along with Kaji Dalbhanjan Pande informed the Company 's in-charge Daroga about the orders of takeover of Butwal plains and continuation of honoring Palpa's former obligations from the King of Gorkha. After 1806, the territories of Palpa were kept under the military governorship of him and Kaji Dalbhanjan. They set up plans to establish

10179-469: The shift of the capital of his kingdom from Gorkha to Kathmandu, and the empire that he and his descendants built then came to be known as Nepal. Also, the invasion of the wealthy Kathmandu Valley provided the Gorkha army with economic support for furthering their martial ambitions throughout the region. To the north, however, aggressive raids into Tibet over a long-standing dispute over trade and control of

10296-619: The single most prolific weapon in Nepali army service, with thousands of second-hand examples being supplied by India as late as 2005. Amar Singh Thapa He was grandson of Ranjai [of Sirhanchowk] and son of Bhim Sen known as Umrao Bagh Bhim Singh Thapa , who commanded and died in the battle of Palanchowk in 1759 AD. He belonged to Bagale Thapa clan. He was popularly named "Amar Singh Thapa (Bada)" to distinguish him from another Kaji Amar Singh Thapa (Sana) , Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa 's father, by identifiers "Bada" and "Sana" meaning elder and younger. His family members were added to

10413-485: The small party which held this small post for more than a month, against so comparatively large a force, must surely wring admiration from every voice, especially when the horrors of the latter portion of this time are considered; the dismal spectacle of their slaughtered comrades, the sufferings of their women and children thus immured with themselves, and the hopelessness of relief, which destroyed any other motive for their obstinate defence they made, than that resulting from

10530-666: The subjugation of Mysore, the Marathas, the Pindaris, the Nepalese and the Burmese." When the Kathmandu Durbar solicited Nepalese chiefs' opinions about a possible war with the British, Amar Singh Thapa was not alone in his opposition, declaring that – "They will not rest satisfied without establishing their own power and authority, and will unite with the hill rajas , whom we have dispossessed. We have hitherto but hunted deer; if we engage in this war, we must prepare to fight tigers." He

10647-488: The two powers was "necessary and unavoidable". Britain formally declared war on Nepal on 1 November 1814. Economic interests also represent vital causes of the Anglo-Nepalese War. First, the British sought to utilize the trans-Himalayan trade routes through Kathmandu and eastern Nepal. These routes would create access to untapped markets for British manufactured goods in Tibet and China. In the late eighteenth century, therefore,

10764-540: The two powers. The occupation of Terai of Butwal from 1804 till 1812 by the Nepalese, which was under British protection, was the immediate reason which led to the Anglo-Nepalese war in 1814. In October 1813, the ambitious the Earl of Moira , assumed the office of the Governor-General, and his first act was to re-examine the border dispute between Nepal and British East India Company. These disputes arose because there

10881-484: The usurpations in Butwal and Sheoraj, and whose family derived most of the advantages. Prinsep estimates that the revenue of the usurped lands could not have been less than a lakh of rupees a year to the Nepalese, in the manner they collected it: the retention of this income was therefore an object of no small importance to the ambitious views of Bhimsen Thapa and the preservation of the influence he had contrived to establish for his family. The Nepalese prime minister realized

10998-515: The various articles of this Treaty exemplifies that territorial concern helped spur the war. Article 3 further states, “The Raja of Nepal hereby cedes to the Honourable the East India Company in perpetuity all the under-mentioned territories,” followed by the listing of five very detailed territorial spaces. When describing one of these ceded lands, for example, the Treaty states, “hills eastward of

11115-564: The war with China had finished. The Tibet affair had postponed a planned attack on the Garhwal Kingdom , but by 1803, the Raja of Garhwal, Pradyuman Shah, had also been defeated. He was killed in the struggle in January 1804, and all his land was annexed. Further west, general Amar Singh Thapa overran lands as far as Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, the strongest fort in the hill region, and laid siege to it. However, Maharaja Ranjit Singh ,

11232-579: The years. Nepali Army units have served with distinction alongside American forces in places such as Haiti, Iraq, and Somalia. US-Nepali military engagement continues today through the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC) program, Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), and various conferences and seminars. The US military sends many Nepali Army officers to America to attend military schools, such as

11349-438: Was Kalu Pande , a Kaji who had a significant role in the unification campaign. He was considered head of the army due to his undertaking of army duties and responsibilities, not by a formal title. Bhimsen Thapa , Mukhtiyar from 1806 to 1837, was the first person to be given the title Commander-in-Chief as head of the army. King Rajendra Bikram Shah appointed Bhimsen to the post and praised him for his long service to

11466-651: Was Lord Moira. All four divisions composed mostly of Indian Sepoys. Ochterlony's army was the only division without a single British battalion. In conclusion, the Gorkhali Army defeated the British on three fronts consisting the middle and the east whereas lost the remaining two fronts in the west. Major General Marley was tasked to occupy Hetauda and capture the fortresses of Hariharpur and Makawanpur before proceeding to Kathmandu. His frontage of advance lay between Rapati river and Bagmati river. After additional reinforcements, he had 12,000 troops for his offensive against

11583-669: Was a Sehajdhari Sikh . He wrote a book on his belief in Sikhism called the Adi Bhagvan Prakash which has not been published as of yet and remains in the Nepali State Archives . Bada Kaji Amar Singh advised Mukhtiyar (Chief Authority) of Nepal, Bhimsen Thapa , to avoid war with the British because he waged war in person and knew the hardships of war. He was one of the senior Bharadars to have opposed

11700-494: Was a superior-quality wool : the exquisitely soft and durable animal down that had been used since time immemorial to make the famous wraps, or shawls, of Kashmir. This down was found only on the shawl-wool goat, and the shawl-wool goat was found only in certain areas of western Tibet. It refused to breed anywhere else. This explains why, under the terms of the treaty of 1816, Nepal was required to surrender its far western provinces. Hastings hoped that this territory, partly annexed by

11817-507: Was a dedicated and able commander. He was famous for exploiting advantage in men, material, natural resources and well versed in mountain tactics. The British advance took place on 6 January 1814, to Jit Gadh. While they were advancing to this fortress, crossing the Tinau River, the Nepalese troops opened fire from the fortress. Another of the attackers' columns was advancing to capture Tansen Bazar. Here too, Nepalese spoiling attacks forced

11934-543: Was a disaster, and the Gorkhali army easily overpowered those who had not succumbed to malaria or desperation. The ineffectual British force provided the Gorkhali with firearms and filled the Gorkhas with confidence, which possibly caused them to underestimate their opponents in future wars. Victory and the occupation of the Kathmandu Valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah, starting with the Battle of Kirtipur , resulted in

12051-440: Was a flawed strategy is explained by P.J. Marshal : "Political safety meant military preparedness. The military expenditure for 1761–62 to 1770–71 was 44 percent of the total spending of 22 million pounds. War and diplomacy rather than trade and improvement; most of the soldiers-would-be politicians and Governor Generals rarely understood. The political safety of Bengal was their first priority and they interpreted safety as requiring

12168-611: Was against the measures adopted in Butwal and Sheeoraj, which he declared to have originated in the selfish views of persons, who scrupled not to involve the nation in war to gratify their personal avarice. The British columns led by British Generals Rollo Gillespie and David Ochterlony in the Western front faced the defence under the command of Bada Amar Singh. During the first campaign of Anglo-Nepalese War , Badakaji Amar Singh commanded Nepalese army facing columns under Major-General Rollo Gillespie and Colonel David Ochterlony in

12285-476: Was against the measures adopted in Butwal and Sheeoraj, which he declared to have originated in the selfish views of persons, who scrupled not to involve the nation in war to gratify their personal avarice. This contrasts sharply with the prime minister of Nepal, Bhimsen Thapa – " ... our hills and fastness are formed by the hand of God, and are impregnable." This stance by Bhimsen Thapa is not surprising, as insinuated by Amar Singh, considering Bhimsen Thapa had made

12402-444: 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, which also consisted of brave women who reportedly shielded the bullets and cannonballs with their bodies, successfully held out against more than 5,000 British troops for over a month. Fraser recorded the situation in the following terms: The determined resolution of

12519-533: Was married to Dharmabati. Nepali historian Surya Bikram Gyawali contends that he had 9 sons namely: Surbir, Randhoj, Ran Singh, Ranjor, Bhakta Bir, Ram Das, Narsingh, Arjun Singh and Bhupal. He further states that all the sons of Amar Singh contributed to the unification of Nepal . Amar Singh had ten sons from four wives as per the Thapa genealogy: Ranabir, Ranasur, Ranadhoj , Ranabhim, Ranajor , Bhaktabir, Ramdas, Narsingh, Arjun Singh, and Bhupal Singh. The Office of

12636-518: Was meant to enter the hills by the Bhootnuill pass, and, turning to the eastward, to penetrate the hilly districts, towards Kathmandu, and cooperate with the first division, while its success would have divided the enemy's country and force into two parts, cutting off all the troops in Kumaon and Garhwal from communication with the capital. Its force consisted of his Majesty's 17th foot, 950 strong, and about 3000 infantry, totaling 4,494 men; it had

12753-463: Was no fixed boundary separating the Nepalese and the British. A struggle with the former was unpromising as the British were ignorant of the country or its resources and, despite their technological superiority, it was a received persuasion that the nature of the mountainous tract, which they would have to penetrate, would be as baffling to them as it had been to all the efforts of many successive Mahomedan sovereigns. A border commission imposed on Nepal by

12870-416: Was perfectly understood by his successor, so that the latter came forward with a spontaneous offer of a crore of rupees, which I declined as a peishcush or tribute on his accession to the sovereignty of Oude, but accepted as a loan for the Honourable Company. Eight lacs were afterwards added to this sum, in order that the interest of the whole, at six per cent, might equal the allowances to different branches of

12987-495: Was replaced by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Singha Pratap Shah in 1979. The Nepali Army has contributed more than 100,000 peacekeepers to a variety of United Nations -sponsored peacekeeping missions such as: The US-Nepali military relationship focuses on support for democratic institutions, civilian control of the military , and the professional military ethic. Both countries have had extensive contact over

13104-421: Was shortly after informed from Calcutta, that it had been deemed expedient to employ fifty four lacs of the sum obtained by me in discharging an eight per cent loan, that the remainder was indispensable for current purposes, and it was hoped I should be able to procure from the Nawab Vizier a further aid for the objects of the war. This took place early in autumn, and operations against Nepaul could not commence till

13221-692: Was the Belgian FN FAL , which it adopted in 1960. Nepali FALs were later complemented by unlicensed, Indian-manufactured variants of the same weapon, as well its British counterpart, the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle . Beginning in 2002 these were officially supplemented in army service by the American M-16 rifle , which took the FAL's place as the army's standard service rifle. Nevertheless, the FAL and its respective variants remain

13338-531: Was the first battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War. 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 at the Battle of Java , was in charge of the attacking British troops. Gillespie

13455-492: Was to be the Sector Commander of Makawanpur-Hariharpur axis. He was given a very large fortress and about 4,000 troops with old rifles and a few pieces of cannons. But the British could not move forward from the border. Colonel Ranabir Singh Thapa had been trying to lure the enemies to his selected killing area. But Major General Wood would not venture forward from Bara Gadhi and he eventually fell back to Betiya. With

13572-650: Was to operate in the hilly country lying near the Sutlej: it assembled under Brigadier-General Ochterlony, and was destined to advance against the strong and extensive cluster of posts held by Amar Singh and the troops under his immediate orders at and surrounding arki, a considerable town of Kahlur , and to cooperate with the forces under Major-General Gillespie, moving downwards among the hills, when these positions should be forced, surrounding Amar Singh, and driving him upon that army. The force consisted exclusively of native infantry and artillery, and amounted to 5,993 men; it had

13689-441: Was vice to Mukhtiyar of Nepal. His grandson, young Surat Singh Thapa, was appointed to post of Kazi in 1832 C.E. to retaliate growing Darbar politics after which the government papers were jointly signed by Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa and Kazi Surath Singh. His two grandsons from eldest son Ranadhoj Thapa, namely – Ripu Mardan and Badal Singh, were both Kaji at some period. Thus, his family was another influential Bagale Thapa family in

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