Kings of Gorkha

Introduction to Rudra Shah

Rudra Shah was the eldest son of King Krishna Shah who ruled Gorkha from 1653 A.D. to 1669 A.D. for 16 Years. He was the son of Shakuntalawati as well and had two brothers named Viswa Shah as well as Ravi Raman Shah.

He had four sons as well namely Prithvipati Shah, Madhukar Shah, Atibal Shah, and Jayant Shah. He was the Grandson of Dambar Shah and the Great Grand-Father of Narbhupal Shah, the Father of P.N. Shah. During his reign, Narendra Shah of Lamjung Kingdom attempted to fully attack and defeat The Kingdom of Gorkha.

Reign of Rudra Shah

Regarding the reign of King Rudra Shah, there are different opinions among historians. Genealogies mention his reign for 11 years, while Surya Vikram Gyawali mentions it as 17 years, and D. R. Regmi said 16.

From which date to which date Rudra Shah ruled the Gorkha state is not certain. The date discussed by genealogists and some historians is considered imprecise because of the variations in archaeological material.

The Reign of Rudra Shah was unlike his father Krishna Shah. It had a hostile and conflictual Reign. The Mughal Empire was prepared to Invade the Hilly Lands of Nepal. The Lamjung Kingdom attacked and nearly defeated Nepal and The Financial Situation of Gorkha was also crumbling.

The Problems between Gorkha and Lamjung started with Drabya Shah and Purna Shah had decreased by Ram Shah but were ignited in the reign of Rudra Shah.

During his kingship, Lamjung’s army intervened and captured the middle of Gorkha. The Gorkhali army immediately returned to the area and defeated them. On the day of the accession of Rudra Shah, Aurangzeb became the emperor of India.

Due to the news of a possible Muslim attack by Aurangzeb, an insecure temperament was created in the hilly Hindu States of Nepal including the Kingdom of Gorkha.

Also, Rudra Shah took a loan of 120 rupees from Partiman Upadhyay in 1730. From this document, one can understand the financial system of Gorkha at that time which was weak. In this way, apart from him, the kings of other neighboring states also took money from the people.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Rudra Shah was the King of Gorkha in whose reign a sense of Instability and Skepticism was created in their security. However, several historical sources are lacking to have confidence in his reign.

References

  • Subedi, Raja Ram, 2061, “Nepalko Tathya Itihas,” Sajha Prakashan
  • Acharya, Baburam. “Nepalko Sanchipta Britanta”, Pramodshumsher-Nirbikram Pyasi 2022 B.S.
  • Panta, Dineshraj. “Gorkhako Itihas Pahilo Bhag”, 2041 B.S.
  • Pradhan, Kumar. “The Gorkha Conquest” Oxford University Press, Kalkutta 1991
  • Stiller, L.F. “The Rise of House of Gorkha” Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 1975
  • Gyawali, Surya Bikram. “Nepalka Shahbanshi Rajaharu”. Government of Nepal, 2031 B.S.

Citation

Pokhrel, A. (2023). King Rudra Shah – Itihasaa. Encyclopedia of Nepali History. https://itihasaa.com/gorkha/rudra-shah/