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Bakhtawar Singh Thapa ( ne, बख्तावर सिंह थापा) also spelled Bhaktawar, was a Nepalese military commander, politician, and governor. He acted as an aide of his brother ''
Mukhtiyar Mukhtiyar ( ne, मुख्तियार) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal between 1806 and 1843. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 7 Mukhtiyars appointed between 1806 and 1843. Meaning ''Mukhti ...
''
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
and was appointed the commander of Samar Jung Company. He commanded the Bijayapur-Sindhuli Gadhi Axis in the first campaign of
Anglo-Nepalese War 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 British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day Indi ...
and Makwanpur Gadhi Axis in the second campaign. Later, he became the governor of Palpa and died in the office.


Early life

Bakhtawar Singh Thapa was born to military officer ''Kaji'' Amar Singh Thapa (sanu) and Satyarupa Maya. He was the brother of
Mukhtiyar Mukhtiyar ( ne, मुख्तियार) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal between 1806 and 1843. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 7 Mukhtiyars appointed between 1806 and 1843. Meaning ''Mukhti ...
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
and had other three brothers -
Nain Singh Thapa Nain Singh Thapa or Nayan Singh Thapa ( ne, नैनसिंह थापा/नयनसिंह थापा) (died late 1806 or early 1807) was a Nepalese Kaji (minister) and a military general. He died in the offensive campaign of Kangra f ...
, Amrit Singh Thapa, and
Ranabir Singh Thapa Ranabir Singh Thapa ( ne, रणवीर सिंह थापा) also spelled Ranbir, Ranavir or Ranvir also known by the late ascetic name Swami Abhayananda ( ne, स्वामी अभयानन्द) was a Nepalese Army General, promin ...
. From his step-mother, he had two brothers—Ranbam and Ranzawar. His ancestors were members of
Bagale Thapa Bagale Thapa ( ne, बगाले थापा pronunciation:) anciently known as Bagalya Thapa ( ne, बगाल्या थापा) is a prominent clan within Thapa of Khas community. They claim Atreya Gotra. The name of the clan is als ...
clan from Jumla who migrated eastwards. His grandfather was
Bir Bhadra Thapa Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa ( ne, वीरभद्र थापा) also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. Born in medieval Tanahun Kingdom, he ...
, a courtier in
Prithvi Narayan Shah Maharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723–1775) ( ne, श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव) was the last ruler of the Gorkha Kingdom and first monarch of the ...
's army.


Career


Commander of the Palace

After the Bhandarkhal Massacre of 1806, the ''Samar Jung Company'' was selected as royal palace guard by Mukhtiyar
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
. Bakhtawar Singh was appointed as the commander of the company to be camped inside the palace for the protection of King
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज गीर्वाणयुद्ध विक्रम शाह देव) (19 October 1797 – 20 November 1816), also called Girvanyuddha Bikrama Shah, was f ...
and
Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal Queen Tripurasundari ( ne, रानी ललित त्रिपुरासुन्दरी; 1794 – 6 April 1832), also known as Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, was a Queen consort of Nepal by marriage to King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal. Wi ...
. In the maturity of King
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज गीर्वाणयुद्ध विक्रम शाह देव) (19 October 1797 – 20 November 1816), also called Girvanyuddha Bikrama Shah, was f ...
and
Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal Queen Tripurasundari ( ne, रानी ललित त्रिपुरासुन्दरी; 1794 – 6 April 1832), also known as Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, was a Queen consort of Nepal by marriage to King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal. Wi ...
, Kaji Bakhtawar slowly gained confidence out of both from his role of their protector. The death of King
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज गीर्वाणयुद्ध विक्रम शाह देव) (19 October 1797 – 20 November 1816), also called Girvanyuddha Bikrama Shah, was f ...
and his two queens in 1816 had caused his hopes to be destroyed. After the end of
Anglo-Nepalese war 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 British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day Indi ...
, Kaji Bakhtawar was suspected by his brother
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
to have joined the enemy factions. At the time, he was living in the same family with his brother without the division of their ancestral property. Bhimsen slowly brought Kaji Bakhtawar under his control but their mother pleaded only a light punishment for Bakhtawar. He was dismissed from his position and was imprisoned in the Nuwakot prison and the Bakhtawar's Samar Jung Company was heavily disfavored by the Mukhtiyar.


Anglo-Nepalese War

Bakhtawar was the commander of Bijaypur-Sindhuli Gadhi axis during the first campaign of the
Anglo-Nepalese war 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 British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day Indi ...
. He was stationing the fort and the region by 2000 soldiers. In the second campaign, he was commanding his headquarter at Makwanpur Gadhi. He sent the final ratified document of Sugali Treaty to British India Company after the Hitaura camp of Major General
David Ochterlony Major-General Sir David Ochterlony, 1st Baronet GCB (12 February 1758 – 14 July 1825) was a Massachusetts born military officer of the East India Company in British India. He held the powerful post of British Resident to the Mughal court at D ...
on 4 March 1816.


Governor of Palpa

A letter dated March 1824 to his brother
Mukhtiyar Mukhtiyar ( ne, मुख्तियार) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal between 1806 and 1843. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 7 Mukhtiyars appointed between 1806 and 1843. Meaning ''Mukhti ...
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
shows Bakhtawar Singh as the governor of Palpa. Members of the
Thapa dynasty Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya political family that handled Nepali administration affairs between 1806 and 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Mukh ...
were appointed as the governor of Palpa because it controlled over 4 battalions of the
Nepalese Army The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see ''Gorkhas''), is the land service branch ...
. Bakhtawar Singh died in his office of Chief Administrator of Palpa in 1832 A.D.


Family


Son

His son Trivikram Singh Thapa became Acting Chief Administrator of Palpa in 1832 A.D. on death of his father. However,
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
did not trust Trivikram Singh and instead appointed his brother
Ranabir Singh Thapa Ranabir Singh Thapa ( ne, रणवीर सिंह थापा) also spelled Ranbir, Ranavir or Ranvir also known by the late ascetic name Swami Abhayananda ( ne, स्वामी अभयानन्द) was a Nepalese Army General, promin ...
as Chief Administrator of Palpa in March 1833. Trivikram Singh was affectionately referred as ''Kaji Mama'' ("Kaji Uncle") by the Shamsher Ranas. After the
Kot Massacre The Kot massacre ( ne, कोत पर्व) took place on 14 September 1846 when then Kaji Jang Bahadur Kunwar and his brothers killed about 30-40 civil, military officers and palace guards of the Nepalese palace court including the Prime Mi ...
, he occupied the
Lazimpat Durbar Lazimpat Durbar, Aka Agni Bhawan is a palace complex in Kathmandu, the capital of the Nepal. Initially build and occupied by ''Kaji'' Bir Keshar Pande but later palace area was occupied by Bir Shumsher JBR, as prime minister the executive head o ...
for 28 years until he left for
Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...
in 1875.


Wife

The widow of Bakhtawar Singh on 1839 presented evidences against the former
Mukhtiyar Mukhtiyar ( ne, मुख्तियार) was the position of head of executive of Kingdom of Nepal between 1806 and 1843. It was equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal. There were 7 Mukhtiyars appointed between 1806 and 1843. Meaning ''Mukhti ...
and her brother-in-law
Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
claiming the former Mukhtiyar responsible for poisoning of King
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज गीर्वाणयुद्ध विक्रम शाह देव) (19 October 1797 – 20 November 1816), also called Girvanyuddha Bikrama Shah, was f ...
, whom it was widely known to have died from
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
.


References


Books

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thapa, Bakhtawar Singh Year of birth missing 1832 deaths Anglo-Nepalese War Bagale Thapa Gurkhas Nepalese military personnel People from Gorkha District