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Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed
totalitarianism Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and regu ...
in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
and other government positions held by the Ranas hereditary. They claimed
Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the co ...
status themselves. Rana dynasty is historically known for the '' iron-fisted rule''. This changed after the Revolution of 1951 with the promulgation of a new constitution, when power shifted back to the monarchy of
King Tribhuvan Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज त्रिभुवन वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (30 June 1906 – 13 March 1955) was King of Nepal from 11 December 1911 until his ...
. The Rana dynasty descended from the
Kunwar family The Kunwar family ( ne, कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, ...
, a nobility of the
Gorkha Kingdom Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing s ...
. Due to the marital lineages with the politically reigning Thapa dynasty (of '' 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 ...
) from early 19th century, Ranas gained entry to central Darbar politics. Ranas were also linked to a minor faction of the
Pande dynasty The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
of Gorkha through the Thapa dynasty.


Origins

Chronicler Daniel Wright has published the genealogy of
Jang Bahadur Kunwar Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
. The genealogy begins with Tattā Rāṇā as
Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
(King) of Chittaurgarh. His nephew Fakht Siṃha Rāṇā had a son named Rāma Siṃha Rāṇā, who came to hills after the siege of Chittaur. He was employed by a hill Raja for ten or twelve months who wanted to retain Rāma Siṃha in his country. The hill Raja asked for the daughter of
Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
of Bīnātī, a Bagāle Kṣetrī and married her to Rāma Siṃha. They had six sons over 10–12 years, one of whom was recognized by the title of '' Kum̐vara Khaḍkā'' for bravery displayed in the battle against Raja of Satān Koṭ. The title was used by his descendants. Rāma Siṃha was suddenly met by his younger brother who requested him to return Chittaur for once and Rāma Siṃha died reaching there. The hill Raja made Rāma Siṃha's son Rāut Kunwar a nobleman (Sardār) and commandant of the army. Ahirāma Kunwar, a son of Rāut Kunwar, was invited by King of Kaski and was made nobleman with a birta or jagir of Dhuage Saghu village. King of Kaski asked the hand of Ahirāma's daughter, who was a great beauty through only Kalas Puja to which Ahirāma replied to give his daughter only through lawful marriage. King brought his troops and tried to take on the village by force. Ahirāma was supported by the villagers belonging to Parājulī Thāpā caste and a war was initiated. On the same day, Ahirāma took his immediate family including two sons namely;
Ram Krishna Kunwar Ram Krishna Kunwar or Ramakrishna Kunwar ( ne, रामकृष्ण कुँवर; IAST: ''Rāmakr̥ṣṇa kum̐vara'') was military commander (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom during the Unification of Nepal at the reign of King Prithvi Narayan ...
and Jaya Krishna Kunwar, to King of Gorkha,
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 ...
where lands of Kunwar-Khola was given to them as ''birta''.
John Whelpton John Francis Whelpton (born 24 March 1950) is an historian and linguist and a specialist in the history of Nepal about which he has written a number of books.
opines that Kunwar origin legend which states that first of their ancestors to enter hill married a daughter of Bagale Kshetri might have directed their family links to Bagale Thapa, the clan of 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 ...
. Rana dynasts; Prabhakar, Gautam and
Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana ( ne, पशुपति शम्शेर जङ्ग बहादुर राणा) is a politician from the Rana dynasty. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of W ...
claim the descent of Ranas of Nepal from ''Kunwar'' Kumbhakaran Singh, younger brother of
Guhila Gahlot is a clan of Rajputs Guhilot Rajputs ruled number of Kingdom's including Mewar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Shahpura, Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala, The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot. Hist ...
King of
Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and ...
, Rawal
Ratnasimha Ratnasimha (IAST: Ratna-Siṃha, r. c. 1302 –1303 CE) was a ruler of the Medapata (Mewar) kingdom in present-day Rajasthan, India. He belonged to the Rawal branch of the Guhila dynasty, which ruled from the Chitrakuta fort (modern Chit ...
. During the first siege of Chittorgarh in 1303 A.D., Kumbhakaran Singh's descendants left
Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and ...
to north towards Himalayan foothills according to the book " Rana's Of Nepal" where the preface is written by
Arvind Singh Mewar Arvind Singh Mewar (born 13 December 1944) is an Indian businessman, former royal and chairman of HRH Group of Hotels. Arvind and his brother Mahendra both claim to be the 76th custodian of the House of Mewar. The Maharanas of Udaipur are cust ...
. The Rana dynasty claimed to be Rajputs of western Indian origin, rather than the native Khas Kshatriyas despite they spoke
Khas language Nepali (; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official, and most widely spoken, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a '' lingua franca''. Nepali has official status in the Indian st ...
and attempted to disassociate from their
Khas Khas people (; ne, खस) popularly known as Khas Arya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of South Asia, what is now present-day Nepal, Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim. Historicall ...
past. Also, many historians are of the opinion that ruling families in Nepal often claim Indian Rajput descent for the political purposes. The Ranas claimed the
Vatsa Vatsa or Vamsa (Pali and Ardhamagadhi: , literally "calf") was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms) of Uttarapatha of ancient India mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya. Location The territory of Vatsa was located to the south of ...
gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra ...
.


Historical background

The founder of this dynasty was
Jang Bahadur Kunwar Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
, who belonged to the
Kunwar family The Kunwar family ( ne, कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, ...
, which was then considered a noble family of
Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the co ...
status. Jang Bahadur was a son of Gorkhali governor Bal Narsingh Kunwar and nephew of Mathabarsingh Thapa, the reigning Prime Minister of Nepal (1843–1845) from the Thapa dynasty. Bal Narsingh Kunwar was the son of Kaji Ranajit Kunwar and grandson of ''
Sardar Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also be ...
''
Ram Krishna Kunwar Ram Krishna Kunwar or Ramakrishna Kunwar ( ne, रामकृष्ण कुँवर; IAST: ''Rāmakr̥ṣṇa kum̐vara'') was military commander (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom during the Unification of Nepal at the reign of King Prithvi Narayan ...
, who was prominent military general of King
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 ...
. Ram Krishna Kunwar was born to Ahiram Kunwar. There were ample of rewards and recognitions received by ''Sardar'' Ram Krishna Kunwar from the Gorkhali monarch Prithvi Narayan. His grandson Bal Narsingh was initially a follower of the renounced King Rana Bahadur Shah and Kaji
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 followed the King in his exile to
Banaras 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 tr ...
on 1 May 1800. On the night of 25 April 1806, King Rana Bahadur was killed by step-brother Sher Bahadur in desperation after which Bal Narsingh immediately killed the King's assassin. He was a close ally of the influential minister Bhimsen Thapa, who initiated a great massacre at Bhandarkhal garden following the chaos from the King's murder. Following closeness to Mukhtiyar Bhimsen, he became the son-in-law of Bhimsen's brother ''Kaji '' Nain Singh Thapa of Thapa dynasty. The close relatives and supporters of Thapa faction replaced the old courtiers and administrators. The Kunwar family came to power being relatives of powerful Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa. Similarly, Kunwars were related to
Pande dynasty The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
by their maternal grandmother Rana Kumari Pande who was daughter of '' Mulkaji'' Ranajit Pande.


Rise of Jung Bahadur

Bal Narsingh's son ''Kaji''
Jung Bahadur Kunwar Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
became a significant person in the central politics of Nepal during the prime ministership of his uncle
Mathabar Singh Thapa Mathabar Singh Thapa ( ne, माथवरसिंह थापा, born 1798, Borlang, Gorkha17 May 1845, Basantapur, Kathmandu), also spelled Mathbar, Mathawar, Mathavar, variantly called Matabar Singh Thapa ( ne, मातवरसिं� ...
. On 17 May 1845 around 11 pm, Mathabar Singh was summoned to the royal palace and was assassinated in a cold blood by Jung Bahadur on the royal orders. He was considered to have been merciless, ruthless and fatal due to his association with Mathabar Singh. Jung Bahadur was made a Kaji (equivalent to minister) after following the order of assassination of Mathabar. On the night of 14 September 1846, Queen
Rajya Lakshmi Devi Rajya Lakshmi Devi ( Nepali राज्यलक्ष्मी देवी) (ca. 1814– before 1900) was a Queen consort of Nepal as the junior wife of King Rajendra of Nepal. In 1843, Queen Rajya Lakshmi was made the queen regent and co-r ...
summoned the courtiers on the mysterious murderer of her aide ''General Kaji'' Gagan Singh, to which courtiers hurried to the Kot quickly. Many of the courtiers were unarmed except for a sword, as they had responded immediately to the royal summons. The armies allocated by Jung Bahadur Rana also had taken most of the arms of courtiers who had managed to bring them. Queen Rajya Lakshmi Devi and King
Rajendra Bikram Shah Rajendra Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज राजेन्द्र विक्रम शाह देव) (1813–1881) was King of Nepal from 1816 to 1847. His reign saw the rise of the Ranas; in 184 ...
were also present in the Kot. Queen Rajya Lakshmi demanded the execution of Kaji Bir Keshar (Kishor) Pande on alleged suspicion to which General Abhiman Singh Rana Magar looked towards King for confirmation. Jang misinformed Queen that Abhiman Singh's troops were arriving for overpowering the Queen's faction and demanded an immediate arrest. Abhiman tried to force his way out and was killed by Jung's soldier. In the chaos followed, Jung and his brothers began bloodshed and many rival nobles and courtiers were eliminated by them. The letter to British Resident
Henry Montgomery Lawrence Brigadier-General Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence KCB (28 June 18064 July 1857) was a British military officer, surveyor, administrator and statesman in British India. He is best known for leading a group of administrators in the Punjab affectiona ...
stated that there were 32 Bharadars (courtiers) killed in the massacre.


Kot massacre episode

When Jang Bahadur refused the Junior Queen's request to place Prince Ranendra in the place of Crown Prince Surendra of Nepal, the Queen secretly contacted the victims of Kot and conspired to assassinate Jung Bahadur in the royal Bhandarkhal garden. After receiving a command from the Queen to come to Bhandarkhal, Jang Bahadur took his fully armed troops and headed towards the garden. The troops killed the chief conspirator, Birdhwaj Basnyat on the way, and marched towards Bhandarkhal where seeing Jang Bahadur approach fully armed with his troops, the other conspirators started to flee. 23 people were killed in the massacre while 15 escaped. In the 23rd of September 1846, all officers of military and bureaucracy were called upon to their respective offices within 10 days. Then, Jung Bahadur appointed his brothers and nephews to the highest ranks of the government. He consolidated the position of premiership after conducting Kot massacre (Kot Parva) and Bhandarkhal Parva on the basic templates provided by his maternal
grand-uncle An uncle is usually defined as a male relative who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent. Uncles who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. The female counterpart of an uncle is an aunt, and the reciprocal rela ...
''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 ...
.


Rana Regime; Rule of Jang

After the massacres of Kot and Bhandarkhal, the Thapas, Pandes, Basnyats and other citizens had settled in
Banaras 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 tr ...
. Similarly, some citizens had gone to settle in
Nautanwa Nautanwa is a town and Nagar Palika in Maharajganj district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is about 87 km from Gorakhpur, NH24 and 68km NH730 from Maharajganj and 7 km from Sonauli Indo-Nepal Border. Geography Nautanw ...
and
Bettiah Bettiah is a city and administrative headquarters of West Champaran district ( Tirhut Division) - (Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, north-west of Patna, in Bihar state of India. History In 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin o ...
. ''Chautariya'' Guru Prasad Shah too had gone to live with the King of Bettiah. After knowing about the presence of the King and the Queen in Benaras, Guru Prasad went there and started to congregate an army and a plan to execute Jung Bahadur started to be formed.


Battle of Alau

On 12 May 1847, Jung Bahadur gave a speech in Tundikhel. There he accused the King of the attempted assassination of the Prince and the Prime Minister. The Council then decided to dethrone King Rajendra deeming him mentally ill, and on the same day
Surendra Surendra is an Indian masculine given name. Notable people with this name include: * Surendra (actor/singer) * Surendra Bhave * Surendra Chaturvedi * Surendra Dubey * Surendra Gambhir * Surendra Hiranandani * Surendra Jain * Surendra Jha 'Su ...
was crowned as the new king of Nepal. Hearing the news of the coronation of Surendra, Rajendra decided to take the responsibility of removing Jung Bahadur upon himself and declaring himself as the leader of the army, he left Benaras. Rajendra then appointed Guru Prasad Shah as the Chief of the Army for the operation of removal of Jung Bahadur Rana from Nepal and started to accumulate weapons and training the troops. Antagonism from the British-India Company forced Rajendra and his troops to enter Nepal. On 23 July, the troops reached a village called Alau in Bara and set a camp there. One spy group of the Government of Nepal was keeping close eyes on the event of the rebel groups at
Bettiah Bettiah is a city and administrative headquarters of West Champaran district ( Tirhut Division) - (Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, north-west of Patna, in Bihar state of India. History In 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin o ...
. They sent the news to Jung Bahadur, immediately after which he sent a troop in the leadership of Sanak Singh Tandon to Alau. They were told to suppress the rebellions, arrest Rajendra and bring him to Kathmandu. On 27 July, the ''Gorakhnath Paltan'' (Gorakhnath Battalion) reached and rested in a village called Simraungadh, not too far from Alau. The battle of Alau was a decisive one between the forces of King Rajendra and Jang Bahadur. The King lost significantly in the battle. If the massacre of Kot had established Jung Bahadur as a dictator, the battle of Alau had helped him strengthen his dictatorship. Rajendra was imprisoned in an old palace in Bhaktapur.


Rise to royalty

On 15 May 1848, a Lal Mohar (Red sealed document) was issued claiming descent from Ranas of Mewar and authorizing the Kunwar family of Jang Bahadur to style themselves as Kunwar Ranaji. On 6 August 1856, Jang Bahadur Kunwar (now Ranaji) was conferred the title of
Maharaja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...
(Great King) of Kaski and Lamjung, two former hill principalities, by King of Nepal,
Surendra Bikram Shah Surendra Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज सुरेन्द्र बिक्रम शाह देव ) (1829–1881) was King of Nepal between 1847 and 1881. He became king after Prime Minister Jung B ...
.


Rana Regime; Rule of the Shamshers

# # # # # # # # # # # # In 1885, the Shumsher family, the nephews of Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana, murdered many of the sons of
Jung Bahadur Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
and took over Nepal in a military
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
thus bringing in the rule of the Shumsher Rana family also known as the Satra Bhai (17 brothers) Rana family. They murdered Ranodip Singh Kunwar and occupied the hereditary throne of Prime Minister. After this they added Jang Bahadur to their name, although they were descended from Jang's younger brother Dhir Shumsher.


Kunwar family tree


Rana Prime Ministers

Nine Rana rulers took the hereditary office(s) of Prime Minister, Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Grand Master of the Royal Orders. All were crowned as the Maharaja of
Lamjung Lamjung District ( ne, लमजुङ जिल्ला ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, with Besisahar as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 167,724. Lamjung ...
and Kaski. * Ranajit Kunwar Rana (1723–1815) ** Bal Narsingh Kunwar Rana (1783–1841) *** I. Shrī Tīn Jung Bahadur Kunwar Rana GCB, GCSI (18 June 1816 – 25 February 1877). Prime Minister and C-in-C 15 September 1846 to 1 August 1856 and from 28 June 1857 until his death. Granted the hereditary title of ''Rana'' on 5 May 1848, as a suffix to the male members of his family. Granted the hereditary title of ''Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski'' (to be enjoyed ‘offspring to offspring’, and the hereditary offices of Prime Minister and C-in-C (to be enjoyed in succession by his surviving brothers, his sons, then his nephews), 6 August 1856. Received a salute of 19 guns from the British. ***
Bam Bahadur Kunwar Bam Bahadur Kunwar Rana (1818–1857; ne, बम बहादुर कुँवर राणा) was the 9th Prime Minister of the government of Nepal. He was brother of Jung Bahadur Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsin ...
Rana (1818 – 25 May 1857; Prime Minister: 1 August 1856 – 25 May 1857) *** II. Shrī Tīn Ranodip Singh Kunwar (aka Ranodip Singh Rana) KCSI (3 April 1825 – assassinated 22 November 1885). Ruled 25 February 1877 to 22 November 1885. *** General Sri Dhir Shumsher Kunwar Rana (1828–1884) **** III. Shrī Tīn
Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana Commanding General Shree 3 Maharaja Sir Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (10 December 1852 – 5 March 1901) was the 11th Prime Minister of Nepal. He is remembered as a statesman who made reforms and infrastructure improvements. Bir Shamsher Jung ...
GCSI (10 December 1852 – 5 March 1901). Ruled 22 November 1885 to 5 March 1901. **** IV. Shrī Tīn Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (17 July 1862 – 20 February 1914). Ruled 5 March to 27 June 1901, when as a result of his progressive nature, he was deposed by his relatives and
exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
d to India. **** V. Shrī Tīn
Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana Field-Marshal Maharaja Sri Teen Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (8 July 1863 – 26 November 1929) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from the Rana dynasty. He served in this capacity from 27 June 1901 to his death in 1929, after he successfully ...
GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCVO (8 July 1863 – 26 November 1929). Ruled 27 June 1901 to 26 November 1929. ***** IX. Shrī Tīn Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana GCB,
GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No ap ...
, GBE (23 December 1885 – 6 January 1967). Ruled 30 April 1948 to 18 February 1951, at which date he was divested of his titles and later went to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. **** VI. Shrī Tīn Bhim Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana GCSI, GCMG, KCVO (16 April 1865 – 1 September 1932). Ruled 26 November 1929 to 1 September 1932. ***** VIII. Shrī Tīn Padma Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana GCSI,
GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No ap ...
, GBE, (5 December 1882 – 11 April 1961). Ruled 29 November 1945 to 30 April 1948, whereupon he
abdicated Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
in favor of his cousin. **** VII. Shrī Tīn Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana GCB, GCSI,
GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No ap ...
(19 April 1875 – 20 November 1952). Ruled 1 September 1932 to 29 November 1945, whereupon he
abdicated Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
in favour of his nephew.


Succession

Succession to the role of the Prime Ministers and the title of ''Shree Teen Maharaja of Nepal and Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski'' was by
agnatic seniority Agnatic seniority is a patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children (the next generation) succeed only after the males ...
, by which the oldest male heir among the sons of equal (a-class) marriages in a generation would succeed. The order of succession was determined by seniority, with each eligible male heir holding a military command, as follows: # Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief (Mukhtiyar the Heir Apparent, with the rank of Field Marshal). # Western Commanding-General. # Eastern Commanding-General. # Southern Commanding-General. # Northern Commanding-General.


Notable Rana members

*
Jang Bahadur Kunwar Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
*
Bam Bahadur Kunwar Bam Bahadur Kunwar Rana (1818–1857; ne, बम बहादुर कुँवर राणा) was the 9th Prime Minister of the government of Nepal. He was brother of Jung Bahadur Rana Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsin ...
* Ranodip Singh Kunwar *
Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana Commanding General Shree 3 Maharaja Sir Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (10 December 1852 – 5 March 1901) was the 11th Prime Minister of Nepal. He is remembered as a statesman who made reforms and infrastructure improvements. Bir Shamsher Jung ...
*
Dev Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Sri Maharaja, Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (17 July 1862 – 20 February 1914) was the Prime Minister of Nepal for 114 days in 1901. He was also the King of Lamjung and Kaski. Family and early life He was the fourth of 17 sons born to Chief ...
*
Chandra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field-Marshal Maharaja Sri Teen Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (8 July 1863 – 26 November 1929) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from the Rana dynasty. He served in this capacity from 27 June 1901 to his death in 1929, after he successfu ...
*
Bhim Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Bhim Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (Maharaj Bhim Shumsher) ruled Nepal from 26 November 1929 until his death on 1 September 1932. He was born on 16 April 1865. Bhim Shumsher held the following titles: T'ung-ling-ping-ma-Kuo-Kang-wang (Republic of C ...
* Juddha Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana * Rudra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana * Padma Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana * Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana * Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana * Kaiser Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana *
Kiran Shamsher Rana Commander in Chief Kiran Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana (1916–1983) was a Nepalese army officer. He served as the Royal Nepalese Army's Commander-in-Chief from 1951–1956 and as the Nepalese ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1973–1977. Over ...
*
Nir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Nir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (or Neer Shumsher JBR). Field Marshal and retired General of the Nepal Army (NA). Born on 11 Poush, 1970 B.S. (1913) in Jawalakhel Durbar, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Field Marshal Rana died at the age of 99. He was so ...
*
Toran Shumsher J.B.R. Toran Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana was the first police chief of Nepal Police after its establishment in the year 2007 B.S. (1951 A.D.) However, he only remained chief for a short duration of three days. He was succeeded by Nara Shumsher J.B.R. as ...
* Nara Shumsher J.B.R. * Ratna Shumsher J.B.R. *
Pradip Shumsher J.B.R. Pradip Shumsher J.B.R. is a former chief of Nepal Police, who served as the IGP from September 1999 to December 2001. He was preceded by Achyut Krishna Kharel Achyut Krishna Kharel was the chief of Nepal Police during the Maoist's Insurgency. ...
* Satchit Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana *
Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana ( ne, पशुपति शम्शेर जङ्ग बहादुर राणा) is a politician from the Rana dynasty. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of W ...
*
Madhukar Shamsher Rana Madhukar Shamshere Jung Bahadur Rana ( ne, मधुकर सम्शेर राणा) (19 July 1941 – 16 October 2019) was a Nepalese development economist, who served as Minister of Finance of Nepal in 2005, and was Professor of economi ...
* Om Bikram Rana *
Gaurav Shumsher JB Rana Gaurav Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana ( ne, गौरव शम्शेर जङ्गबहादुर राणा) known as Gaurav Shumsher JB Rana was Chief of Army Staff of the Nepalese Army between September 2012 and August 2015. He is a de ...
*
Udaya Shumsher Rana Udaya Shumsher Rana ne, उदय शमशेर राणा (born in 1970)Uday ...
,


Other notable connected members

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Ranajit Pande, maternal grandfather of Ganesh Kumari, mother of Jung Bahadur Rana *
George Jivaji Rao Scindia Maharaja Jivajirao Scindia KStJ (26 June 1916 – 16 July 1961) was an Indian prince and government official. In the British Raj, he was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Gwalior in central India from 1925 until 1947. After ...
, father-in-law of
Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana ( ne, पशुपति शम्शेर जङ्ग बहादुर राणा) is a politician from the Rana dynasty. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of W ...
. *
Prithvi Bahadur Pande Prithvi Bahadur Pandé ( ne, पृथ्वीबहादुर पाँडे) is the chairman of Nepal Investment Bank Limited (NIBL). He is one of the most renowned bankers of Nepal, a pioneer in the commercial banking sector, who took over ...
, son-in-law of Himalaya Shamsher JBR


Gallery

File:Rana couple.jpg, Major-General Vishnu Shamsher Rana and wife File:Rana family 1915.jpg, Commanding General Babar Shumsher Rana and family File:Dhir Shamsher Rana and sons bw.jpg, Dhir Shamsher Rana and sons make up Shamsher Rana dynasty File:Chandra Shamsher and sons.jpg, Chandra Shamsher and sons


See also

* Daudaha system * Pajani System *
rajputs of Nepal Rajputs of Nepal ( ne, नेपालका राजपुत) or anciently Rajputras ( ne, राजपुत्र) are Rajput Kshatriya community of Nepal. There were various historical groups of Rajputs from ancient and medieval India ...
* Rolls of Succession in Rana (Nepal) *
History of Nepal The history of Nepal is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia and East Asia. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious, and m ...
*
Rana palaces of Nepal The Rana palaces of Nepal were built by the Rana dynasty rulers of Nepal as both private and government buildings. The Rana rule lasted for 104 years, and during that time a number of grand royal residences were built, especially by the Prime ...
* Thapa dynasty


References


Footnotes


Notes


Bibliography

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External links

* Friend in need:1857, Friendship forgotten:1887 William Digby
Old pictures of Nepal from Rana Dynasty
{{Chhetri communities Nepalese monarchy Rana regime Rajput rulers Dynasties of Nepal 19th-century establishments in Nepal 1951 disestablishments in Nepal