Before the Gorkha Conquest The Rise of a Hill Kingdom

In this episode, Lucas and Luna step back from the well-known campaigns of Prithvi Narayan Shah to explore how the tiny hill principality of Gorkha grew from a local power into an ambitious kingdom. They trace the founding of the Shah dynasty by Dravya Shah in 1559, the defeat of the Ghale rulers, and the fragile succession that followed. The conversation also covers the reign of Narabhupal Shah, Prithvi's father, whose failed attempt to capture Nuwakot nearly ended Gorkha's expansion—and how Prithvi learned from that defeat. Along the way, they discuss the strategic importance of trade routes, the role of the Bhairav and Kali temples in Gorkha's identity, and the early alliances that set the stage for the unification of Nepal. This episode fills in the gaps before the famous battles, offering a richer picture of the kingdom that would soon shake the Himalayas.

#Gorkha #ShahDynasty #DravyaShah #NepalHistory #HillKingdoms #Ghale #Lamjung #Nuwakot #NarabhupalShah #PrithviNarayanShah #UnificationOfNepal #16thCentury #17thCentury #SouthAsianHistory #FexingoHistory #History #Nepal #Himalayas

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo (buymeacoffee.com/fexingo)