An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
Mahadatta Raja of Palpa was very much in favour with Asofud Doulah, the
Nawab Vazir, who confirmed to him all his hereditary or acquired lands on
the plains, at an easy rate; and, going there frequently to hunt, seems
to have amused himself with the Raja’s children. The youngest son Samar,
a lame but shrewd man, seems in particular to have attracted his notice,
and he bestowed on him the title of Nader Shah, by which he is much
better known than by his proper name.
Mahadatta also entered into the strictest alliance with Bahadur Sahi,
younger son of Prithwi Narayan, and regent of Gorkha during the minority
of his nephew Rana Bahadur. In order to cement the friendship, Mahadatta
gave his daughter in marriage to the regent, which, on account of her
birth, was considered as a very honourable connexion for the chief of
Gorkha. These friends soon entered into a most iniquitous combination.
The Gorkha family had hitherto entirely failed in all their attempts to
extend their dominions to the west, and, if Palpa had continued to assist
the neighbouring Rajas, it is probable, that their resistance to Gorkha
might have been continued with success; but the father and son-in-law
agreed, that they should make a common cause, and divide the spoil. This
scheme completely succeeded, and Damodar Pangre, a Khas by birth, but
representative of one of the chief families in Gorkha, and a most gallant
officer, was sent in command of the regent’s forces. After the conquest,
Damodar took for his master the lion’s share, but allowed Mahadatta to
retain as master Gulmi, Argha, and Kachi, three of the states that had
been long in alliance with his family, and which he was bound to protect,
not only by the duty of alliance, but of kindred, for the Raja of Argha
was his uncle. The other three allies, who had been saved by his father,
were abandoned to the power of Gorkha, and annexed to Nepal. Mahadatta
was very soon forced to eat the fruit of his villany. Damodar advanced
the conquests of his nation to the west, and, having subdued Kumau, all
resistance to his force on the hills was in vain, and Mahadatta was soon
deprived of all the hope of protection, that he might have had from the
power of his son-in-law the regent, the young Raja of Gorkha having put
his uncle to death. The friendship of the Nawab Vazir, however, saved
Mahadatta, nor was any encroachment made on Palpa, so long as he lived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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