Anglo-Nepalese Relations in the Colonial Period
The unification of Nepal under Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768 marked the emergence of a strong, centralizing Gorkha Kingdom in the Himalayan region. Expanding rapidly, the Gorkhas extended their empire from the Teesta River in the east to the Sutlej River in the west, encompassing Kumaon, Garhwal, and northern parts of Sikkim. This rapid territorial expansion brought Nepal into direct contact with the northern borders of the British East India Company in Bengal, Oudh, and Bihar. Initial contacts between the British and Nepal were commercial and diplomatic. In 1767, the British sent a military expedition under Captain Kinloch to assist the Malla king of Kathmandu against Prithvi Narayan Shah, but the expedition failed. Subsequent diplomatic initiatives by Lord Wellesley led to the Treaty of 1801, which established a short-lived British Residency in Kathmandu under Captain Knox, which was withdrawn in 1803 due to Nepalese opposition.
Causes of the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816)
Tensions between the Gorkha Empire and the British East India Company escalated over control of the fertile Terai plains, which served as a crucial source of agricultural revenue and timber.
Primary Drivers of Conflict
- Border Disputes in Gorakhpur and Saran: The immediate trigger was the clash over the districts of Butwal and Sheoraj in the Gorakhpur frontier, claimed by both the British and the Nepalese.
- Overlapping Imperial Ambitions: Both powers followed aggressive expansionist policies—the British sought to secure trade routes to Tibet, while the Gorkhas sought to expand their hill empire southward.
- Strategic Security: Governor-General Lord Hastings (1813–1823) sought to establish a firm northern frontier to prevent potential alliances between Nepal, the Marathas, and the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Course of the War
In November 1814, Lord Hastings formally declared war against Nepal. The British deployed a multi-pronged campaign led by Generals Rollo Gillespie, David Ochterlony, John Sullivan Wood, and Bennet Marley. The Gorkhas, under commanders like Amar Singh Thapa, Ranjor Singh Thapa, and Ujir Singh Thapa, mounted strong defensive resistance in hill forts such as Kalanga and Jaitak. General Gillespie was killed during the assault on the Nalapani fort near Dehradun in late 1814. Major-General David Ochterlony turned the tide of the war by maneuvering heavy artillery through rugged mountainous terrain to outflank Nepalese positions in the western hills. After the British captured Almora in April 1815 and defeated Gorkha forces at Jaithak, Amar Singh Thapa surrendered. Following a final British advance under Ochterlony toward Kathmandu, which ended at the Battle of Makwanpur in February 1816, the Nepalese court sued for peace.
The Treaty of Sugauli (1816)
Signed in December 1815 and ratified on March 4, 1816, by Lord Hastings and Raj Guru Gajaraj Mishra, the Treaty of Sugauli defined the geopolitical relations between British India and Nepal.
| Provision Category | Specific Treaty Terms | Historical Outcome |
| Territorial Cessions | Ceded Kumaon, Garhwal, and areas west of the Kali River to the British. | Created the British provinces of Kumaon and Garhwal. |
| Eastern & Southern Limits | Withdrew from Sikkim east of the Mechi River; ceded parts of the Terai region. | Fixed the Mechi River as the eastern border and the Mahakali as the western border. |
| Diplomatic Representation | Accepted a permanent British Resident in Kathmandu. | Edward Gardner appointed as the first permanent British Resident. |
| Foreign Policy Control | Agreed not to employ any British, European, or American subjects without Company consent. | Foreign relations were guided by British oversight. |
Evolution of Post-1816 Relations and the Rana Era
Following the Treaty of Sugauli, the British maintained a policy of non-interference in Nepal’s internal politics while securing its northern frontier. In 1846, Jung Bahadur Rana seized power through the Kot Massacre and established the hereditary rule of the Rana Prime Ministers, reducing the Shah monarchy to figureheads.
Key Stages of Anglo-Nepalese Strategic Alignment
- The Revolt of 1857: Jung Bahadur Rana led a force of over 10,000 Gorkha troops to assist the British in suppressing the uprising, aiding in the recapture of Lucknow.
- Restoration of Naya Muluk: As a reward for military aid in 1857, the British restored a portion of the western Terai (Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur) to Nepal under the Treaty of 1860.
- Gorkha Recruitment: Formal agreements allowed the British Indian Army to recruit Gorkha soldiers, who formed vital regiments serving across the empire.
- Treaty of Perpetual Peace and Friendship (1923): Signed by Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana and British Envoy William O’Connor, this treaty formally recognized Nepal as a fully sovereign state and superseded the Treaty of Sugauli.
Key Historical Facts
The British gain of Kumaon, Garhwal, and the Shimla hill states from Nepal during the 1814–1816 war led to the development of major Himalayan hill stations, including Simla, Mussoorie, Nainital, and Ranikhet. Unlike the Princely States of India, Nepal was never integrated into British India, nor was it subject to the doctrine of Paramountcy. It functioned as a sovereign buffer state between the British Empire and Qing Dynasty China. During World War I and World War II, the Rana rulers deployed over 200,000 Gorkha troops to fight alongside British forces in theaters including Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, and Burma. The 1923 Treaty of Peace and Friendship permitted Nepal to import arms and military stores freely through British Indian ports without paying customs duties, formalizing trade transit rights through British India.
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Rajaprasanna
May 27, 2015 at 9:29 amI got confused at qn.10.. Because they mention star of jersalem,highest civilian honour of palestine……. is jerusalem a captial city for israel???