Editing Kingdom of Nepal (section)

==== Political conflicts ====
In 1775, the [[King Prithivi Narayan Shah|King Prithvi Narayan Shah]], who expanded the Gorkha Kingdom into the Kingdom of Nepal, died in [[Nuwakot Palace|Nuwakot]].{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=73}} [[Swarup Singh Karki]], a shrewd Gorkhali courtier from a Chhetri family of eastern Nepal,{{sfn|Singh|1997|p=142}} marched with an army to Nuwakot to confine [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Prince Bahadur Shah]] who was then mourning the death of his father.{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=73}} He confined Bahadur Shah and Dal Mardan Shah with the consent from newly reigning [[Pratap Singh Shah|King Pratap Singh Shah]] who was considered to have no distinction of right and wrong.{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=73}} In the annual ''Pajani'' (renewal) of that year, Swarup Singh was promoted to the position of ''Kaji'' along with Abhiman Singh Basnyat, [[Amar Singh Thapa]] and Parashuram Thapa.{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=73}} In Falgun 1832 B.S., he succeeded in exiling Bahadur Shah, Dal Mardan Shah and ''Guru'' Gajraj Mishra on three heinous charges.{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=74}} The reign of Pratap Singh Shah was characterized by the constant rivalry between Swarup Singh and Vamsharaj Pande.{{sfn|Shaha|1990|p=43}} The document dated B.S. 1833 Bhadra 3 ''Roj'' 6 (i.e. Friday, 2 August 1776), shows that he had carried the title of Dewan along with Vamsharaj Pande.{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=272}} King Pratap Singh Shah died on 22 November 1777{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=36}} with his infant son [[Rana Bahadur Shah]] succeeding as the King of Nepal.{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=285}} [[Sarbajit Rana Magar]] was made a ''[[Kaji (Nepal)|Kaji]]'' along with [[Balbhadra Shah]] and Vamsharaj Pande{{sfn|Shaha|1990|p=46}} while [[Daljit Shah]] was chosen as Chief ''Chautariya''.{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=285}}{{sfn|Shaha|1990|p=46}} Historian [[Dilli Raman Regmi]] asserts that [[Sarbajit Rana|Sarbajit Rana Magar]] was chosen as ''Mulkaji'' (equivalent to Prime Minister),{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=285}} while historian [[Rishikesh Shah]] asserts that Sarbajit Rana was the head of the Nepalese government only for a short period in 1778.{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=21}} Afterwards, rivalry arose between Prince Bahadur Shah and [[Queen Rajendra of Nepal|Queen Rajendra Laxmi]]. Sarbajit Rana led the followers of the Queen opposed to Sriharsh Pant who led the followers of Bahadur Shah.<ref name="himalaya">{{cite web |url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_121-122_01.pdf |title=Journal |website=himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214210207/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_121-122_01.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The group of ''Bharadars'' (officers) led by Sarbajit badmouthed Rajendra Laxmi against Bahadur Shah.{{sfn|Rana|1978|p=6}} Queen Rajendra Laxmi succeeded in the confinement of Bahadur Shah with the help of her new minister [[Sarbajit Rana|Sarbajit Rana Magar]].{{sfn|Mahesh Chandra Regmi|1975|p=214}} ''Guru'' Gajraj Mishra came to the rescue of Bahadur Shah on a condition that Bahadur Shah should leave the country.{{sfn|Mahesh Chandra Regmi|1975|p=214}}{{sfn|T.U. History Association|1977|p=5}} Also, his rival Sriharsh Pant was branded outcast and expelled instead of being executed as execution was prohibited for [[Brahmin]]s.<ref name="himalaya"/>
 
Prince Bahadur Shah confined his sister-in-law Queen [[Rajendra Rajya Laxmi Devi|Rajendra Laxmi]] on the charge of having illicit relation with [[Sarbajit Rana| Sarbajit Rana Magar]]{{Sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=215}} on 31 August 1778.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=36}}{{sfn|D.R. Regmi|1975|p=294}}{{sfn|Bajracharya|1992|p=21}} Subsequently, Sarbajit was executed inside the palace by Bahadur Shah{{sfn|Mahesh Chandra Regmi|1975|p=215}}{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=76}} with the help of male servants of the royal palace.{{sfn|Mahesh Chandra Regmi|1975|p=215}} Historian Bhadra Ratna Bajracharya asserts that it was actually ''Chautariya'' Daljit Shah who led the opposing group against [[Sarbajit Rana| Sarbajit Rana Magar]] and [[Rajendra Rajya Laxmi Devi|Queen Rajendra Rajya Laxmi Devi]].{{sfn|Bajracharya|1992|pp=21–22}} The letter dated B.S. 1835 Bhadra 11 ''Roj'' 4 (1778) to Narayan Malla and Vrajabasi Pande asserts the death of Sarbajit under misconduct and the appointment of Bahadur Shah as [[regent]].{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=36}} The death of [[Sarbajit Rana|Sarbajit Rana Magar]] is considered to have marked the initiation of court conspiracies and massacres in the newly unified Kingdom of Nepal.{{sfn|T.U. History Association|1977|p=5}} Historian [[Baburam Acharya]] points that the sanctions against Queen Rajendra Laxmi under moral misconduct was a mistake of Bahadur Shah. Similarly, the murder of [[Sarbajit Rana Magar]] was condemned by many historians as an act of injustice.{{sfn|Bajracharya|1992|p=22}}
 
Vamsharaj Pande, once Dewan of Nepal and son of the popular commander Kalu Pande, was beheaded on the allegations of conspiring with Queen Rajendra Laxmi.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=46}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=62}} In a special tribunal meeting at Bhandarkhal garden east of Kathmandu Durbar, Swaroop Singh held Vamsharaj liable for letting the King of Parbat, Kirtibam Malla, run away in the battle a year ago.{{sfn|Bajracharya|1992|p=35}} He had a fiery conversation with Vamsharaj before Vamsharaj was declared guilty and was subsequently executed by beheading on the tribunal.<ref name="himalaya"/> Historian [[Rishikesh Shah]] and Ganga Karmacharya claim that he was executed in March 1785,{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=46}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=62}} whereas Bhadra Ratna Bajracharya and Tulsi Ram Vaidya claim that he was executed on 21 April 1785.{{sfn|Bajracharya|1992|p=35}}<ref name="himalaya"/> On 2 July 1785, Swaroop Singh's opponent Prince Regent Bahadur Shah was arrested, but on the eleventh day of imprisonment, on 13 July, Singh's only supporter Queen Rajendra Laxmi died.{{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=46}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=62}} Then onwards, Bahadur Shah took over the regency of his nephew King Rana Bahadur Shah{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=10}} and as one of his first orders as the regent, he ordered Swaroop Singh, who was then in [[Pokhara]], to be beheaded there{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=77}}{{sfn|Shaha|2001|p=63}} on the charges of [[treason]].{{sfn|Hamal|1995|p=81}} Singh had gone to Kaski to join Daljit Shah's military campaign of Kaski fearing retaliation of the old courtiers due to his conspiracy against Vamsharaj. He was executed on B.S. 1842 Shrawan 24.{{sfn|Puratattva Bibhag|1990|p=77}}