Editing Kingdom of Nepal (section)

====Dominance of Damodar Pande====
{{main|Pande dynasty}}
[[File:Damodar Pande.jpg|thumb|[[Damodar Pande]], ''Mulkaji'' of Nepal from the Pande aristocratic family]]
 
[[Damodar Pande]] was appointed as one of the four Kajis by [[Rana Bahadur Shah|King Rana Bahadur Shah]] after the removal of ''Chautariya'' Bahadur Shah in 1794.{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=12}} Pande was the most influential and dominant amongst the court factions in spite of the post of ''Mulkaji'' being held by [[Kirtiman Singh Basnyat]].{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=12}} Pandes were the most dominant noble family. Later due to the continuous irrational behaviour of King Rana Bahadur Shah, a situation of civil war arose where Damodar was the main opposition to the King.{{sfn|Acharya|2012|pp=28–32}} He was forced to flee to the British-controlled city of [[Varanasi]] in May 1800 after the military parted with influential ''Kaji'' Damodar Pande.{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=13}}{{sfn|Acharya|2012|pp=28–32}} After [[Raj Rajeshwari Devi|Queen Rajrajeshwari]] finally managed to assume the regency on 17 December 1802,{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=14}}{{sfn|Acharya|2012|pp=36–37}} later in February she appointed Damodar Pande as the ''Mulkaji''.{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=43}}
 
After Rana Bahadur's reinstatement to power, he ordered Damodar Pande, along with his two eldest sons, who were completely innocent, to be executed on 13 March 1804; similarly, some members of his faction were tortured and executed without any due trial, while many others managed to escape to India. Among those who managed to escape to India were Damodar Pande's sons [[Karbir Pande]] and [[Rana Jang Pande]].{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=54}}{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=54}}{{sfn|Nepal|2007|p=57}} After Damodar Pande's execution, [[Ranajit Pande]] who was his paternal cousin, was appointed ''Mulkaji'' along with Bhimsen Thapa as second ''Kaji'', [[Sher Bahadur Shah]] as ''Mul Chautariya'' and [[Ranganath Paudel]] as ''Raj Guru'' (Royal Preceptor).{{sfn|Nepal|2007|p=58}}{{sfn|Acharya|2012|p=55}}