Chronology Of Important Events

563 B.C. The Buddha born in Lumbini, in Tarai Region of Nepal 268-31 B.C. Ashoka establishes empire in north India ca. A.D. 353-73 Samudragupta establishes empire in north India 400-750 Licchavi kingdom in power in Kathmandu Valley 750-1200 "Transitional" kingdom in power in Kathmandu Valley 1100-1484 Khasa Malla kings rule in western Nepal 1200-16 Arimalla, first monarch of the Malla Dynasty, rules in Kathmandu Valle 1312 Khasa king Ripumalla leads raid in Kathmandu Valley 1345-46 Sultan Shams ud-din Ilyas of Bengal leads raid in Kathmandu Valley 1382-95 Jayasthitimalla rules as king of united Malla kingdom in Kathmandu Valley 1428-82 Yakshamalla reigns--height of united Malla kingdom 1484 Malla kingdom divided; three kingdoms of Kathmandu, Bhadgaon, and Patan expand 1526 Mughal Empire established in north India 1559 Gorkha kingdom established 1606-33 Ram Shah of Gorkha reigns; Gorkha kingdom experiences first expansion. 1728 Chinese influence established in Tibet 1743 Prithvi Narayan Shah ascends to throne of Gorkha 1764 British East India Company gains control of Bengal 1768-90 Gorkha conquers Kathmandu and Patan, Bhadgaon, eastern Nepal, and western Nepal 1775 Prithvi Narayan Shah dies, first king of united Nepal 1791-92 Nepal defeated in war with China 1806 Bhimsen Thapa becomes prime minister 1809 Nepalese troops lay seige to Kangra, farthest extent of Gorkha empire 1814-16 Anglo-Nepalese War waged; Nepal defeated 1837 Bhimsen Thapa falls, beginning unstable period in court politics 1846 Kot Massacre takes place; Jang Bahadur becomes prime minister 1855-56 War waged with China 1856 Royal decree gives absolute power to prime minister and his family 1857-58 Sepoy Rebellion waged against British in north India; Nepal aids British 1858 Jang Bahadur receives title of Rana 1877 Jang Bahadur Rana dies 1885 Ranoddip Singh Rana assassinated; Bir Shamser Rana becomes prime minister 1901 Dev Shamsher Rana forced to abdicate; Chandra Shamsher Rana becomes prime minister 1914-18 Thousands of Nepalese citizens fight as soldiers for British in World War I 1923 Treaty of Friendship with Britain confirms independence of Nepal and special relationship with British Empire 1935 Praja Parishad established, first political party in Nepal 1939-45 Tens of thousands of Nepalese citizens fight as soldiers for British in World War II 1947 Nepali National Congress established through merger of former All-India Nepali National Congress with Nepalese Society of Banaras and Gorkha Congress of Calcutta 1948 Prime Minister Padma Shamsher Rana announces first constitution of Nepal, then resigns; his replacement, Mohan Shamsher Rana, represses opposition 1950 Nepali National Congress absorbs Nepal Democratic Congress and becomes Nepali Congress Party; civil war breaks out 1950-51 Ranas fall; King Tribhuvan regains control over army and administration; interim constitution enacted 1952 King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascends throne 1955 Nepal admitted to United Nations 1956 First Five-Year Plan of economic development initiated 1959 King Mahendra enacts new constitution; first general elections in Nepal bring to power Nepali Congress Party with B.P. Koirala as prime minister 1960 King Mahendra dismisses the democratic government and imprisons B.P. Koirala and other leaders 1962 War waged between India and China; new constitution sets up panchayat system 1963 First elections held to National Panchayat 1972 King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascends throne 1980 National Referendum supports panchayat system 1982 B.P. Koirala, Nepali Congress Party leader, dies 1986 Second elections held to National Panchayat 1989 Failure to renegotiate trade and transit treaties with India disrupts economy 1990 New constitution promulgated as result of agitations and successes of Movement for the Restoration of Democracy 1991Elections to Parliament held; Nepali Congress wins a narrow majority; G.P. Koirala becomes prime minister.President of Nepali Congress and interim prime minister, K.P. Bhattarai, defeated in the polls by the leader of CPN-UML, Madan Bhandari. 1992  Local elections held; Nepali Congress wins a majority of the seats. 1993Madan Bhandari killed in a mysterious car crash. Violent demonstrations by communists to overthrow Koirala's government; devastating floods kill hundreds. 1994 Prime minister Koirala resigns and calls for new elections afte losing a parliamentary vote due to the abstention of 36 members of his own party. New elections in November results in a hung parliament; CPN-UML, which emerged as the single largest party, formes a minority government. 1995The minority goverment of CPN-UML loses power in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence. A coalition government of Nepali Congress, RPP and Sadhvabana is formed. 1997  The NC-RPP coalition government loses power resulting in a UML-RPP coalition. This government itself loses power six months later to another NC-RPP coalition. Ganesh Man Singh, who led the Sources: The Third World Encyclopedia; Nepal and Bhutan, Country Studies.