Nepal's 1846 Kot Massacre and the Rise of the Ranas

In 1846, a bloody court massacre in Kathmandu's Kot courtyard wiped out nearly all of Nepal's noble families, setting the stage for the Rana dynasty's 104-year rule. This episode follows the chaotic power vacuum after King Rajendra Bikram Shah's reign, the rivalry between Queen Samrajya Laxmi Devi and the Thapa and Basnyat factions, and the ambitious Jang Bahadur Kunwar (later Rana) who orchestrated the massacre. We explore how Jang Bahadur manipulated the king, eliminated his rivals, and installed himself as prime minister, reducing the Shah monarchs to figureheads. Learn about the immediate aftermath—the flight of survivors, the consolidation of Rana power, and the beginning of a hereditary dictatorship that isolated Nepal for a century. Specific details include the role of the queen's lover, General Gagan Singh, the massacre's death toll of over 30 nobles, and Jang Bahadur's subsequent trip to Europe. This episode covers a turning point that reshaped Nepal's political landscape, connecting earlier Gorkha conquests to the Rana era already examined in previous episodes.

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