The 1769 Siege of Kirtipur: A City's Last Stand

In 1767 and again in 1769, the Newar city-state of Kirtipur faced the expanding Gorkha kingdom under Prithvi Narayan Shah. This episode zooms in on those two sieges — a story of desperate resistance, clever fortifications, and a ruthless conqueror who cut off the noses of his prisoners. We follow the battles from the initial failed assault, where Gorkha troops were routed by stones and arrows, to the final brutal sack of the city. Along the way, we meet Kaji Kalu Pande, the Gorkha commander who fell at Kirtipur, and hear about the Shakya and Maharjan craftsmen who fought with everything they had. We also explore how Kirtipur's fall broke the last major obstacle to Kathmandu, leading directly to the unification of Nepal under the Shah dynasty. With context from earlier episodes on Prithvi Narayan Shah's expansionist drive, this episode captures a pivotal moment in South Asian history that is often overshadowed by the later Anglo-Nepal War.

#Kirtipur #PrithviNarayanShah #Gorkha #Newar #1769 #NepalHistory #KathmanduValley #Siege #KaluPande #ShahDynasty #Malla #Taleju #SouthAsia #Himalayas #History #FexingoHistory #MilitaryHistory #Unification

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