Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley is Nepal's capital region, covering 167 ha. It has three major cities: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. There are 7 UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites. Kathmandu sits at an altitude of 1350 m above sea level, surrounded by large hills. Before the 15th century, it was one kingdom, and its capital was Bhaktapur. It was divided into three domains: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Three kings ruled until the 18th century, and after King Prithvi Narayan Shaha united Nepal, Kathmandu became the capital of Nepal. The valley was known as Nepal, while the other parts outside Kathmandu had several kings and small states.

Kathmandu is a developed, densely populated city in Nepal. Most major government headquarters are located in this valley. It is one of Nepal's tourist hubs, with rich, unique art, architecture, culture, and street festivals.

The earthquake severely hit some historical monuments on 25th April 2015, and a few hundred people were killed. Kathmandu is not the original name, so it was known as Nepal Mandala (Land of Nepa People), but later in the 12th century, made Kashtha Mandap (Wooden building), which was made out of the wood of one tree then named Kathmandu from this building which is in Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Kathmandu may have been inhabited from an early age, and humans began making settlements as they moved out of jungle life. Historically, Kathmandu was full of water, and when the water cleared out, Patan got its first inhabitants. Several different dynasties ruled in Kathmandu, as below:

Gopal dynasty (Cow feeders) ruled for 521 years by eight kings in Kathmandu

According to Hindu mythology, God Shree Krishna came with his friends when Kathmandu was full of water. He cleared the water, then sent the king to Bhuktaman, and he went.

Bhumi Gupta (Bhuktaman)
Jaya Gupta
Dharma Gupta
Harsh Gupta
Bhim Gupta
Madi Gupta
Bishnu Gupta
Jeet Gupta

Mahispal dynasty (Buffalo feeders) in Kathmandu

Mahispal were from the same Gopal dynasty and were divided into cow feeders and buffalo feeders from the same family.

Kirat Dynasty in KTM Valley

Kirat arrived in the valley early in the 7th or 8th century BC; they were Mongolian-looking and used sheep farming. Kirat ruled for about 1225 years by 29 different kings, as below:

Yellung Hang or Yalambar
Pari Hang
Skandhar Hang
Balamba Hang
Haiti Hang
Humati Hang
Jitedasti Hang
Galinja Hang
Oysgja Hang
Suyarma Hang
Papa Hang
Bunka Hang
Swawnanda Hang
Sthunko Hang
Jinghri Hang
Nane Hang
Luka Hang
Thor Hang
Thoko Hang
Verma Hang
Guja Hang
Pushkar Hang
Keshu Hang
Suja Hang
Sansa Hang
Gunam Hang
Khimbu Hang
Paruka Hang

Lichchavi Dynasty in the Valley

The Lichchavis were from the Indian states and ruled Nepal for only five kings. Nepal had no written language before the Lichchavi period. There was only a spoken language. King Manadeva erected a stone pillar in Changunarayan with inscriptions about his and his father’s work for the country, and then the reports began. Stone architecture was developed during this period. The kings of the Lichchavi were:

Dharmadeva
Manadeva
Amshuvarma (was in the Lichchavi period, but he was not Lichchavi)
Manadeva II
Amshuvarma (again)
Jayadeva II

Malla Dynasty in Kathmandu, Nepal

The Malla ruled Nepal from the 12th to the 18th century. By that time, Kathmandu was known as Nepal. During the Malla period, wooden carvings flourished, and most art and architecture developed. The Malla were also from the Indian states; when Muslims and Hindus clashed, the Malla, who were Hindu, escaped from their homeland and settled in Nepal. These Malla kings ruled the whole of Kathmandu, ruling from Bhaktapur:

Ari Malla (1201 – 1216)
Abhaya Malla (1216 - 1235)
Ranasura (1216)
Jayadeva Malla (1235 - 1258)
Jaya Bhima Deva Malla (1258 - 1271)
Jayashimha Malla (1271 - 1274)
Ananta Malla (1274 - 1310)
Jayananda Deva Malla (1310 - 1320)
Jayari Malla (1320 - 1344)
Jayarudra Malla (1320 - 1326)
Jayaraja Deva Malla (1347 - 1361)
Jayaarjuna Malla (1361 - 1382)
Jayasthiti Malla (1382 - 1395)
Jayajyotir Malla (1395 - 1428)
Jayakriti Malla (1395 - 1403)
Jayadharma Malla (1395 - 1408)
Jayaksha Malla (1428 – 1482)

After the king ruled from Bhaktapur, when the whole valley was one country, he divided it into Patan, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur. Different kings ruled each one until King Prithvi Narayan Shaha united Nepal.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu Durbar Square

The real name of Kathmandu city was Kantipur, which later changed to Kathmandu. After the period of the Yaksha Malla, some kings ruled this city, who are listed below:

Ratna Malla (1482 - 1520)
Surya Malla (1520 - 1530)
Amara Malla (1530 - 1538)
Narendra Malla (1538 - 1560)
Mahendra Malla (1560–1574)
Sadashiva Malla (1574–1583)
Shivasimha Malla (1583–1620)
Laxminarasimha Malla (1620 - 1641)
Pratap Malla (1641–1674)
Chakrabartendra Malla (1669)
Mahipatendra Malla (1670)
Jayanripendra Malla (1674–1680)
Parthivendra Malla (1680–1687)
Bhupalendra Malla (1687–1700)
Bhaskar Malla (1700–1714)
Mahendrasimha Malla (1714–1722)
Jagjaya Malla (1722–1736)
Jayaprakash Malla (1736–1746)
Jyotiprakash Malla (1746–1750)
Jayaprakash Malla (1750–1768)

Lalitpur (Patan)

Lalitpur city is famous as Patan among tourists because of the Patan Durbar Square. The fine arts are named Latipur, so Lalitpur is the city of fine arts, and Patan is the flat land. This city has no regular kings. Sometimes, it was under Kathmandu, and sometimes, it was under Bhaktapur. Here is the list of those who ruled Lalitpur:

Purandr Simha (1580 - 1600)
Harihar Shimha (1600 - 1609)
Shiva Simha [King of Kantipur] (1609 - 1620)
Siddhi Nara Shimha Malla (1620 - 1661)
Shree Niwasa Malla (1661 - 1685)
Yoga Narendra Malla (1685–1705)
Loka Prakash Malla (1705–1706)
Purandara Malla (1706–1709)
Bira Nara Shimha Malla (1709)
Bira Mahindra Malla (1709–1715)
Riddhi Malla (1715–1717)
Mahindra Malla (1717–1722)
Yoga Prakash Malla (1722–1729)
Bishnu Malla (1729–1745)
Rajya Prakash Malla (1745–1758)
Bishwajit Malla (1758–1760)
Jaya Prakash Malla (King of Kantipur) (1760–1761), (1763–1764)
Ranajit Malla [King of Bhaktapur] (1762–1763)
Dalamardan Shaha [Brother of Prithvi Narayan Shaha] (1764–1765)
Tej Nara Simha Malla 1765–1768

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur city is the oldest city in the valley, and it is rich in wooden carvings. Bhaktapur is known as the city of devotees, and it is also called Bhadgaun. Here is the list of the kings who ruled in Bhaktapur:

Raya Malla (1482 - 1519)
Prana Malla (1519 - 1547)
Bishwa Malla (1547 - 1560)
Trailokya Malla (1560–1613)
Jagajyoti Malla (1613–1637)
Naresh Malla (1637–1644)
Jagat Prakash Malla (1644–1673)
Jitamitra Malla (1673–1696)
Bhupatindra Malla (1696–1722)
Ranajit Malla (1722–1769)

Then, the Shaha dynasty (King Prithvi Narayan Shaha) united the valley, moved his palace from Gorkha to Kathmandu, and began ruling from Kathmandu as Nepal's capital. Several Shaha kings ruled Nepal until 2008. Nepal has no king anymore. Here are the Shaha kings who ruled from 1768 to 2008.

Prithvi Narayan Shaha (1768 - 1775)
Pratap Singh Shaha (1775 - 1777)
Rana Bahadur Shaha (1777 - 1799)
Girbana Yuddha Bikram Shaha (1799 - 1816)
Rajendra Bikram Shaha (1816 - 1847)
Surendra Bikram Shaha (1847 - 1881)
Prithvi Bira Bikram Shaha (1881 - 1911)
Tribhuwan Bira Bikram Shaha (1911 - 1950)
Gyanendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1950 - 1951)
Tribhuwan Bira Bikram Shaha (1951 - 1955)
Mahendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1955 - 1972)
Birendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1972 - 2001)
Dipendra Bira Bikram Shaha (1st June 2001 - 4th June 2001)
Gyanendra Bira Bikram Shaha (2001 - 2008)

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