Unification campaign

Before the unification, Nepal was divided into many various petty kingdoms, notability Baise rajyas (22 kingdoms) in the west,^[2] Chaubisi Rajyas (24 kingdoms) in the Gandaki region,^[3] Malla Kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley,^[2] and other kingdoms to extending to Sikkim.^[4] Gorkha, an Independent kingdom in Gandaki, was founded in 1559 by Dravya Shah, the second son of Yasho Brahma Shah, King of Kaski and Lamjung.^[5] In 1739, King Nara Bhupal Shah, launched an attack on Nuwakot, a territory controlled by Malla kings and Gorkhalis lost the war.^[6] Once again, he launched another attack with help from Kantipur and Patan(now known as Kathmandu, and Lalitpur respectively), and Gorkhas were ultimately defeated.^[6]

On 3 April 1743,^[7] 20-year-old, Prithvi Narayan Shah ascended the throne of the Gorkha after the death of his father Nara Bhupal Shah.^[6] Like his father, he attacked Nuwakot in 1742 and he suffered another defeat so Shah realised he needed more military technology and manpower to capture Nuwakot.^[8] Shah acquired weapons from Banaras, created alliances with other kingdoms, increased the manpower, and started the assault on 26 September 1744.^[9] This time Gorkhalis won the war which resulted in Nuwakot ceding from Malla Kings and subsequently started the unification of Nepal campaign.^[10] As Gorkhas were continuing their expansion, Jaya Prakash Malla, King of Kantipur requested assistance from the East India Company because he did not see other ways to stop them.^[11] Thomas Rumbold, head of the company in Patna advised Shah to remove the blockade of Kantipur and abstain from attacking Malla or else it could result in a war.^[11] Rumbold not receiving any positive response from Prithvi Narayan Shah led to the Battle of Sindhuli.^[11]

Trade route

During the reign of Gorkha's Ram Shah and Kantipur's Pratap Malla, both gained control of important areas in Tibet's border crossing areas where most of the trans-Himalayan trade occurred.^[12] Shah invaded Tibet around c. 1625-1630, the first attack was unsuccessful however the second strike proved to be successful which gained control of Kerong and went far as Kukurghat, north of Kerong.^[12] War ended with Gorkha signing a treaty with Tibet which gave Shah access to the main trade route.^[12] This created a problem for Kantipur as their traders used the same route, Malla did not fight for Kerong but he gained access to Kuti, second important route.^[12] He also signed a treaty, which created a monopoly for their traders as the trade between India and Tibet was extremely profitable, and the king also profited from the coins minted for their government.^[12] East India Company carried their trades to Tibet and China from Kathmandu, and they came in conflict with the Gorkhas because Prithvi Narayan Shah's blockade of Kantipur which affected them.^[13][14]

Terrain

Sindhuli Gadhi is located 4,648 feet above the sea level and it is about 150-kilometre away from Kathmandu.^[15]