The unification of greater Nepal had extended to its maximum limit with no sign of reducing the speed of the campaign. The British too were accelerating their pace of colonisation. They had captured India. Then their eyes were towards Nepal which was situated to the north of India.
Since the English people were from the cold country it was difficult for them to run the administration from their station in India, which is a tropical country. So they were in search of cold places like Even the trade disputes were risen as Nepal government didn't provide the trade route to the East India Company to trade with Tibet. Nepal was rich in forest resources which would be useful for the East India Company to establish shipping industries in India through the use of wood from the forest of Nepal.
The dispute over the issue of Butwal and Syuraj was the immediate cause of the Anglo-Nepal war. Since early days, the king of Palpa had been occupying those territories in the Terai region. On the condition of paying revenue to Nawab of Abadh. The Nepalese force had taken over Butwal and Syuraj along with Palpa at the time of unification operations. In the mean time the English Governor, Marquis of Hastings gave a threating letter to the government of Nepal for the immediate return of Butwal and Syuraj to them. But Bhimsen Thapa, stubborn in nature was not coward. Administrator to yield to the threat of the Government General. The English battalion entered the territory of Nepal 8 days earlier than the formal declaration of the war was made.
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| Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa |
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| English Governer, Marquis of Hastings |
The Anglo-Nepal War started from October 1814 which lasted for two years. Nepali troops fought bravely with the well equipped British Troops even they lack both weapons and manpower. Nepali soldiers fought bravely using khukuri, stones, bees against British soldiers equipped with rifles and cannons.
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| Nalapani War |
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| Canos and Rifals against Khukuri |
Although Gorkhali soldiers were opponents of British, the Britons valued them for their bravery, determination, honesty and nationality feelings.
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| Tribute to Balbhadra Kunwar and his troops |
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| War Conduct |
Heroes in the Anglo-Nepal War
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| Badakaji Amar Singth Thapa |
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| Bhakti Thapa |
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| Balabhadra Kunwar |
Finally, after the two long years of bloodshed and loss of lives of many people from both side, they come to the conclusion of signing the treaty which formally ended the war.On 2 December 1815 and ratified by March 1816 the Treaty of Sugauli also known as The Sugauli Sandhi(named after the place, Sugauli where the Treaty was signed ), was signed between the East India Company and the then-king of Nepal, King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah. Raj Guru Gajaraj Mishra aided by Chandra Shekhar Upadhyaya was the signatory for Nepal while Lt. Col. Paris Bradshaw was the signatory for the Company.
After the Treaty, Nepal lost one-third of its territory, and the unification ended forever limiting the Nepal from Mechi- Mahakali.
David Ochterlony and the political agent William Fraser were quick to recognise the potential of Nepalese soldiers in British service. During the war, the British were keen to use defectors from the Nepalese Army and employ them as irregular forces. His confidence in their loyalty was such that in April 1815 he proposed forming them into a battalion under Lieutenant Ross called the Nasiri regiment. This regiment, which later became the 1st King Geoge's Own Gurkha Rifles, saw action at the Malaun fort under the leadership of Lieutenant Lawtie, who reported to Ochterlony that he "had the greatest reason to be satisfied with their exertions". This situation led to the regular recruitment of Nepali in British Army and Indian Army.
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| The Treaty of Sugauli |
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| Nepal, before and after the Sugauli Treaty |
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