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{{short description|Invasion of Tibet by Nepalese Army and Chinese military intervention}}
{{For|the later war with Tibet of 1855–56|Nepalese–Tibetan War}}
{{multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=June 2013}}
{{cleanup|date=December 2011}}
{{Split| First Nepal–Tibet War|date=August 2021}}
}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = First campaign against Tibetans
| image = Capture of Magaer.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| date = 1788–1789
| place = [[Tibet]]
| result = Nepalese victory; Tibetans pay annual tribute to Nepal<ref name="nepalarmytwo" />
| status =
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Qing dynasty}} [[Tibet under Qing rule]]
| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|Nepal|old}} [[Kingdom of Nepal]]
| commander1 = [[8th Dalai Lama]]
| commander2 = [[Rana Bahadur Shah]] [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Bahadur Shah]]
| strength1 = 3,000
| strength2 = 9,000
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = Heavy
| notes =
}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Second campaign against Gurkhas
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| date = 1791–1792
| place = [[Tibet]], [[Nepal]], [[Sikkim]]
| result = Qing victory;{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=187}} Treaty of Betrawati; [[List of tributaries of Imperial China#Qing|Nepal maintains diplomacy and pays tribute]] to Qing Empire.
| status =
| combatant1 = {{flag|Qing dynasty}} [[Sikkim]] [[Tamang people|Tamang]]s
| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|Nepal|old}} [[Kingdom of Nepal]]
[[Gorkhali]]s
| commander1 = [[Qianlong Emperor]] [[Fuk'anggan]]
| commander2 = [[Rana Bahadur Shah]] [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Bahadur Shah]] [[Damodar Pande]] [[Abhiman Singh Basnyat]] [[Kirtiman Singh Basnyat]]
| strength1 = 7,000{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
| strength2 = 50,000{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = Heavy
| notes =
}}
{{Ten Great Campaigns}}

The '''Sino-Nepalese War''' ({{lang-ne|नेपाल-चीन युद्ध}}), also known as the '''Sino-Gorkha war''' and in Chinese the '''campaign of Gorkha''' ({{zh |t = 廓爾喀之役 }}), was an invasion of Tibet by Nepal from 1788 to 1792. The war was initially fought between Nepalese Gorkhas and Tibetan armies over a trade dispute related to a long-standing problem of low-quality coins manufactured by Nepal for Tibet. The Nepalese Army under [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Bahadur Shah]] plundered [[Tibet under Qing rule]] and Tibetans tamangs signed the Treaty of Kerung paying annual tribute to Nepal. However, Tibetans requested for Chinese intervention and Sino-Tibetan forces under [[Fuk'anggan]] raided Nepal up to [[Nuwakot, Nuwakot|Nuwakot]] only to face a strong Nepalese counterattack. Thus, both countries signed the Treaty of Betrawati as a stalemate.<ref name="nepalarmytwo">{{cite web |url=http://www.nepalarmy.mil.np/history.php?page=two |title=Tibetan and Nepalese Conflict |publisher=Official website of Nepal Army }}</ref>{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=187}} The war ended in Nepal accepting terms dictated by China. Nepal became a [[Tributary state|tribute state]] of Qing ([[List of tributaries of Imperial China#Qing|Nepal maintains diplomacy and pays tribute]]). Nepal paid tribute to China in 1792, 1794, 1795, 1823, 1842 and 1865.<ref>Gundry, {{Google books|xDUFAAAAQAAJ|"Nepal," pp. 609-610.|page=609}}</ref> Both Nepal and Tibet had also agreed to accepting the [[suzerainty]] of the Qing emperor.

==Background==
Tibet had been using Nepalese silver coins since the time of the [[Malla (Nepal)|Malla]] kings. When [[Prithvi Narayan Shah]] of the [[Gorkha Kingdom]] launched an economic blockade on the [[Kathmandu Valley]] during his unification campaign, [[Jaya Prakash Malla]] of Kathmandu faced an economic crisis which he tried to alleviate by minting low quality coins mixed with copper. After Prithvi Narayan Shah successfully conquered the Kathmandu Valley in 1769 and firmly established the rule of the [[Shah dynasty]] in Nepal, he reverted to minting pure silver coins. But by then the damage to the confidence of the Nepalese minted coins had already been done. The Tibetans demanded that all the impure coins in circulation be replaced by pure silver ones, a demand that would place a huge financial burden on the newly founded Shah dynasty. Prithvi Narayan Shah was not willing to bear such a huge loss in a matter for which he was not responsible, but was willing to vouch for the purity of the newly minted coins. Thus two kinds of coins were in circulation in the market. The case remained unresolved due to his untimely demise in 1775, and the problem was inherited by successive rulers of Nepal.

By 1788 [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Bahadur Shah]], the youngest son of Prithivi Narayan Shah, and the uncle and regent of the minor king [[Rana Bahadur Shah]], had inherited an aggravated coinage problem. On the plea of debased coins, Tibet had started to spread rumors that it was in a position to attack Nepal; and the Nepalese merchants in Tibet were likewise harassed. Another sore point in Nepal-Tibet relationship was Nepal's decision to provide refuge to the 10th [[Shamarpa]] [[Lama]], Mipam Chödrup Gyamtso, and his fourteen Tibetan followers. He had fled from Tibet to Nepal on religious and political grounds. Yet another cause for conflict was the low quality of salt being provided by Tibetans to Nepal, since in those days, all the [[Tibet-Nepal salt trade route|salt in Nepal came from Tibet]]. A Nepalese delegation was sent to Tibet to resolve these issues, but the demands made by the Nepalese were rejected by the Tibetans. The Nepalese found the quarrel over coinage a good pretext to expand their kingdom and to raid the rich monasteries in Tibet. Thus, Nepal launched multi-directional attacks on Tibet.

==First Invasion==
[[File:Damodar Pande.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kaji (Nepal)|Kazi]] [[Damodar Pande]], who led war with Tibetans that resulted in the Treaty of Kerung]]

In the year 1788, [[Bahadur Shah of Nepal|Bahadur Shah]] sent Gorkha troops under the joint command of [[Damodar Pande]] and [[Bam Shah]] to attack Tibet. The Gorkha troops entered Tibet through Kuti ([[Nyalam Town]]) and reached as far as [[Tashilhunpo]] (about 410 km. from Kuti). A fierce battle was fought at [[Shelkar|Shikarjong]] in which the Tibetans were badly defeated. The [[Panchen Lama]] and [[Sakya (tribe)|Sakya]] Lama then requested the Gorkha troops to have peace talks. So the Gorkha troops left Shikarjong and went towards Kuti and Kerung ([[Gyirong County|Gyirong]]).

[[File:Greater_Nepal_(with_Nepalese_Tibetan_war_expansions).png|thumb|right|400px|Territorial Expansions up to [[Shigatse]]/Digarcha]]

When the [[Qianlong Emperor]] of China heard the news of the invasion of Tibet by Nepal, he sent a large troop of the Chinese army under the command of General Chanchu. Chanchu came to know the situation from the Tibetan Lamas. He decided to stay in Tibet till the dispute was settled.

The representatives of Tibet and Nepal met at Khiru in 1789 to have peace talks. In the talks Tibet was held responsible for the quarrel and were required to give compensation to Nepal for the losses incurred in the war. Tibet had also to pay tribute to Nepal a sum of Rs. 50,001 every year in return for giving back to Tibet all the territories acquired during the war.<ref name="nepalarmytwo"/> It was called the '''Treaty of Kerung'''. The Nepalese representatives were given Rs. 50,001 as the first installment. So giving back the territories - Kerung, Kuti, Longa, Jhunga and Falak, they went back to Nepal. But Tibet refused to pay the tributes after the first year of the conclusion of the treaty. As a result, the war between Nepal and Tibet continued.

==Second Invasion==
As Tibet had refused to pay the tribute to Nepal, Bahadur Shah sent a troop under [[Abhiman Singh Basnet]] to Kerung and another troop under the command of [[Damodar Pande]] to Kuti in 1791. Damodar Pande attacked Digarcha and captured the property of the monastery there. He also arrested the minister of [[Lhasa]], [https://www.tbrc.org/#!rid=P300 Dhoren Kazi] (Tib. Rdo ring Bstan 'dzin dpal 'byor, b.1760) and came back to Nepal. As soon as this news was heard by the Qianlong Emperor, he sent a strong troop of 70,000 soldiers under the leadership of [[Fuk'anggan]] to defend Tibet.

The [[Qing dynasty|Qing Empire]] asked Nepal to return the property to Tibet which was looted at Digarcha. They also demanded them to give back [[Shamarpa]] Lama who had taken asylum in Nepal. But Nepal turned a deaf ear to these demands. The Qing imperial army responded to Nepal with military intervention. The Qing forces marched along the banks of the [[Trishuli River]] until they reached [[Nuwakot District|Nuwakot]]. The Nepalese troops attempted to defend against the Qing attack, but were already faced with overwhelming odds. Heavy damage was inflicted on both sides and the Chinese army pushed the Gurkhas back to the inner hills close to the Nepali capital. However, a comprehensive defeat of the Gorkhali army could not be achieved.

At the same time, Nepal was dealing with military confrontations along two other fronts. The nation of [[Kingdom of Sikkim|Sikkim]] had begun incursions along Nepal's eastern border. Along the far-western side, the war with Garhwal continued. Within Nepal's own borders, the kingdoms of [[Achham]], [[Doti#History|Doti]] and [[Kingdom of Jumla|Jumla]] openly revolted. Thus the problems that Bahadur Shah faced made it much harder to defend against the Qing army. The anxious Bahadur Shah asked for ten artillery guns from the [[East India Company]]. Captain [[William Kirkpatrick (East India Company officer)|William Kirkpatrick]] arrived in Kathmandu,<ref>{{cite book | last = Kirkpatrick| first = Colonel| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ijxAAAAAYAAJ| title = An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul| publisher = London: William Miller| year=1811| access-date = 11 February 2013}}</ref> but he informed the Nepalese the conditions of business treaty which he required the signing of before delivery of the weapons. Wary of what signing the treaty would entail, the deal fell through and the military situation became critical for Bahadur Shah.

After a series of successful battles by Qing, the Qing army had finally suffered a major setback when they tried to cross a monsoon-flooded Betrawati, close to a Gorkhali palace in Nuwakot. As the Qing troops had reached south of the Betravati river, near Nuwakot, it was difficult for the Nepalese troops to wait for them at Kathmandu. At Kathmandu, a Nepalese force of less than 200 soldiers attempted to resist the Qing troops at Betravati. On September 19, 1792, Nepalese troops launched a counterattack against the Qing forces encamped at Jitpurfedi. The Nepalese used a tactic where their soldiers carried lit torches in their hands, tying them to the branches of trees, and tying flaming torches on the horns of domestic animals and driving them towards the enemy. The Qing army suffered a defeat, but the loss failed to dislodge them from Nepal.

A stalemate ensued, and with their resources low and a looming uncertainty regarding how long they would be able to hold on in addition to the need to continue their expansion drive on the western frontier, the Gorkhalis signed a treaty on terms dictated by the Qing that required, among other obligations, Nepal to send tributes to the Qing emperor every five years.

On the 8th day of [[Bhadra (Nepali calendar)|Bhadra]], 10,000 Chinese troops advanced forward from Betrawati river. There were three forts passed the Betrawati river namely; Chokde, Dudethumko, and Gerkhu.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} At Gerkhu, the commanding officer was [[Kaji (Nepal)|Kaji]] [[Kirtiman Singh Basnyat]] and at Chokde, the commanding officer was [[Kaji (Nepal)|Kaji]] [[Damodar Pande]].{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} There were serious fightings around all the three forts and heavy repulse from Nepalese forces compelled Chinese troops to retreat to Betrawati river.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} At Betrawati bridge, the Chinese General Tung Thyang began to punish retreating Chinese soldiers with severe injuries resulting in their death.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} Two of the Chinese officers who retreated beyond the Betrawati river were punished with injury to their nose.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} The action of the Chinese General demotivated the troops and increase rapid desertion and retreat through other routes.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} Many Chinese troops died falling from hills into river and others from the bullets and arrows from Nepalese side.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=186}} Around 1000 or 1200 Chinese troops were killed in the manner.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=187}} The Chinese General Tung Thyang lost all hopes of attacking the Nepalese forces and decided to conclude a treaty with Nepal through his letter.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=187}} The letter from Tung Thyang reached the [[government of Nepal]]. In reply, the [[government of Nepal]] issued a royal order deputing Kaji [[Damodar Pande]] to conclude a treaty with the [[Qianlong Emperor|Chinese Emperor]] to prevent further hostility and maintain peace with the Emperor.{{sfn|Regmi|1970a|p=187}} The royal order issued by King [[Rana Bahadur Shah]] to Kaji [[Damodar Pande]] on [[Thursday]], [[Bhadra (Nepali calendar)|Bhadra]] Sudi 13, 1849 (September 1792) is detailed below:
{{Blockquote|From King [[Rana Bahadur Shah]],
To [[Damodar Pande]].

Greetings. All is well here. We desire the same there. The news here is good. The [[Qianlong Emperor|Chinese Emperor]] is not insignificant. He is a great Emperor. We could have repulsed them with the blessing of (Goddess [[Shri]] [[Durga]]) when they came here this time. But it will not be good for the future to maintain hostility with the Emperor. He too desires to conclude a treaty, and that is what we too desire. Tung Thwang has sent a letter asking that one of the four [[Kaji (Nepal)|Kajis]] be sent with letters and present to offer his respects to the Chinese Emperor. [[Kaji (Nepal)|Kajis]] used to be sent formally to conclude treaties with Tanahu and Lamjung. We realize at present that it will not be proper for us not to depute a Kaji to the Emperor. When the matter was discussed with the other Kajis here, they said that [[Damodar Pande|Damdhar(Damodar) Pande]], the recipient of Birta (land) grants and senior-most Kaji, should go. So you have to fo. If there is any delay, (the interests) of the State will be harmed. You should therefore depart from there. So far as instructions are concerned, you are a [[Pande dynasty|Pande]] of our court. You are not ignorant of (matters) which will benefit the State and bring you credit. You know (such matters). In this respect, act according to your discretion. Submit a reply to this soon, within 1 ghadi (24 minutes) after you receive this royal order. Delay will be harmful.

Dated [[Thursday]], [[Bhadra (Nepali calendar)|Bhadra]] Sudi 13, 1849 (September 1792) at Kantipur.{{sfn|Regmi|1970b|p=98}}}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:Victory banquet at the Ziguangge (Hall of Purple Glaze).jpg|thumb|right|209x209px| The Qing celebration of consolidation of Tibet after the Gurkha Campaign (Nepal) 1792]]

The Qing general Fuk'anggan then sent a proposal to the Government of Nepal for ratifying a peace treaty. Bahadur Shah also wanted to have cordial relations with the Qing. He readily accepted the proposal and they concluded a friendly treaty at Betravati on 2 October 1792.<ref>{{citation|last=Acharya|first=Baburam|title=The Bloodstained Throne: Struggles for Power in Nepal (1775-1914)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UWQtAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT25|year=2013|publisher=Penguin Books Limited|isbn=978-93-5118-204-7| pages=25, 209}}</ref> The terms of the treaty were as follows:

# Both Nepal and Tibet will accept the suzerainty of the Qing emperor.
# The Government of Tibet will pay the compensation of the property of the Nepalese merchants which were looted by the Tibetans at Lhasa.
# The Nepali citizens will have the right to visit, trade, and establish industries in any part of Tibet and China.
# In case of any dispute between Nepal and Tibet, the Qing government will intervene and settle the dispute at the request of both the countries.
# The Qing will help Nepal defend against any external aggression.
# Both Nepal and Tibet will have to send a delegation to pay tribute to the Imperial Court in China every five years.
# In return, the Qing emperor will also send friendly gifts to both the countries and the people who carry the tribute will be treated as important guests and will be provided every facility.

While Tibet came under greater control of the Qing after the war, Nepal still retained its autonomy, but had to subordinate to Qing dynasty terms and present tribute to China every 5 year. However the weakening of the Qing dynasty during the 19th century led to the disregard of this treaty. For instance, during the [[Anglo-Nepalese War]] of 1814–16, when the [[East India Company]] launched an invasion of Nepal, not only did China fail to help her feudatory in that conflict, but it also failed to prevent the cession of Nepalese territory to [[Company rule in India|the Company]]. Similarly, during another [[Nepalese-Tibetan War]] of 1855–56, China was conspicuously absent. The Qing were not particularly interested in ruling Nepal; their war was primarily aimed at consolidating their control of Tibet which, in turn, was related to military strategy throughout Central Asia.<ref>Peter Perdue, ''China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia'' (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2005).</ref>

After the 3rd Nepalese-Tibetan war, the [[Treaty of Thapathali]] had been made. The first attempt of the treaty failed with China. The second term of treaty succeeded with all side agreeing. The Nepalese paid their last tribute in 1865 and ended any form of submission to China. Although both Tibet and Nepal agreed to still regard the Chinese Emperor as their sovereign.

Owing to their ethnic ties to Tibet, the [[Bhutia]] and [[Tamang people|Tamang]] communities of Nepal suffered discrimination as a consequence of Nepal's wars against Tibet.<ref>Todd T. Lewis, ''Newars and Tibetans in the Kathmandu Valley. Ethnic Boundaries and Religious History'' (Columbia University: Journal of Asian and African Studies, No. 38, 1989).</ref>

== Subsequent attitude ==
Later Prime Minister [[Bhimsen Thapa]] expressed his attitude on the Sino-Nepalese War in a letter to King [[Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah]]. He wrote,{{sfn|Prinsep|1825|pp=457–458}}

{{cquote|''Through the influence of your good fortune, and that of your ancestors, no one has yet been able to cope with the state of Nepal. The Chinese once made war upon us, but were reduced to seek peace.''}}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="180">
File:Capture of Camu.jpg|Capture of Camu (village southeast of [[Zongga]])
File:Capture of Magaer.jpg|Capture of Magaer (village northwest of [[Gyirong Town]])
File:Capture of Jilong.jpg|Capture of Jilong ([[Gyirong Town]])
File:Capture of Resuoqiao.jpg|Capture of Resuoqiao ([[Rasuwa Fort|Rasuwa bridge]])
File:Capture of Xiebulu.jpg|Capture of Xiebulu ([[Syaphru]])
File:The battle at the mountain Dongjiao.jpg|The battle at the mountain Dongjiao ([[Dhunche]])
File:Capture of Palanggu.jpg|Capture of Palanggu (Phalangu Khola or Falakhu river, a.k.a. Betrawati river)
File:Victory banquet at the Ziguangge (Hall of Purple Glaze).jpg|Victory banquet at the Ziguangge (Hall of Purple Glaze) in [[Zhongnanhai]], Beijing
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Tibet under Qing rule]]
*[[Ten Great Campaigns]]
*[[Golden Urn]]
*[[Nepalese–Tibetan War]]
*[[Treaty of Thapathali]]

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal | last = Boulnois | first = L. | title = Chinese Maps and Prints on the Tibet-Gorkha War of 1788-92 | journal = Kailash: A Journal of Himalayan Studies | volume = 15 | issue = 1,2 | location = Kathmandu | year = 1989 | url = http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/kailash/pdf/kailash_15_0102_03.pdf | access-date = 2013-10-19 }}
* {{cite book | last = Mote | first = F.W. | title = Imperial China 900-1800 | publisher = Harvard University Press | year = 1999 | location = Cambridge, MA | pages = 936–939 | isbn = 9780674012127 }}
* {{citation | last = Prinsep | first = Henry Thoby | author-link = Henry Thoby Prinsep | title = History of the political and military transactions in India during the administration of the Marquess of Hastings, 1813–1823, Vol 1 | place = London | publisher = Kingsbury, Parbury & Allen | volume = 1 | year = 1825 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Tq1jAAAAMAAJ }}
* {{cite book | last = Rose | first = Leo E. | title = Nepal; strategy for survival | publisher = University of California Press| year = 1971 | page = 310 | isbn = 9789994655120 }}
* {{cite journal| editor-last = Regmi | editor-first = Mahesh C. | title = An official Nepali account of the Nepal-China War | journal = Regmi Research Series | volume = 2 | issue = 8 | pages = 177–188 | location = Kathmandu | year = 1970a | url = http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=regmi;cc=regmi;idno=002regmi;view=image;seq=177 | access-date = 2013-10-19 }}
*{{citation | editor-last = Regmi | editor-first = Mahesh C. | title = Nepali Envoy to China, 1792 | journal = Regmi Research Series | volume = 2 | issue = 4 | pages = 98 | date = April 1, 1970b | url = http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/regmi/pdf/Regmi_02.pdf }}
* {{cite book| last1 = Norbu | first1 = Thubten Jigme | last2 = Turnbull | first2 = Colin | title = Tibet: Its History, Religion and People | publisher = Penguin Books | year = 1972 | edition = 1st | page = 368 | isbn = 9780140213829 }}
* {{cite book| last = Stein | first = R.A. | title = Tibetan Civilization | url = https://archive.org/details/tibetancivilizationsteinr.a._223_j | publisher = Stanford University Press | year = 1972 | page = [https://archive.org/details/tibetancivilizat00rste/page/n95 88] | isbn = 0804709017 }}
* {{cite journal | last = Uprety | first = Prem | title = Treaties between Nepal and her neighbors: A historical perspective | journal = Tribhuvan University Journal | volume = 19 | issue = 1st | pages = 15–24 | location = Kathmandu | date = June 1996 | doi = 10.3126/tuj.v19i1.3970 | doi-access = free }}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
* Wright, Daniel, ''History of Nepal''. New Delhi-Madras, Asian Educational Services, 1990

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111210013029/http://www.infoclub.com.np/nepal/history/ The History of Nepal: Expansion of Nepal]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161220102904/http://nepalarmy.mil.np/history.php?page=three History of Nepalese Army: Nepal-Tibet War]

{{-}}
{{Qing dynasty topics}}
{{Tibet topics}}
{{Nepal topics}}

[[Category:Conflicts in 1789]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1790]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1791]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1792]]
[[Category:Wars involving Tibet]]
[[Category:Wars involving Nepal]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Qing dynasty]]
[[Category:China–Nepal relations]]
[[Category:18th century in Tibet]]
[[Category:18th century in Nepal]]
[[Category:1789 in China]]
[[Category:1790 in China]]
[[Category:1791 in China]]
[[Category:1792 in China]]
[[Category:Gurkhas]]
[[Category:Invasions of Tibet]]
[[Category:1789 in Nepal]]
[[Category:1790 in Nepal]]
[[Category:1791 in Nepal]]
[[Category:1792 in Nepal]]

Sino-Nepalese War - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/update articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.