The Gurkha War (1814-1816), also known as the Anglo-Nepalese War, was fought between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Nepal.

The war was declared by Nepalese prime minister and commander in chief Mukhtiyar General Bhimsen Thapa and British Governor Sir Warren Hastings. The prelude to the war was that Nepal had been opposing any British actions in the subcontinent and stood a threat to their capital of Calcutta. The immediate cause was the refusal of Nepalese forces to evacuate the disputed territories of Audh (now in Uttar Pradesh in India).

A total of around 12000 Nepalese soldiers including women and children fought against the 30000 white British soldiers excluding the allying Indian States soldiers. Nepal lacked enough military because most of them had been killed in the recent national unification campaign but the soldiers were determined and robust.

The Gurkhas of Nepal inflicted a series of repulses on the British Army in Bengal. Each side earned the respect of the other, but eventually British forces were victorious in the western fronts like Nalapani, Almora, Dehradun, Sutluj commanded under Nepalese general Amar Singh Thapa and British general Sir David Ochterlony . The resulting Sugauli Treaty of 1816 gave the British the tract of hill country where Simla, the site of the future summer capital of British India, was situated and it settled relations between Nepal and British India for the rest of the British period. Nepal remained independent and isolated, supported by the export of soldiers to strengthen the British military presence in India.

External links

• http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/nepal/nepal130.html
• Library of Congress Nepal Country Study