Preface Acknowledgments Glossary On the Spelling and Pronunciation of Indian and Nepalese Words Chronology Introduction Chapter 1: The Country Infrastructure Mountains Earthquakes Water Resources Forests and Holy Trees Chapter 2: The Population Migration Social Structures and Hierarchies The Position of Women Nepal as a Multi-ethnic State Chapter 3: The Religions Buddhism Hinduism Religious Syncretism and Tolerance Chapter 4: Scattered Power and Petty Kingdoms: The Country before the Fourteenth Century Prehistory The Kirata The Licchavi and Abhira-Gupta Period The Early Medieval Period The Khasa-Malla in West Nepal Petty Kingdoms Chapter 5: Divided Rule: The Malla Kingdoms, Thirteenth to Eighteenth Century The Malla Rulers The Urban Culture of the Newars The Three Royal Cities of the Kathmandu Valley Chapter 6: From Gorkha to Nepal: The Imperial Saha Monarchy, 1768/69-1846 Prthvinarayana and His Followers The Consolidation of Gorkhali Power Anglo-British Encounters Sino-Tibetan Encounters Chapter 7: Patrimonial Rule: The Rana Period, 1846-1951 The Kivara Rana, 1846-1885 The Samsera Rana, 1885-1951 Landholding and Agriculture Labor and Slavery Economy and Trade The Legal and Administrative System Education and the Media Healing Systems and Shamanism Hunting and Elephants Rana Architecture The Legacy of the Saha and Rana Periods Chapter 8: From Monarchy to Republic, 1951-2022 The Restoration of the Sahas The Maoist Insurgency The Decline of the Monarchy and the Emergence of Democracy Power and Authority: King, Prime Minister, and Maoist Leader Administration and Law The Urbanization of the Kathmandu Valley Literature, Art, and Music Chapter 9: Alliances and Resistance: Ethnic Groups and Their Histories The Tarai: From Mithila to the Madhesi Uprising The Sherpa Mustang The Kiranti (Rai-Limbu) in Eastern Nepal From Empire to Nation State Conclusion Appendices The Sources Lists of Rulers, Prime Ministers, and British Envoys Notes Bibliography Index

"Few of those who have tried to write the history of Nepal are equally competent in handling ancient Sanskrit inscriptions, medieval chronicles, priestly handbooks, and contemporary politics. Axel Michaels - polymath, founder of Ethno-Indologie, and long at the heart of the German scholarly community working on Nepal - has all these competencies and more, so a new history of Nepal from his hand is both highly welcome and likely to stand for a long time as an essential guide to the country." -- David N. Gellner, University of Oxford "Kaleidoscopic and comprehensive, this cultural history of Nepal is a triumph. From prehistory to the current political moment, this extraordinary and multidisciplinary monograph engages with primary and secondary sources in a great number of languages to tell the story of Nepal in a way that invites deeper understanding and prompts critical reflection. Readers are indeed fortunate to have Axel Michaels as their expert guide, as he navigates complex terrain with agility and insight. In no short time, Nepal: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present will be a core text for all scholars in the humanities and social sciences interested in South Asia." -- Mark Turin, University of British Columbia "This book presents a refreshing new look at Nepal's development from heterogeneous ethnicities and traditions into an emerging nation state, situated both inside and outside the Indian 'Great Tradition.' Axel Michaels excels in deliberating alternative views of many contested points, frequently adding his own decades-long personal experiences." -- Michael Witzel, Harvard University "Drawing on the author's own extensive Indological and ethnographic research, this book provides an excellent survey of Nepal's culture and history and is particularly valuable for its treatment of religion and art." -- John Whelpton, Author of A History of Nepal "Nepal: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present is a remarkable and enriching work that offers a thorough and thoughtful examination of Nepal's historical journey. Axel Michaels has crafted a book that not only educates but also captivates, making it a significant contribution to the study of South Asian history." -- Ankit Sharma, Goodreads "Recognizing Nepal's multifaceted consciousness, the book ponders how the country handles its exceptional diversity. An excellent and very comprehensive history." -- P. Passariello, Choice

Axel Michaels is Senior Professor of Classical Indology and Religious Studies at the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg. A specialist in the legal and cultural history of South Asia, he is the author of Hinduism: Past and Present and Homo rituali: Hindu Rituals and its Significance for Ritual Theory (OUP, 2015), among other books.

Selling point: Offers an updated and comprehensive history of a country from from the pre-historic times through the more recent developments, such as the Maoist insurgency and the rise of the republic Selling point: Based on sources in Nepali, Sanskrit, and other indigeneous languages Selling point: Incorporates the religious history and histories of selected regions (Mustang, Sherpa, Tarai, and others) Selling point: Explores cultural aspects of Nepal, especially on its rich history of arts, architecture, and crafts