Raj Rajeshwari Devi

Raj Rajeshwari Devi (died 5 May 1806), was a Queen consort and twice regent of Nepal. She was married to Rana Bahadur Shah. She was forced to commit sati on the orders of Bhimsen Thapa, on the bank of the Salinadi rivulet, at Sankhu, 5 May 1806.

Queen Raj Rajeshwari Devi
Queen consort of Ghorka
Queen regent of Nepal
BornNepal
Died5 May 1806
Sankhu, Nepal
SpouseRana Bahadur Shah
IssueTilottoma Devi
Full name
Raj Rajeshwari Devi
DynastyHouse of Shah (by birth)
ReligionHinduism

Life

She was the granddaughter of Shiva Shah, Raja of Gulmi. In 1799, her consort abdicated to become a sanyasi, and she became regent in the name of her under age son. She ruled alongside the other two wives of her consort, Maharani Subarna Prabha Devi and Maharani Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi.[1]

After her husband abdicated in favor of his son Girvan, Queen Rajeshwari became the regent. She, however, decided to accompany her husband to exile in Benaras. Queen Subarna Prabha then became the regent.[2] In 26 July 1801, however, Queen Rajeshwari returned to Nepal. [3][4] As a result, Subarnaprabha's favorite courtier Mul Kaji (Chief minister) Kirtiman Singh Basnyat was secretly assassinated on 28 September 1801, by the supporters of Rajrajeswori.[5] She resumed her role as the regent,[6][4] while Queen Subarna Prabha was put under house arrest.[7]

In 1804, her husband returned and resumed power. Two years later, her spouse was assassinated by his brother, and ten days later, on 5 May 1806, Maharani Raj Rajeshwari Devi, as a Hindu widow, was forced to commit sati on the orders of Bhimsen Thapa. The sati took place on the bank of the Salinadi rivulet at Sankhu.[8] Her co-regents, Subarna Prabha Devi and Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, were not, however, forced to commit sati despite the fact that they were widows after the same man, and continued their rule as regents.[9]

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References
  1. Guide 2
  2. Acharya 2012, p. 32.
  3. Nepal 2007, p. 52.
  4. Acharya 2012, pp. 36–37.
  5. Acharya 2012, p. 34.
  6. Pradhan 2012, p. 14.
  7. Acharya 2012, p. 43.
  8. Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership, "Women In Power, 1770-1800" ("1799-1800 and 1802-04 Regent Sri Sri Sri Maharani Raj Rajeshwari Devi of Nepal ... she was imprisoned at Helambu and killed by being forced to commit sati.").
  9. Guide 2

Bibliography
  • Acharya, Baburam (2012), Acharya, Shri Krishna (ed.), Janaral Bhimsen Thapa : Yinko Utthan Tatha Pattan (in Nepali), Kathmandu: Education Book House, p. 228, ISBN 9789937241748
  • Nepal, Gyanmani (2007), Nepal ko Mahabharat (in Nepali) (3rd ed.), Kathmandu: Sajha, p. 314, ISBN 9789993325857
  • Pradhan, Kumar L. (2012), Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, p. 278, ISBN 9788180698132
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