| Ranajit Malla | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of Bhaktapur | |||||
 Ranajit Malla on his serpent throne, c.1722 | |||||
| King of Bhaktapur | |||||
| Reign | 15 April 1722– 11 November 1769 | ||||
| Coronation | 15 April 1722[1] | ||||
| Predecessor | Bhupatindra Malla | ||||
| Successor | Position abolished | ||||
| King of Lalitpur (Patan) | |||||
| Reign | 1761—1763 | ||||
| Predecessor | Jaya Prakash Malla | ||||
| Successor | Dal Mardan Shah | ||||
| Born | 18 November 1702[1] Bhaktapur, Nepal (Present Day Bagmati Province, Nepal) | ||||
| Died | May 1771 (aged 68) Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi, Oudh State (Present day Uttar Pradesh, India) | ||||
| Consort | |||||
| Wives |
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| Issue |
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| Dynasty | Malla | ||||
| Father | Bhupatindra Malla | ||||
| Mother | Vishva Lakshmi | ||||
Ranajita Malla (Nepal Bhasa: रणजित मल्ल) was the last king of the Malla dynasty who ruled Bhaktapur from 1722 to 1769. He is widely known for his contribution to Nepal Bhasa literature, in particular his plays are generally praised by modern scholars.[3] He has been generally described as a peace loving, simple and pious monarch who allowed his citizens to advise and criticize him.[3][2] However, his reign was characterized by constant disputes with Kantipur and Gorkha. He is also known for the crisis of succession during his reign when he favored his concubine's issue over his queen consort's, who was more generally liked, which caused a lot of mutiny in the kingdom especially in cities like Thimi and Banepa.[4]
Ranajit Malla was described very positively by Capuchin missionaries, particularly due to his friendly attitude towards them and he allowed them to preach Christianity without persecution.[5] During the later parts of his reign, he ruled Lalitpur briefly, after being invited by the city's nobles. He was also, during his later years, generally respected by people in the valley due to him being of old age and the only direct descendant of Yaksha Malla.[6]
After his defeat by the Gorkhali forces of Prithivi Narayan Shah in 1769, he was per his choice sent into exile in Varanasi, and on its way composed a Newar language Dapha song from the hills of Chandragiri, which is regarded as an important literary work of the Newar Language.[7]
- ^ a b Regmi 1965, p. 394.
- ^ a b Dhaubhadel 2020, p. 33.
- ^ a b Bajracarya, Santaharsha (1988). Juju Ranajit Mallaya Shada Darshana (in Newari). Sahitya Vayaba.
- ^ Regmi 1966, p. 343.
- ^ Alsop, Ian (11 March 2021). "Christians at the Malla Court: The Capuchin 'piccolo libro'". Asian Art.
- ^ Regmi 1966, p. 235.
- ^ Widdess 2016, p. 298.