Editing Prithvi Narayan Shah (section)

== Early years ==

Prithvi Narayan Shah was born [[Preterm birth|prematurely]] on 7 January [[1723]] as the first child of [[Nara Bhupal Shah]] and [[Kaushalyavati Devi]] in the [[Gorkha Palace]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jVUjAQAAMAAJ|title=Regmi Research Project|date=1968|publisher=Regmi Research Project|pages=3|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Śreshṭha|first=Buddhi Nārāyaṇa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W31uAAAAMAAJ|title=Border Management of Nepal|date=2003|publisher=Bhumichitra|isbn=978-99933-57-42-1|pages=6|language=en}}</ref>[[File:Idols - Flickr - askmeaks.jpg|thumb|Idols of PrithviNarayan Shah with his two wives]]
Prince Prithvi Narayan Shah's [[education]] began at age five through the appropriate ceremony.{{Clarification needed|reason=Unclear what the appropriate ceremony for starting education is|date=January 2025}} At that time, the responsibility to educate him was given to Mokchyeshwor Aryal and Bhanu Aryal. They were the Brahmins who worked in the palace as [[Astrology|astrologers]], where they were also known as ''[[Jyotishi]]'' or ''Jaisi''{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}''.'' Even though the [[Guru]]s provided his [[primary education]], the duty of developing his character was taken on by Queen Chandra Pravawati{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}. It is said that seeing the princes of neighboring states [[Tanahun District|Tanahun]], [[Lamjung District|Lamjung]], and [[Kaski District|Kaski]] indulge in excess pleasure, Chandra Pravawati kept Prithvi Narayan Shah away from [[pleasurable]] or wrong pursuits. That is why no traces of pleasurable pursuits and diversion can be found in his early life. {{Verify source|date=November 2021}} Narbhupal Shah wanted P.N. Shah to marry a strong family so that it would assist him if needed. The best prospect of [[marriage]] that he saw fit was with the [[Kingdom of Makwanpur]]. P.N. Shah had turned 14 in [[1737]] C.E. and it was decided that he would marry Indrakumari, the daughter of Hemkarna Sen, the Princess of Makwanpur in the [[Pre-Unification Nepal]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pokhrel |first=Aupson |date=2023-04-08 |title=King Prithvi Narayan Shah - The #1 Encyclopedia of Nepali History |url=https://itihasaa.com/modern-kings/prithvi-narayan-shah/ |access-date=2023-12-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>

From a young age, he took an interest in the affairs of his father's state and soon began to take on these responsibilities. Prithvi Narayan Shah had an early dream of conquering [[Nuwakot District|Nuwakot]], partially because his father had lost it to the [[Malla (Nepal)|Mallas]] of [[Kathmandu]] in an earlier war. After the death of his father in [[1743]] AD, Prithvi Narayan Shah ascended to the [[throne]] of Gorkha at the age of 20. As king, he valued his people and enjoyed talking to them about their general concerns. This practice helped him to build a rapport with his people and helped him to understand the requirements of the citizens of Gorkha. King Shah sealed his borders and maintained a friendly [[diplomatic relationship]] with his neighbors, with the exception of the [[East India Company]], which ignored Nepal and refused to open [[trade]] relations at the time.<ref>{{cite book|first=sujit|last=silwal|title=PrithviNarayan Shah|location=kathmandu|publisher=Nepal SahiSammelan|language=ne}}</ref>