Gyanendra of Nepal

Gyanendra was a king in Nepal.

He was a boy when he first became king. Later, he became king again when he was older.

During his time, many things changed in his land. There was a war that made life hard. This led to big protests by the people.

The people wanted a new way to lead. They decided to end the rule of kings. They chose to make Nepal a republic instead.

This change happened in the year 2008. The king had to leave his big palace. Now, the palace is a museum for all to see.

It is interesting to see how lands change.

Gyanendra was a king in Nepal.

He was a very young child when he first became king in 1950. His family had to flee to India during that time. Soon, his grandfather returned to lead the country again.

Many years later, Gyanendra became king a second time. This happened after a sad event in the royal family.

During his rule, there was a civil war. This war made it hard to hold elections. In 2005, Gyanendra took direct control of the government. He said this was to help stop the fighting.

Many people in Nepal did not like this. They held big protests and strikes. In 2006, the king gave power back to a new parliament. But the people still wanted more change. They wanted to end the rule of kings. In 2008, Nepal became a republic. This means the people chose a new way to lead. Gyanendra had to leave his palace. Now, the palace is a museum.

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was a businessman who became the last king of Nepal.

His life was marked by two very different times as a ruler. He first held power as a small child in 1950. Later, he ruled again from 2001 until 2008. His second time as king was a very difficult period for the country. This era saw a lot of change in how Nepal was governed. Eventually, the monarchy ended, and Nepal became a republic.

His first time as king happened when he was only three years old.

In 1950, his father and grandfather had to flee to India. This left the infant prince as the only male royal in Nepal. Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana brought him back to Kathmandu. The prince was declared king on 7 November 1950. However, this rule did not last very long. By January 1951, a deal was reached and his grandfather returned to lead.

As he grew up, Gyanendra lived a more quiet life. He studied at St. Joseph's School in Darjeeling, India. He later graduated from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu in 1969. He was also very interested in nature. In 1982, he became the chairman of a group that protects nature. This group was later known as the National Trust for Nature Conservation. He married Komal Rajya Lakhsmi Devi in 1970 and had two children.

His second reign began after a tragic event in the royal family. In June 2001, a member of the family killed several royals. Gyanendra served as a temporary leader until he was officially crowned king. During this time, a civil war was happening in Nepal. This war made it hard for the government to hold elections. In February 2005, Gyanendra took direct control of the government. He said this was to help stop the fighting in the country.

Many people in Nepal disagreed with his direct rule. They held large protests and strikes in Kathmandu during 2006.

To help solve the crisis, he restored the parliament in April 2006. However, the people wanted to move away from having a king. In 2008, the government officially changed Nepal into a republic. Gyanendra had to leave his home at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace. Today, that palace is used as a museum for visitors to see.

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is a Nepalese businessman. He was also the last king of Nepal.

His life is defined by two separate reigns. He first reigned as an infant from 1950 to 1951. He reigned again from 2001 to 2008. His second period of rule ended when Nepal abolished its monarchy. The country then became a federal democratic republic.

Gyanendra was born on 7 July 1947 in Kathmandu. He was the second son of Crown Prince Mahendra. His first reign began during a period of political unrest. In November 1950, his father and grandfather fled to India. This left the three-year-old prince as the only male royal in Nepal. Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana brought him back to Kathmandu. The infant was declared king on 7 November 1950. This rule ended in January 1951. A deal was reached and his grandfather, King Tribhuvan, returned to the throne.

As an adult, Gyanendra pursued education and conservation work. He studied at St. Joseph's School in Darjeeling, India. He graduated from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu in 1969. In 1982, he became chairman of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation. This organization later became the National Trust for Nature Conservation. He married Komal Rajya Lakhsmi Devi in 1970. They had two children, Prince Paras and Princess Prerana.

Gyanendra's second reign began after a royal massacre in June 2001.

Crown Prince Dipendra killed several members of the royal family. Dipendra then shot himself. Gyanendra served as regent until Dipendra died on 4 June 2001. Gyanendra was then officially crowned king. He appointed a two-man team to investigate the massacre. The team included Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat. They interviewed over 100 people. They concluded Dipendra was responsible but offered no further conclusions.

His time as king was marked by political crisis and civil war. The Maoist insurgency made it difficult to hold representative elections. In February 2005, Gyanendra took direct control of the government. He dismissed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Gyanendra claimed this was a temporary measure to suppress the insurgency. This direct rule led to the restriction of civil liberties. International organizations raised concerns about the safety of journalists. In April 2006, large protests and strikes occurred in Kathmandu.

After 23 protesters were killed, Gyanendra restored the parliament in April 2006.

The transition toward a republic happened quickly after that. In June 2006, the Parliament removed the major powers of the king. This included his right to veto laws. He became a figurehead rather than a ruler with executive power. All executive powers were moved to the prime minister. In 2007, the interim government included the Maoists. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala eventually called for Gyanendra to step down. In August 2007, the government nationalized the properties Gyanendra inherited from his brother. This included the Narayanhiti Royal Palace.

The monarchy officially ended in May 2008. The Constituent Assembly voted to amend the constitution. This change turned Nepal into a federal democratic republic. Gyanendra expressed dissatisfaction with this decision in an interview. He stated the decision did not reflect the majority view. However, he accepted the people's right to choose the monarchy's fate.

He left the Narayanhiti Palace on 11 June 2008. He moved to the Nagarjuna Palace. This new residence includes ten buildings, such as the Hemanta Bas. The Narayanhiti Palace was later turned into a museum. The royal crown jewels became government property.