Nepal The Last Hindu Kingdom

This episode chronicles the dramatic end of Nepal's 240-year-old monarchy, beginning with the shocking 2001 royal massacre that killed King Birendra and nine other family members. The official account blamed Crown Prince Dipendra, but persistent questions and conspiracy theories have never been resolved. His brother Gyanendra's ascension marked a turning point - unlike the diplomatic Birendra, the businessman-king proved authoritarian and impatient with democracy. Facing a growing Maoist insurgency, Gyanendra seized absolute power in 2005, dismissing parliament and suspending civil liberties. This backfired spectacularly, triggering the 2006 Jana Andolan II democracy movement that united political parties with Maoist rebels against royal rule. Massive peaceful protests forced the king's capitulation, leading to a peace agreement and constituent assembly elections. In 2008, the assembly formally abolished the monarchy, establishing Nepal as a federal republic. The episode explores how this peaceful transformation, while creating new democratic opportunities, also introduced political instability and governance challenges that persist today.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI