Rana era

Rana era, (1846–1951) in Nepal, the period during which control of the government lay in the hands of the Rana family. Jung Bahadur (1817–77) seized power in 1846 and made himself permanent prime minister. He was given the hereditary title of Rana. Under the Ranas, Nepal maintained relations with the British, who provided it with support. When the British withdrew from India in 1947, the Rana family was exposed to new dangers. They faced a revolution in 1950, and in 1951, under pressure from India, Nepal’s King Tribhuvan took the throne with restored sovereignty.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.