Birendra of Nepal
| Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev | |
|---|---|
| Late King of Nepal | |
| Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev | |
| Reign | 31 January 1972 - 1 June 2001 |
| Predecessor | Mahendra of Nepal |
| Heir-Apparent | Dipendra of Nepal |
| House | Shah dynasty |
| Father | Mahendra of Nepal |
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King of Nepal (विरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव) (December 28, 1945 – June 1, 2001) was King of Nepal from 1972 until 2001, and the son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded. He was made a British Field Marshal in 1980. He is doubtlessly the most famous kings in Nepalese history till date.
Early life
Educated at premier institutes in Europe, Asia, and America, including the elite Eton College and Harvard University, he traveled a great deal before ascending the throne.
Reign
Birendra was more open to parliamentary democracy than his father, and granted a democratic government after a people's movement in 1990. However, the quarrels between various political parties and numerous social problems led to the Nepalese Civil War, a conflict between Maoist rebels and monarchist government forces, which lasted from 1996 until 2006.
Death
Nepal's stability was threatened even more when he and most of his family (including Queen Aiswarya) were massacred at a royal dinner on 1 June 2001. His eldest son and heir, Dipendra, was apparently the gunman, but he himself died a few days later of gunshot wounds suffered during the massacre. Birendra's brother, Gyanendra, then became king.
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