Explanations:Prithvi Narayan Shah was the first king of unified Nepal and is renowned for his military conquests that led to the formation of the modern Nepalese state. His reign began in 1743 when he ascended the throne of the Gorkha Kingdom, a small principality in the western part of what is now Nepal. Prithvi Narayan Shah's primary goal was to unify the various small kingdoms and principalities of the Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding regions into a single, powerful state.
During his reign, Prithvi Narayan Shah embarked on a series of military campaigns that resulted in the capture of several important cities and regions. The Kathmandu Valley, which was divided into three major principalities—Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur—was a key target. Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquests were characterized by a combination of military strategy, diplomacy, and patience. He employed a strategy of gradual encirclement and siege, which eventually led to the capture of these cities.
Specifically, Prithvi Narayan Shah captured Bhaktapur in 1768, Kathmandu in 1768, and Patan in 1769. These conquests were significant as they unified the Kathmandu Valley under a single ruler for the first time in centuries. Additionally, he also captured Kirtipur, a small but strategically important city in the Kathmandu Valley, which was a crucial step in consolidating his power over the region.
However, Sikkim, which is located to the east of Nepal, was not part of Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquests. Sikkim remained an independent kingdom during his reign and was not incorporated into the Gorkha Kingdom. The Gorkha Kingdom's expansion was primarily focused on the western and central parts of the Himalayan region, and Sikkim was outside the scope of Prithvi Narayan Shah's territorial ambitions.
Understanding the geographical and historical context of Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquests is crucial to answering this question correctly. The conquests were primarily centered around the Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding regions, and Sikkim was not part of these conquests. This historical knowledge helps in identifying the correct answer, which is that Sikkim was not captured by Prithvi Narayan Shah.