Image of King Birendra on a 50 rupee note

Although he succeeded his father, King Mahendra, when he passed away in 1972, King Birendra's official coronation was in 1975. His reign saw enormous changes take place in Nepal. In 1990 the nation-wide pro-democracy Jana Andolan (People's Movement) protests against the one party Panchayat system forced him to accept the role of a constitutional monarch. 11 years later he, his wife Queen Aiswarya, and other members of their family were killed by Crown Prince Dipendra in the Royal Massacre of 2001 (see the next Era in the Timeline).

Save as PDF

Print