Military Culture in Eighteenth-century South Asia and Its Influence in the Unification of Nepal

Abstract

The military culture of eighteenth‑century of South Asia was marked by growing influence of British East India Company, the decline of the Mughal Empire, the rise of emerging powers such as Maratha and Sikh, and the unification of the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. This paper provides an introduction to the major empires of the eighteenth‑century South Asia and their respective military cultures. It further highlights their influence on Nepal’s unification campaign. Important aspects of  military culture, including military organization, tactics, strategy, fortifications and leadership are discussed in this paper. The paper also situates Nepal’s unification campaign within the broader regional transformations marked by the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of the East India Company, the Maratha Empire, and the Sikh Khalsa Empire .