Gyanendra Shah (Nepali: ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह; Gyānendra Śāha; born 7 July 1947) is the former King of Nepal who reigned from 2001 to 2008. As a child, he was briefly king from 1950 to 1951, when his grandfather, Tribhuvan, took political asylum in India with the rest of his family. His second reign began after the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. He was deposed by the first session of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008, thereby declaring the nation as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and abolishing the 240-year reign of the Shah Dynasty.
Gyanendra's second reign was marked by constitutional turmoil. His predecessor King Birendra had established a constitutional monarchy in which he delegated policy to a representative government. The growing insurgency of the Nepalese Civil War during King Gyanendra's reign interfered with elections of representatives. After several delays in elections, King Gyanendra suspended the constitution and assumed direct authority in February 2005, asserting that it would be a temporary measure to suppress the Maoist insurgency, as the ushering in of democracy in Nepal had led to a fractious, corrupt and incompetent series of governments who were successively incapable to deal with the Maoist insurgency. In the face of broad opposition, he restored the previous parliament in April 2006. His reign ended about two years later.
2005Feb, 1
King Gyanendra of Nepal carries out a coup d'état to capture the democracy, becoming Chairman of the Councils of ministers.
Choose Another Date
Events on 2005
- 24Apr
Pope Benedict XVI
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI. - 25Apr
European Union
Bulgaria and Romania sign accession treaties to join the European Union. - 17Aug
Israeli disengagement from Gaza
The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of Israeli disengagement from Gaza, starts. - 24Oct
Effects of Hurricane Wilma in Florida
Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida resulting in 35 direct 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage. - 30Oct
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The rebuilt Dresden Frauenkirche (destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden during World War II) is reconsecrated after a thirteen-year rebuilding project.