Ancient Nepal
Much of Peak XV's story takes place in ancient Nepal. The beginning chapters focus on The Buddha's early life, from his birth to when he left his birthright as the crown prince of his father's kingdom of Kapilavastu to begin his journey to understand better life and the suffering of man. His travels eventually led him to surpass karma and become the enlightened religious monarch he became. During this time, 2,500 years ago, Nepal consisted of independent tribe kingdoms in states of war and conflict to extend their lands beyond their borders.
– Stephen Shields
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The history of Nepal is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia and East Asia.
It is a multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious, and multilingual country. The most spoken language of Nepal is Nepali, followed by several other ethnic languages. The name "Nepal" is first recorded in texts from the Vedic period of the Indian subcontinent, the era in ancient India when Hinduism was founded, the country's predominant religion. In the middle of the first millennium BCE, Gautama Buddha, the founder of
Buddhism was born in Lumbini in southern Nepal. Parts of northern Nepal are intertwined with the culture of Tibet. The centrally located Kathmandu Valley was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala. The valley's traders dominated the Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road. The metropolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture. By the 18th century, the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal. The Shah dynasty established the Kingdom of Nepal and later allied with the British Empire under its Rajput Rana dynasty of premiers. The country was never colonized but served as a buffer between Imperial China and British India.
Parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1951 but was suspended twice by Nepalese monarchs in 1960 and 2005. The Nepalese Civil War in the 1990s and early 2000s resulted in the proclamation of a secular republic in 2008, ending the world's last Hindu Monarchy. First millennium BCE, Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini in southern Nepal. Parts of northern Nepal were intertwined with the culture of Tibet. The centrally located Kathmandu Valley was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala. The valley's traders dominated the Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road. The metropolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture. By the 18th century, the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal.
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