1841-43 De facto Regent Sri Sri Sri Kancha Maharani Rajya Lakshmi Devi of Nepal 1843-46 Official Regent of the Kingdom After the death of the senior Queen she exercised the supreme power of the state as first de-facto in charge of the government. Her husband, King Rajendra Birkrama Shah (1813-16-47-81), surrendered his ruling powers to her in January 1843 and signed an instrument of abdication in favour of his son Surendra, in December 1844, which he annulled on a few weeks later after his return to Katmandu. After her favourite, Gagan Singh, who controlled seven regiments in the army, was murdered she assembled the entire military and administrative establishment of Kathmandu at the courtyard of the palace armoury (known as the Kot). She gave an emotional harangue, and demanding that the prime minister execute the Pande leader whom she suspected of the murder. Fighting broke out in the crowd, and many of the leading nobles were killed. The incident became known as "The Knot Massacre". Soon after she left Nepal together with husband and two sons and went in voluntary exile at Benare. The following year her husband was officially deposed in favour of his eldest son and imprisoned. She remained in Beares for the rest of her life. She was born in Gorakpur in India, and lived (Ca. 1814-before 1900).
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