Sikkim fought a series of territorial wars with
both Bhutan and Nepal beginning in the mid
18th century, and Nepal subsequently came to
occupy parts of western Sikkim and the
submontane Tarai region to the south. It was
during this period that the largest migration of
Nepalese to Sikkim began. In 1816 these
territories were restored to Sikkim by the British
in return for its support during the Anglo-
Nepalese War (1814-16), but by 1817 Sikkim had
become a de facto protectorate of Britain.
The British East India Company obtained the
city of Darjeeling from Sikkim in 1835. Incidents
between the British and Sikkim led to the
annexation in 1849 of the submontane regions
and the subsequent military defeat of Sikkim,
culminating in the Anglo-Sikkimese Treaty of
1816. The treaty established Sikkim as a princely
state under British paramountcy (though
leaving the issue of sovereignty undefined), and
the British were given rights of free trade and of
road making through Sikkim to Tibet. In 1890 an
agreement was concluded between the British
and the Tibetans that defined the border
between Sikkim and Tibet. Tibet also
acknowledge the special relationship of British
India with the kingdom of Sikkim. A British
political officer was subsequently appointed to
Assist the chogyal in the administration of
Sikkim's domestic and foreign affairs, in effect
becoming the virtual ruler of the state.
After India attained independence in 1947,
political parties began to be formed in Sikkim
for the first time. Among their aims were the
abolition of feudalism, the establishment of
popularly elected government, and accession of
Sikkim to India, all demands resisted by the
chogyal and his supporters. The chogyal was
unable to hold his ground, however. The
bulwark of the feudal system was dismantled in
1949, with the abolition of non-cultivating rent
collecting landowners. In 1950 the Indo-
Sikkimese Treaty made Sikkim an Indian
protectorate, with India assuming responsibility
for the external relations, defence, and strategic
communications of Sikkim. The terms of the
treaty also included increased popular
participation in government, and five general
elections based on adult suffrage were held
between 1952 and 1974. In the last of these
elections, two rival parties merged to form the
Sikkim Congress, which swept the polls. The
party subsequently launched a campaign to
obtain greater political liberties and rights, and
the chogyal attempted to suppress the
movement. When the situation got out of