Jayasthiti Malla

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Jayasthiti Malla (also spelled Jayasthitimalla) was the eleventh Malla king of Nepal. He built his power in the Kathmandu Valley after taking control from Jayarjuna in 1382 and was formally crowned king on 15 September 1382. He became the valley’s main ruler with the support of Patan’s leaders and his wife Rajalladevi, the heir of the Tripura lineage. He defeated rebellions led by the prime minister Jayasimha Rama in 1372 and again in 1374, and by 1381 he exiled Jayarjuna to Banepa, becoming the de facto ruler of the valley. Jayasthiti Malla died on 5 September 1395.

His ancestry is debated among scholars. Some say he was of noble Mithila birth brought to Kathmandu in 1354 to marry Rajalladevi, while others claim he descended from Ashoka Malla.

As ruler, Jayasthiti introduced important social and administrative changes. He organized society by caste: Brahmins took high priestly and administrative roles, Buddhist clerics served as priests and tutors, and others worked as artisans. He reformed laws to use fines instead of beating and created a uniform land measurement system called the Tunga. He also built and renovated temples and supported Ramayana plays; he was a devout follower of Rama.

Toward the end of his reign, his control weakened as the Bhontas and Patan nobles sought more autonomy. After his death, his three sons jointly ruled the valley until 1408; Jayajyotir Malla then ruled alone until 1428. The sons were Jayadharma Malla, Jayajyotir Malla, and Jayakiti (Jayakriti) Malla, with Jayakiti dying in 1403 and Jayadharma in 1408.