On the death of his father in 1482, he and his brothers attempted to rule collegially. However, Ratna Malla decided to become an independent ruler and created the Kingdom of Kantipur, with its capital in Kathmandu, in 1484. He was the first Nepalese king to invite Kashmiri Muslim traders to Kathmandu. His elder brother, Raya Malla, was the King of Bhaktapur.
