During the medieval times, Garhwal region, comprising the present day districts of
Pauri Garhwal and
Tehri Garhwal in
Uttaranchal, were ruled by the Panwar Dynasty. This dynasty came into power during the 14th century. It was established by a ruler named Bhanu Pratap.
During their reign, the Panwar kings shifted their capitals numerous times, which included
Devalgarh and
Srinagar. They united the numerous small kingdoms spread over the region and brought stability.
The reign of the Panwar dynasty lasted for about three centuries. The dynasty came to a decline around 1803, owing to an earthquake, which destroyed parts of their kingdom. The kingdom was taken over by the Gorkha tribes of the north-eastern region. The last king of the Panwar dynasty, Raja Sudarshan Shah, sought the help of the British. The British army succeeded in capturing the kingdom from the Gorkhas, but it was subsequently merged into the British Empire. This brought about an end to the dynasty.
