In the 7th century, the district was included in the territory of the Haihaya Yadav kings of Chhattisgarh, whose kingdom was known as Maha Kosala. The name of the district is derived from 'Bhannara', a name by which it is mentioned in a stone inscription at Ratanpur, confirming that the name dates back to at least the 11th century. Bhandara was formerly part of the territory of the Haihaya Rajput kings of Chhattisgarh and was taken over by the Panwar Rajputs in the 12th century, followed by the Gond chiefs.
In the 17th century, the Peshwas, who had invaded the region during that period, became part of Berar. In 1699, the region came under the control of Parasoji Bhonsle, along with the territories of Vidarbha and Berar. Raghoji Bhonsle of Vidarbha became leader in 1743 and was succeeded by his son Janoji after his death in 1755. The feudal Lanji dynasty ruled the region from 1818 to 1830, forming the Bhandara district in 1821.
The Peshwas were expelled in the 1850s by the Nizams, who ceded Berar to the British East India Company in 1903. With the reorganization of the states in 1956, Bhandara was transferred from the state of Madhya Pradesh to the province of Bombay. After the formation of Maharashtra in 1960, Bhandara evolved as a district of the state. The erstwhile Bhandara district was bifurcated on 1 May 1999 and a new district, Gondia, was formed. Thus Gondia and Bhandara emerged.
