Shamli is located in what was historically part of the 'Kuru' region at the time when the great epic, the Mahabharata was written. Being close to Delhi, the seat of the Mughal and other Empires in India, it was generally administered directly by the Imperial Court. Being on the border of the undivided Punjab, its culture, social norms, and history were impacted both by the imperial power in Delhi, and the Punjab. The local language, called Khadi Boli, is very similar to Haryanvi, with a lot of Persian influence.
When North India had rebelled against British occupation in 1857, this region was part of the uprising, now referred to as the First War of Indian Independence. The centre of revolt operations was Shamli, which was liberated for some time by the Jats under chaudhary Mohar Singh, the local Zamindar(Landlord). After the uprising failed, British retribution was severe here, with a large scale massacre of the Jat freedom fighters in Shamli and of their Rohilla Pathan supporters in Thanabhavan and nearby areas, crippling the region completely
