Dungarpur is the seat of elder branch of Sisodiyas of Udaipur, while the younger branch is the seat of the Maharana of Mewar. It was founded in 1197 by Samant Singh, the eldest son of the ruler of Mewar, Karan Singh They are descendants of Bappa Rawal, eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 734-753).
The chiefs of Dungarpur, who bear the title of Maharawal, are descended from Mahup, eldest son of Karan Singh, chief of Mewar in the 12th century, and claim the honours of the elder line of Mewar. Mahup, disinherited by his father, took refuge with his mother's family, the Chauhans of Bagar, and made himself master of that country at the expense of the Bhil chiefs.
The town of Dungarpur, the capital of the state, was founded towards the end of the 14th century by his descendant Rawal Bir Singh, who named it after Dungaria, an independent Bhil chieftain whom he had caused to be assassinated. After the death of Rawal Udai Singh of Bagar at the Battle of Khanwa in 1527, where he fought alongside Rana Sanga against Babar, his territories were divided into the states of Dungarpur and Banswara. Successively under Mughal, Maratha, and British Raj control by treaty in 1818, where it remained 15-gun salute state
In 1901 the total population of Dungarpur was 100,103, while that of the town was 6094. The last princely ruler of Dungarpur was HH Rai-i-Rayan Maharawal Shri Lakshman Singh Bahadur (1918–1989), who was awarded KCSI (1935) and GCIE (1947), and after independence became a Member of the Rajya Sabha twice, in 1952 and 1958, and later a member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1962 and 1989
