For most of its long history, the area of India now called Karnataka was not a single integrated state. At various times, different parts of it came under the authority of different dynasties. The dry upland border area between the densely forested ridge of the Western Ghats and the arid interior of the region provided the route for both commercial traders and invading armies.

The earliest known rulers of this area of southern India were the Monds. The Maurya, India's first imperial dynasty, conquered the Monds in the late 300's B.C. as they expanded their territories southward.
According to tradition, Chandragupta Maurya, the first emperor of all India, embraced the Jain religion, renounced all worldly possessions, and withdrew to Sravanabelagola in the Karnataka region.

Archaeologists have located the urban centres that developed during the period of Maurya rule at Chandravalli and Brahmagiri. After the Maurya, a succession of Hindu dynasties ruled the Karnataka region until the 1500's. From A.D. 200 to 1000, the Gangas ruled southern Karnataka but were often under pressure from other southern groups, such as the Pallavas.
The reign of the Chalukya of Badami in central Karnataka from 535 to 757 saw major architectural developments in the region, as well as a flowering of fine arts and literature. The temples of Badami, Patadakal, and Aihole show the unique architectural style of the period.

The Rashtrakutas overthrew the Chalukyas in about 753. The Rashtrakutas tried to unite the plateau and the coastal areas as a means of capturing the north-south trade route. But they faced constant pressure from the Cholas in the south.
The Hoysala dynasty (1006-1345) also produced excellent art and architecture. The Hoysalas built about 50 temples throughout Karnataka. The finest are at Belur, Halebid, and Somnathpur. The temples have panels carved with rows of elephants and depict stories from the Indian epics.

The Vijayanagar Empire controlled the Karnataka region from the 1300's until well into the 1500's. For a long time, the Vijayanagar Empire held back the expanding power of the Muslims. But in 1565, the Muslims defeated the forces of the Vijayanagar Empire at the Battle of Talikota and extinguished its power. Petty chieftains arose. Muslims held sway in the north. In the south, the Wadiyar dynasty, a Hindu royal family, ruled Mysore until the 1700's.

By the mid-1700's, the power of the Wadiyar dynasty was declining, and military commanders controlled the Mysore area of the Karnataka region. One of these was Hyder Ali, an able army officer who made his bid for power in 1761. He defeated rival chiefs and expanded his territory to nearby areas of southwestern India. Hyder Ali and his son and successor Tipu Sultan led fierce opposition to the British East India Company between 1761 and 1799. They fought four wars against the British.

After the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British restored part of his kingdom of Mysore to the Wadiyar dynasty and annexed the remainder. The Wadiyar dynasty ruled the state of Mysore until 1947. Under its administration, Mysore developed as a liberal and progressive state. In 1881, it became the first Indian state to set up an elected legislative assembly. In 1916, it became the first state in India to set up a university. It also introduced economic planning, family planning, and vocational education.

During the early 1900's, a democratic political movement opposed both traditional rule by native monarchs and the control of the area by British administrators. The movement was influenced by the nationalist movement that led to India's independence in 1947.
At the time of independence, Kannada-speaking peoples occupied parts of Mysore, Hyderabad, Bombay, and Madras. In 1956, these linguistic areas were brought together into one state, which took the name of Mysore. In 1973, the state was renamed Karnataka.