Excavations of the Tapti River and Asirgarh Fort have discovered many coins, goddess idols and temples from the prehistoric era.

[citation needed] In 1388, Malik Nasir Khan, the Faruqi dynasty Sultan of Khandesh, discovered Burhanpur, at the behest of Shaikh Zainuddin and named it after a well-known medieval Sufi saint, Burhan-ud-Din.

Later, Miran Adil Khan II (reigned 1457–1501), another sultan of this dynasty, built a citadel and a number of palaces in Burhanpur.

[5] During his long reign, Burhanpur was transformed into a major centre for trade and textile production.

[citation needed] The town served as the residence of Khandesh's Mughal governor, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, during Akbar and Jahangir's rule.

[citation needed] Many historical monuments survive in the area around Burhanpur, mainly dating from the rule of the great Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Shah Jahan spent a considerable amount of time in this town, and helped add to the Shahi Qila.

The Shahi Qila is one majestic palace in Burhanpur, located to the west of the Tapti River.

It was specifically built for Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz Mahal so that she could enjoy a luxurious bath.

In the 1750s, a Maratha army under Sadashivrao Bhau, who defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad, took control of the town.

[12] Burhanpur is situated on the southwestern border of Madhya Pradesh, near the banks of the Tapti River.