The prominent towns in this district are Harihara, Jagalur, Honnali Channagiri and Nyamati, these also happen to be its six other taluks.

An inscription from Anaji dating to the 9th century CE indicates a branch of the Pallavas called the Nolambas ruled part of the district.

By the middle of the 8th century, the Rashtrakutas from Malkhed had established supremacy over the Chalukyas, and conquered territory south to Tumkur.

An inscription in the Bagali temple indicates part of Davanagere district was ruled by a Chalukya feudatory of the Rashtrakutas in the 10th century.

When Rashtrakuta power began collapsing, the Nolambas switched their loyalty to the Gangas and fought against the Chola invasions.

Briefly the Hoysalas ruled parts of Davanagere district in the late 12th century before the region was taken by the Yadavas of Devagiri.

After the Vijayanagara Empire was severely weakened in 1565 after the Battle of Talikota, the local nayakas in Davanagere started asserting their independence.

Dhondia Wagh of Channagiri who had created an independent principality resisted the Britishers after Tipu Sultan's defeat until his death in 1800.

[2] According to the 2011 census Davanagere district has a population of 1,945,497[5] roughly equal to the nation of Lesotho[6] or the US state of West Virginia.