The fort stands amidst the sandy expanse of the great Thar Desert on Trikuta Hill, hence also known as Trikutgarh.

Around 1299 CE, Rawal Jait Singh I faced a long siege by Alauddin Khalji of Delhi Sultanate, who is said to have been provoked by a Bhati raid on his treasure caravan.

For a few years after the successful siege, the fort remained under the sway of Delhi Sultanate, before being eventually reoccupied by some surviving Bhatis.

[7] During Rawal Lunakaran's reign, around 1530–1551 CE, the fort was attacked by an Afghan chief Amir Ali.

[9] With the advent of British rule, the emergence of maritime trade and the growth of the port of Bombay led to the gradual economic decline of Jaisalmer.

After independence and the Partition of India, the ancient trade route was totally closed, thus permanently removing the city from its former role of importance in international commerce.

[4] With the slow increase in the area's population, many of the town's residents gradually relocated to the foot of the Trikuta Hill.

The fort's upper bastions or towers form a defensive inner-wall perimeter that is about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) long.

[16][17] The Jaisalmer Fort today faces manifold threats that are a result of the increasing population pressure on it.

Water seepage, inadequate civic amenities, derelict houses and seismic activity around the Trikuta Hill are some of the major concerns impacting the fort.

[4] Major restoration work has been undertaken by the World Monuments Fund and UK based charity Jaisalmer in Jeopardy.