The kingdom was founded in 1670 AD by a Mongondow prince Datu Loloda Mokoagow (died 1695).

He was the son of the paramount chief of Mongondow, Tadohe (1600–1670), seated in Kotobangon in the heartland of the Mongondow plateau, while the prince established himself at the port settlement of Bola'ang and went to conquer many of the northern shores and inland settlements of the present-day Minahasa regencies of northern Celebes peninsula.

However, on September 21, 1694, a contractual agreement to establish new territorial borders was signed between the Kingdom of Bola'ang and the newly unified federation of Minahasan tribes, backed by the Dutch.

Thus it left only the Mongondow plateau and the adjacent Kotabunan as the territory of the Bola'ang, hence the name Kingdom of Bola'ang-Mongondow was used thereafter.

Bola'ang alternatively spelled Gola'ang is an Old-Mongondow word meaning "enlightened due to a glimpse of sunlight pierce through the canopy of dense forest".