[2] The kingdom was established by Vasu Dev of Katyuri Dynasty in 7th Century after he unified many small principalities.

During the rule of the Katyuris the Kingdom is said to have extended from Nepal to Kabul in Afghanistan, large enough to call an empire at its peak.

[2] Despite the fact that some wars were fought between the Kumaonis and the Mughals, they remained allies for a major part of the Chand rule.

For about a century, the region experienced a Golden Age and became an epicenter for trade, religion and literature among the Himalayan kingdoms.

After 24 years of oppressive Nepalese rule, this region fell to the British East India Company.

Kumaon is believed to have been derived from Kurmanchal, meaning land of the Kurma Avatar (the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver according to Hinduism).

The paintings at  Lakhudiyar Caves near Almora are believed to represent life in the prehistoric village during the Mesolithic period.

Initially settled by Kol tribals, the region witnessed successive waves of Kiratas, Khasas and Indo-Scythians(sakas).

The kingdom of Kuninda (or Kulinda in ancient literature) was an ancient central Himalayan kingdom documented from around the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, located in the southern areas of modern Himachal Pradesh and far western areas of Uttarakhand in northern India and Doti in Nepal.

They called their state Kurmanchal, the land of Kurma, the second avatar of Vishnu, from which the present name is derived.

During the peak of Katyuri Dynasty the sovereigns were bestowed the title of Giriraj Chakrachudamani, and the 16 monarchs who ruled during that time are termed as Chakravarti or Emperors.

Faldakol and Dhaniyakot lay under the authority of a Khati Rajput who regarded him as belonging to Solar dynasty.

[11] During Baz Bahadur Chand's reign the Kumaoni forces invaded Tibet and captured Kailash Manasarovar, a holy site for Hindus and Buddhists, along with several forts.

[14][15][16][17][18][19][20] The time period of Baz Bahadur Chand's reign as well as that of his successors till two to three generations has been considered by many as the Golden Age of Kumaon region.

In 1707, the Kumaoni forces annexed Juniyagarh in Bichla Chaukot (Syalde), and razed the old fort at Chandpur Garhi, the capital of Garhwal Kingdom.

In early 1715, Kumaon finally captured Srinagar from Garwhal, sending Garwhali chiefs into Mughal courts.

In 1742 Ali Mohammed Khan of Rohilkhand invaded Kumaon and annexed Kashipur, Rudrapur, and two other Kumaoni parganas.

When the news of the sudden invasion reached Almora, Mahendra Chand summoned his troops and taking a contingent with him moved towards Gangolihat.

Mahendra Chand hearing the defeat and death of his uncle, Diwan (Prime Minister) Lal Singh, became nervous and fled, thus Gorkhas finding their path clear reached and captured Almora and Kumaon was annexed to the Kingdom of Nepal.

The Gorkha rule over Kumaon lasted for 24 years and has been termed as "Cruel and Oppressive"[citation needed] in a number of texts.

It is to be noted that the Gorkhas were not keen on integrating Kumaon and Garhwal fully into the Kingdom of Nepal, or providing for the people there, rather they only though of the conquered territories as frontier states, to maintain distance from the East India Company.

The Gorkhas were also involved in slave trade consisting of Kumaonis and Garhwalis, who were captured and sold in the markets.

[2] Excessive taxation, slavery and mistreatment made the Gorkhas unpopular in Kumaon and Garhwal, whose cruel treatment towards the natives is still bitterly remembered today.

[2] The Gorkhas were defeated by the East India Company in Anglo-Nepalese War and were forced to cede Kumaon to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816.

[23] In seventy years it was governed by three successive administrators: Mr. Traill, Mr J. H. Batten and Sir Henry Ramsay.

Even if the kings of Chand Dynasty were absolute monarchs, they had to consider the opinions of the factions and the elected budhas (elders) to maintain their support since they could not risk going against such influential group of people.

This constitutional system was laid out by Raja Som Chand to prevent any one certain group or individual from gaining too much power.

But this system also gave way rivalries within factions and lessening of the power of the king, which is evident looking at the history of puppet monarchs in Kumaon.

Kurmanchal had been independent till the arrival of the English and the Gorkhalis and how a small mountain kingdom carried on its administration, is praiseworthy.

Bearers of asa (a staff covered with golden silver plate) and ballam (a mace so prepared) chopdars were also appointed.