The first ruler of this Kingdom was Raja Prithvi Pal from the Mangral Rajput clan ruled Rajouri from 1033 to 1192, Prithvi Pal defended Pir Panchal Pass at the time of incursion of Mahmud of Ghazni in 1021 C.E.

[5] Following the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Treaty of Amritsar (1846), all the territories between the Ravi River and the Indus were transferred to Gulab Singh, and he was recognised as an independent Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

[7] Mian Hathu constructed a stunning temple in between Thanna Nallah in close proximity to Rajouri city.

[citation needed] After Mian Hathu, Rajouri was transformed into a tehsil and affiliated with Bhimber district.

The Pakistani raiders, along with the rebels and deserters from the western districts of the state, captured Rajouri on 7 November 1947.

The 30,000 Hindus and Sikhs living in Rajouri were reportedly killed, wounded or abducted.

[8][9][10] Rajouri was recaptured on 12 April 1948 by the 19 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army under the command of Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane.

After the arrival of the Army, some 1,500 refugees that had fled to the hills, including women and children, returned to the town.

[12] The ceasefire line at the end of the War ran to the west of the Rajouri-Reasi district.

But the wider operation failed and, with all-out war with India looming, Pakistan withdrew its troops.

Winters are cool and chilly characterized with rainfall due to western disturbances.

Helicopter services linking Rajouri district to Jammu started on September 13, 2017, but it was aborted later.