It was an eleven gun salute state belonging to the Kathiawar Agency of the Bombay Presidency.

[1] Its capital was in Wankaner, located in Rajkot district, Gujarat state.

[citation needed] Wankaner State was founded in 1620 by Raj Sartanji, son of Prathirajji, eldest son of Raj Chandrasinghji of Halvad (1584–1628).

[citation needed] In 1807 Wankaner State became a British protectorate when Maharana Raj Sahib Chandrasinhji II Kesarisinhji signed a treaty with the British.

In 1862 the ruler of the state received a sanad giving the monarch authorization to adopt an heir.