Kherla

The Kherla dynasty took its name from its hill fortress of Kherla in the Satpura range, seat of the earliest kingdom of Gondwana and one of its four ancient Gond realms. An earlier Rajput line held the fort; its ruler Jaitpal was succeeded by Narsingh Rai, the first Gond king of Kherla and the first ruler said to have unified the Gond.

By 1398 Narsingh Rai's power reached west to the hills north of Berar, including the fortress of Gawilghur. Defeated by Firuz Shah of the Bahmani Sultanate, he submitted at Ellichpur, gave his daughter in marriage and ruled on as a Bahmani vassal.

That alliance drew the hostility of Hoshang Shah of Malwa, whose campaigns ended in 1433 with Narsingh Rai slain in battle and Kherla, together with Betul, incorporated into the Malwa Sultanate.