Hoshangabad(Narmadapuram) derived its name from Sultan Hoshang Shah Ghori; the second king to Malwa of the Ghori line who conquered it. Narmadapur was its erstwhile name. There is no proper account of ancient history of Hoshangabad(Narmadapuram) district. Its name appeared first in the historical records during the reign of Sultan Hoshangshah Ghori in 1405 A.D who built a small fort at Hoshangabad(Narmadapuram) along with two others at Handia and Joga. In his expeditions against the Gond king of Kherla near Betul, he always took the route through Harda and Hoshangabad(Narmadapuram). After the fall of Mandu in 1567, Malwa was annexed as a subah of Mughal Empire. Handia, 21 km. North to Harda was the seat of a Sirkar with capital mahals at Seoni-Malwa, Harda and Bichhola to the South of the Narmada. However, the fort of Ginnurgarh, north-west of Hoshangabad(Narmadapuram) across the river Narmada continued to be under the Gond kingdom of Garha-Mandla. In the early 18th century the district was divided into seven political divisions