Jalore was the 12th-century capital of the Chauhan Rajputs (the warrior rulers of the historic region of Rajputana) and was captured in 1310 AD by the Delhi Emperor 'Ala-ud-Din Khilji. An 11th-century hill fort overlooks the city. In the ancient- medieval times, Jalore was known as Jabalipur.

of the greatest poetic works in any Indian language, namely, ‘Kuvalayamala’ and ‘Kanhad Dev Prabandh’ were composed in Jalore.