Nawanagar was founded by
Jam Rawal in 1540 as the capital of the eponymous
princely state. Jamnagar, historically known as Nawanagar (the new town), was one of the most important and the largest princely states of the
Jadejas in the
Saurashtra region. It was a thirteen-gun
salute state. According to historical records,
Bahadur Shah,
Sultan of
Gujarat bestowed upon Jam Lakhaji twelve villages in recognition of his role in the siege of
Pawagadh. Shortly after he took possession of the villages, Jam Lakhaji was killed by his cousins, Tamachi Deda and Jam Hamir Jadeja. His son, Jam Rawal, murdered his father's killers and became ruler of
Kutch. The
State of Kutch was semi-independent from the
Gujarat Sultanate. Hamirji's sons,
Khengarji and Sahibji, served the Sultan of Gujarat. During a hunt, the brothers saved the Sultan from being killed by a
lion. As a reward for their valour, the Sultan sent an army with them to regain their kingdom. Jam Rawal prepared for battle after hearing that the two princes were returning to Kutch with the imperial army. Goddess Ashapuraji, the supreme deity of the Jadeja Clan of
Rajputs, appeared to Jam Rawal in a dream. She told him that although he had broken an oath taken in her name not to kill Hamirji, she had refrained from punishing him because he had previously honoured her. She said that Jam Rawal was no longer to dwell in Kutch. As Jam Rawal and his entourage marched out of Kutch, they attacked and killed Tamachi Deda, the main conspirator in the murder of Jam Lakhaji. Jam Rawal also conquered the town of Amran and its dependencies, bestowing the rule of
Dhrol province on his younger brother Hardholji. Hardholji died in battle at Mithoi near
Khambhalia, passing the throne to his eldest son Jasoji. Jam Rawal conquered parts of Saurashtra and formed his kingdom with 999 villages named
Halar. While on a hunting trip in present-day Jamnagar, Jam Rawal's hunting dogs were scared by a hare brave enough to turn on them. Jam Rawal thought that if this land could breed such hares, the men born here would be superior to other men. As a result, he made this place his capital. On the seventh day of the bright half of the month of
Shrawan,
V.S.1956 (August 1540) on the banks of the
Rangmati and
Nagmati rivers, Jam Rawal laid the foundation of his new capital and named it Nawanagar (new town). After a few centuries, its name changed to Jamnagar or the Town of the JAMs. During the 18th century, Nawanagar was ruled by the Jadeja Rajputs, who were known for their bravery and military prowess. They fought many battles with the neighbouring states and played a significant role in defending the region against foreign invasions. In 1807, Nawanagar became a princely state under the British Raj. The first ruler of the state was Maharaja Ranjit Singhji, who was known for his progressive policies and efforts to modernize the state. He built many schools, hospitals, and other public facilities, and introduced a number of reforms to improve the lives of his subjects. Jamsaib was instrumental in creating the city's modern infrastructure during his reign in the 1920s. Jam Saheb Shri
Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji expanded the city's development in the 1940s when it was part of the
Princely state of
Nawanagar. == Geography ==