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The Katyuri kingdom, also known as the Katyuri dynasty, was a medieval kingdom that ruled over the regions in Uttarakhand in India and western Nepal from either 500 to 1200 CE or 700 to 1200 CE. The founder of the dynasty, King Vasudev Katyuri, was originally a Buddhist ruler, but he later started following Hindu practices, sometimes attributed to a vigorous campaign of Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara (788–820 CE).
King Bhu Dev was known for extensively eradicating Buddhist practices in his kingdom and the Bageshwar stone inscription of Bhu Dev writes himself as "Brahmana Parayana" and "Parama Shramana Rupu", meaning a follower of Brahmin and an arch rival of Buddhist Bhikshus. The Katyuri Kings were known for constructing several Hindu temples in present-day Uttarakhand as they later followed Brahminical practices.
After fragmentation and disestablishment of the Katyuri kingdoms, their offshoots rose as Askot Katyuri Pal Rajwar in Pithoragarh, another Katyuri Pal Doti in modern Doti district of Nepal, King Brahm Deo's branch state in Sui, another Katyuri house at Baramandal, one of them maintained its sovereignty over Baijnath and finally one Katyuri house each in Dwarahat and Lakhanpur.
It is also worth noting that the Pala Empire Dharmapala and Devapala mentioned Khasas Desha (country), under their administration and even the administration and arts of the Katyuris were very similar to the administration and arts of Pala Empire and also the kings of Chand dynasty regarded Katyuris with low importance which indicates that they were descendants of Khasas. Khasas managed the village level theocratic republics like gram-rajya and mandals under various local clans and identities. Katyuri was one of the ruling houses of Joshimath that claimed the sovereignty over other gram-rajyas of the entire territory. The Katyuris ruled from Joshimath in the Alaknanda River Valley and later they shifted their capital to Baijnath.
They later shifted their capital to Baijnath from Jyotirmath. During their reign they dominated lands of varying extent from the "Katyur" (modern-day Baijnath) valley in Kumaon between the 7th and 11th centuries, and established their capital at Baijnath in Bageshwar district; which was then known as Kartikeyapura and lies in the centre of "Katyur" valley. Brahmadev mandi (a trading and business center in a flat area of the then Katyuri kingdom) in the Kanchanpur District of Nepal was established by Katyuris king Brahma Deo (Brahma Dev). Brahmadeo Mandi still exists by this name.
At its peak, the Katyuri dynasty of Kumaon extended from Sikkim in the east to Kabul, Afghanistan. They were known as Katoor around Chitral Gilgit Hindukush, in the west, before fragmenting into numerous principalities by the 12th century. it is believed that from king Dham Deo and Vir Deo the downfall of this powerful dynasty began. Virdeo used to collect heavy taxes and forced his people to work as his slaves, King Virdeo teased his subjects by his tyranny to the extent that he forcibly married his own maternal aunt Tila (Tilottama Devi). It is said that the Kumaoni folk song " Mami tile dharo bola" became popular from that very day. After the death of king Virdeo a civil war among his sons started. Fierce fight took place among them. Whole of the kingdom was ruined. The people of this very family divided the whole kingdom among themselves, they declared themselves independent kings and established their own kingdoms in various parts of Kumaon,
King Brahmdeo of this family (after whose name Brahmdeo Mandi was founded) established his kingdom in Sui. His first fort lay in Sui and the Rawat language king of was under him. The second branch started ruling Doti District. The third established itself at Askot. Fourth settled down at Baramandal. The fifth maintained its sovereignty over Baijnath and . The sixth branch ruled in Dwarahat, later they were displaced by Chand kings.
Later one more strong offshoot was Mahuli Mahson Raj, (Basti district), Uttar Pradesh. The feudal kingdom stretched (47 kilometers) 14 kose. After Brahm Deo's reign the empire disintegrated, with his grandson Abhay Pal Deo continuing his reign from the kingdom of Askote in Kumaon's Pithoragarh district. Abhay Pal, Deo's two younger sons, Alakh Deo and Tilak Deo set out from Askote in 1305 with a large army and after passing through the Terai region and the plains of U.P, came to Gonda/Gorakhpur. This region was covered in thick jungles and swamps and was inhabited by fierce Bhar tribals. The Ghagra river in the south and Rapti river in the east protected the region from heavy attacks.
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