Gwalior  is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and one of the Counter-magnet cities.

The area in which Gwalior is situated was the core of Gwalior princely state.
 Gwalior is a cultural, industrial, and political centre and takes its name from the historic rock fortress that
forms the centre of the city. It has been referred to as Gopa Parvat, Gopachal Durg, Gopagiri, and Gopadiri,
all which mean “cowherd’s hill.” The city grew around the fort.
The fortress was built  for   guarding the main route from the plains of northern India and to protect other sages
from wild animals which often disturbed their yajnas . Suraj Sen later built a palace inside the fort, which
was named "Gwalior" after the sage, and eventually the city that grew around the fort took the same name. 

TIMELINE OF DYNASTIES IN GWALIOR

The state of Gwalior was founded in the 8th century. 
Around the 9th century, the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty controlled Gwalior and during their rule, they
constructed the Teli ka Mandir temple. In 1021, Gwalior was attacked by forces led by Mahmud Ghazni
 but they were repelled.[8]
The Kachchhapaghatas in the 10th century
In 1231 Iltutmish captured Gwalior after an 11-month-long effort and from then till the 13th century it
remained under Muslim rule. 
In 1375, Raja Veer Singh was made the ruler of Gwalior and he founded the rule of the Tomar clan.
During those years, Gwalior saw its golden period.
 It came under the Mughals in 1528 and was a part of the empire till 1731.

Later in the 1730s, the Scindias captured Gwalior and it remained a princely state during the British Rule.
Under Mahadji Sindhia (1761–1794) Gwalior State became a leading power in Central India, and dominated
the affairs of the confederacy. The Anglo-Maratha Wars brought Gwalior State under British suzerainty, so
that it became a princely state of the British Indian Empire.
Gwalior was the largest state in the Central India Agency, under the political supervision of a 
Resident at Gwalior. 
Rebellion of 1857[edit]
]
Gwalior is also known for not participating in the 1857 rebellion, mainly due to non-co-operation with 
Rani Lakshmibai. After Kalpi (Jhansi) fell into the hands of the British on 24 May 1858, Lakshmibai sought
shelter at Gwalior Fort. The Maharaja of Gwalior was not willing to give up his fort without a fight as he was
a strong ally of the British, but after negotiations, his troops capitulated and the rebels took possession of
the fort. The British attacked Gwalior in no time, the battle was fought by Lakshmibai.[11] Gwalior was free
from rebels.
In 1936, the Gwalior residency was separated from the Central India Agency, and made answerable directly
to the Governor-General of India. After Indian Independence in 1947, the Sindhia rulers acceded to the new 
Union of India, and Gwalior state was absorbed into the new Indian state of Madhya Bharat.[3]