Belgaum is the Divisional Headquarters of North Karnataka The ancient
name of the town of Belgaum was Venugrama, meaning Bamboo Village. It is
also called as Malnad Pradesh. The most ancient place in the district is
Halsi; and this, according to inscriptions on copper plates discovered in
its neighborhood, was once the capital of a dynasty of nine Kadamba
kings. It appears that from the middle of the 6th century to about 760
the area was held by the Chalukyas, who were succeeded by the
Rashtrakutas. After the break-up of the Rashtrakuta power a portion of it
survived in the Rattas (875–1250), who from 1210 onward made Venugrama
their capital. Inscriptions give evidence of a long struggle between the
Rattas and the Kadambas of Goa, who succeeded in the latter years of the
12th century in acquiring and holding part of the district. By 1208,
however, the Kadambas had been overthrown by the Rattas, who in their
turn succumbed to the Yadavas of Devagiri in 1250. After the overthrow of
the Yadavas by the Delhi Sultanate (1320), Belgaum was for a short time
under the rule of the latter; but only a few years later the part south
of the Ghataprabha River was subject to the Hindu rajas of Vijayanagara.
In 1347 the northern part was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate, which
in 1473 took the town of Belgaum and conquered the southern part also.
When Aurangzeb overthrew the Bijapura sultans in 1686, Belgaum passed to
the Mughals. In 1776 the country was overrun by Hyder Ali of Mysore, but
was taken by the Madhavrao Peshwa with British assistance. In 1818 it was
handed over to the British East India Company, and was made part of the
district of Dharwar. In 1836 this was divided into two parts, the
northern district becoming Belgaum.[4]

Yadur is situated beside Krishna river, there is famous veerbhadra
temple. Many devotees visit this place from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Hooli is one of the oldest villages in Belgaum district. There are many
Chalukya temples in the village and the 'Panchaligeswara temple is very
famous.

Kittur in Belgaum district is a place of historical importance. Rani
Chennamma of Kittur (1778–1829) is known for her resistance to British
rule.

The British had a sizable infantry post here, having realised the
military importance of its geographic location. It is one of the reasons
for Belgaum's sobriquet The Cradle of Infantry. Development of a rail
network for the movement of resources and later troops was one of the
means employed by both the British East India Company and the British to
exert control over India. Belgaum's railway station, the Mahatma Gandhi
Railway Station was established by the British. A signboard declaring the
sobriquet can be seen hung on Platform 1 at the station.