Gondwana was conquered in 1564 by Akbar. This State included the regions of Sagar, Damoh, Mandla, Seoni, Narmada Valley and possibly a portion of Bhopal. The state had 53 forts. Dalpat Shah was its ruler. When he died he left behind his widow Durgawati and their infant son Bir Narayan. Durgawati became the Regent. Abul Fazal says that Durgawati ruled her kingdom with wisdom and ability. She delighted in hunting and bringing down wild animals with her own gun.Asaf Khan, the Governor of Kara or Allahabad, was tempted by the wealth of Gondwana. Occasionally he ravaged the borders of the kingdom. Rani Durgwati started negotiations with Akbar for a peaceful settlement and when those negotiation failed, she retaliated by making forays against Bhilsa. Asaf Khan marched toward Gondwana. Durgawati defended her territory bravely, but she was out numbered and defeated in a battle between garh and Mandal in the modern Jabalpur District.Rani Durgawati was wounded and she plunged a dagger into her chest and ended her life to save herself from disgrace. Her kingdom was devastated and a lot of the wealth fell into the hands of the Mughals. Bir Narayan died fighting in the defence of his country. According to V.A.Smith,"Akbar's attack on a princess of a character so noble was mere aggression, wholly unprovoked and devoid of all justifications other than the lust for conquest and plunder."
The Gond are also found in major population in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Like in other parts of India, the UP Gond have Scheduled caste as opposed to Scheduled tribe status, in 13 district of U.P. Gonds are Scheduled tribe and remaining district those are treated as Scheduled caste. They no longer speak Gondi, but now speak Hindi. The UP Gond are divided into seven sub-groups, the Dev Gond, Dholi, Kolan, Kailabhut, Mudipal, Padal and Raj Gond. Raj Gond are also called as jesthvans in Bihar state. They are mainly farmer .Some have their own land and they are now part of well established society. Traditionally, the Raj Gond (also found in Maharshtra state) have had a higher status, and were rulers of a number of states in the region. Each of these clans is exogamous. The Gonda of UP are a landowning community, and most of them practise settled cultivation. Historically, the community practiced slash and burn agriculture, these practices have long been discontinued. In U.P. Gond has many sub caste namely Dhuria, Nayak, Ojha, Pathari, Rajgond, Pathar, Kahar, Godia,Dhimar, Sorhia and Raikwar (according to Minutes of 20th Meeting of National commission for SCs and STs dated 19/06/2001) but the population of Dhuria, Gond, Kahar in U.P. is greater than other four sub castes of Gond tribe. Dhuria, Kahar (Sub caste/synonyms or Generic Name of Gond) of Uttar Pradesh,and also known as Dhurwa, Dhurvey, Dhruw in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand etc.
Traditionally the Gondi people had a social institution (school) known as Ghotul, a kind of mixed dormitory system for the unmarried youth which was the main means of education and introduction to adult life.