History of Perambalur district speaks about the Marathas, the Nawabs of Arcot, Tipu Sultan and also the rule of the British till the independence of India. In the year 1741, the Marathas invaded Tiruchirapalli and captured Chanda Saheb. But Chanda Saheb was able to free himself in the year 1748, and was soon engaged in the Great War for the Nawabs` place in the Carnatic against the Nawab of Arcot, Anwardeen and his son Mohammed Ali. Mohamed Ali usurped the two palayams of Ariyalur and Udayarpalayam situated within the present district of Ariyalur on the grounds of their inability to pay the tributes and their failure to help him in crushing the rebellion of Yusuf Khan.

In the month of November 1764, Mohamed Ali represented the issue to Madras Council and was able to get military aid on the 3rd of January 1765. Umdat-Ul-Umara and Donald Campbell entered Ariyalur and captured it along with their forces. The Poligar with his followers fled to Udayarpalayam and on the 19th of January, the army marched upon Udayarpalayam. The troops of Poligar were defeated and the palayams were occupied. The two poligars took refuge in Tharangampadi, a Danish settlement at that time. The annexation of the palayam gave the Navab an undisputed control over all his territories extending Arcot to Tiruchirapalli.

The history of this district followed was a power struggle between Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan with the British. After the death of the great Tipu Sultan, the civil and military administration of the Carnatic went into the hands of the British in the year 1801. Thus Tiruchirappalli came in to the hands of the English and the district was formed in the year 1801. In the year 1995, Tiruchirappalli was trifurcated and the new Perambalur district and Karur district were formed. The Perambalur district was formed with its headquarters at Perambalur. This district consists of one revenue division of Perambalur and three taluks of Perambalur, Veppanthattai and Kunnam. This district of Tamil Nadu state is bounded to the north by the Cuddalore district and Salem district, to the south by Tiruchirapalli district, to the east by Ariyalur district, and to the west by Tiruchirappalli district and Salem district.