Bharmal was born in 1491 at Amer. He was the fourth son of Raja Prithviraj or Prithvi Singh I of Amer (r. 17 January 1503 – 4 November 1527) and Rani Apoorva Devi or Bala Bai of Rathore clan, the daughter of Rao Lunkaranji of Bikaner royal family. Prithviraj was son of Kachwaha ruler Chandrasen and son-in-law of Rana Raimal of Chittor. He fought at the Battle of Khanua on 17 March 1527 in Rana Sanga's favour. Prithviraj had eighteen sons and three daughters by his nine queens. Some of his sons died young while some did not have any issue.
After the death of Raja Prithviraj in 1527, Raja Puran Mal (r. 5 November 1527 – 19 January 1534), his eldest son by Tanwar queen succeeded him. He died at the Battle of Mandrail on 19 January 1534, while helping Mughal Emperor Humayun to recapture the fort of Bayana. He had a son named Sujamal. But Sujamal could not succeed his father as he was a minor at that time.
Puranmal was succeeded by his younger brother Bhim Singh (r.1534 - 22 July 1537), the next eldest son of Rani Apoorva Devi. The dispossessed Sujamal took shelter in the Tanwar royal family. Bhim singh was succeeded by his eldest son Ratan Singh (r. 1537 - 15 May 1548). He was killed by his step- brother Askaran, who became the king next day. But the nobles of Amber joined to depose him and on 1 June 1548 Bharmal became the ruler