History of Mauritius
Mauritius is one of the most intriguing countries in the world. Mauritius never fails to surprise travelers with its turquoise seas and stunning waterfalls, and it’s no wonder. Mauritius’s past is much more fascinating. There is a dark aspect to the discovery of this formerly deserted island, the colonization by certain colonial powers, and eventually the independence of the island. An overview of Mauritius’s history is provided below.
The Dutch Settlements
As early as 1598, the Dutch were the first to settle on the island in any significant numbers. In the southeast, they landed in Grand Port as a result of a hurricane. However, they were disheartened by the repeated storms, insect infestations and disease outbreaks and fled in 1710. There are traces of this time in the south-eastern around Vieux Grand Port. Ferney, where they landed, was also memorialized. In Vieux Grand Port, the Frederik Hendrik Museum and the remains tell the story of the Dutch occupation of the island throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Mauritius – Ile Maurice was named after Prince Maurice de Nassau, who was born on the island.
Several years after the Dutch left, Mauritius remained uninhabited. Capt. Gillaume Dufresne D’Arsel seized the island for France in 1715, and it was given the name Isle de France as a result of his occupation. People from Bourbon Island and France came to the island to start a new life. Port-Louis and Port-North-West were settled by Denis Denyon, who was appointed as governor (Grand Port). Cyclones destroyed acres of cleared land, which was then planted with tobacco, maize, and rice, only to be ravaged by cyclones.
The French Period
Great sailor and trader Bertrand Mahé de Labourdonnais was named governor of the island in 1734. To do this, he moved the island’s capital from South East Port to North West Port. As governor, he constructed roads and a large civil and military hospital, which still stands near the harbor today, as well as other infrastructure. Additionally, he constructed the Government House, Pamplemousses Garden, the Château de mon Plaisir (a castle), Powder magazines, shops and warehouses as well as the harbor, canals and a line of fortifications and batteries to defend the city. To assist the colonists, Bertrand Mahé de Labourdonnais brought slaves from Mozambique.
The British Captivating Mauritius
As a result of this, the British launched repeated attempts to capture Mauritius, but were thwarted by France. In 1810, the British invaded Mauritius as part of the Napoleonic Wars. For the British, capturing Mauritius was mostly about securing a safe maritime route from England to British India by fighting off the French.
To counter the French 144 guns, the British arrived at Cap Malheureux in 1810 with a larger army and 174 guns. The fighting went unabated until the outnumbered French were forced to surrender. Once the British had seized control of the island, they used guerilla tactics to earn the allegiance of the inhabitants.
As a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1815, Ile de France became Mauritius. Sir Robert Farquar, the first British governor of Mauritius, brought about significant social and economic changes in the island nation. As a result of British legislation approved in August 1833, slavery was abolished in Mauritius in 1835. After the abolition of slavery, the socio-economic and demographic areas were profoundly affected. A significant number of indentured workers was brought in from India by local landowners to work in the sugar cane fields as a result of this.
Mauritius Independence
General elections were conducted on March 9, 1959, following two Constitutional Conferences that took place in London in 1955 and 1957.
London hosted a Constitutional Review Conference in 1961, which resulted in a new agenda of constitutional progress. In 1965, Mauritius gained its independence after the final Constitutional Conference.
Mauritius gained its independence from the Commonwealth on the 12th of March 1968, with Seewoosagur Ramgoolam as its prime minister, after general elections in 1967. 24 years later, on March 12, 1992, the island became a Republic.