Mauritius History
Mauritius has been discovered in the 1505 by the Portuguese through their navigator Don Pedro De Mascarenhas after whom the Mascareigne islands consisting of Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues are named. However history books records that Mauritius has been visited well before that by the Arabs since the 10th century. The Portuguese was well installed in the region in Mozambique and was not interested in colonization.
After the Portuguese it was the Dutch that occupied the island from the 1598 to 1712 where they name the country as Mauritius after their ruler Prince Moritz Van Nassau. They stayed on the island and cut off all the ebony trees that they traded. They also decimated the whole population of dodo and giant tortoise that was present on the island while also introducing the sugarcane plants from Java.
However the Dutch went through a lot of problems such as cyclones, pest infestations, cattle illnesses and droughts. They decided to leave the country and it was the French that took control from 1715 to 1810.
Under the French occupation the French rename the island Ile de France and was put under the control of Guillaume D'Arsel. However it was until the arrival of Mahe de Labourdonnais that the island began to develop in an important port of call. It was under him that Port Louis was established as a centre of the island and a lot of buildings were built. Chateau de Mon Plaisir and the Line Barracks were built under the guidance of Mahe de Labourdonnais.
In 1810 however the French was defeated by the English and they had to cede the island to the Great Britain. However in virtue of the treaty of Paris the English agreed to respect the traditions and culture of the inhabitants. The English renamed the island Mauritius and the most significant governor from England was Robert Farquhar and a new era of social and economic changes began. The most important one is the abolition of slavery in 1835.
In March 1968 the country gained its independence from England under the direction of Sir Seewosagur Ramgoolam which became the first prime minister after independence. The country enjoyed steady progress during the years and became a Republic in March 1992.
Quick Tip #1
Make sure you have travel insurance before you enter Mauritius |
Quick Tip #2
Mauritius does have different seasons so check the weather forecast before you travel ! " |
Quick Tip #3
Holidays in Mauritius are perfect for watersports such as Jet skiing and snorkeling |
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