The ancient history of Mauritius is all about consecutive acquisitions one after another by different nations from the 1500s to 1800s. From the Arab sailors and Dutch squadron to the French and Britishers, each country ruled the island for a specific time until its independence in the 1800s.
During this time in the history of Mauritius, the country has witnessed colonialization and slavery. But that's not it. When the French people came to the island, they established sugar planting as the main industry. The introduction of this led to the survival of the colonies established by the Dutch and French themselves.
Mauritius boasts a rich history shaped by centuries of diverse cultural influences, from its early discovery by Arab sailors to European colonization and the blending of African, Asian, and European traditions. Let’s dive a bit deeper and find out more about:
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Though the Dutch people were the first to try and settle in Mauritius, the pre-Dutch era was quite interesting, too.
In the 9th century AD, Arab sailors were the first to discover the Mauritius Island. They named it Dina Arobi. Before the Dutch arrived in 1638 and attempted settlement, the island was only known to pirates and buccaneers. When the Portuguese arrived after the Arab sailors, they found the island to be inhabited.
The name Mauritius was provided by the Dutch people to honour Prince Maurice de Nassau. The Dutch people tried hard for colonialisation or settlement in Mauritius during 2 periods: 1638 -1657 and 1664 -1710. Both of their attempts were unsuccessful, and the Dutch left the island to pirates.
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When the Dutch people were gone, after 5 years, the French East India Company tried its hand in occupying Mauritius and succeeded in 1715. They renamed it Isle de France, And in 1721, the French governor, François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, established the present-day capital of Mauritius, Port Louis, as a naval base and ship-building centre of the island.
This centre was responsible for managing the Indian Ocean trade. Further, the African slaves were brought into the country for the sugarcane industry. Colonies were formed and prospered.
After this and towards the end of the 18th century, the Napoleonic war started when the island was the base for the French navy. Raids were organised on British merchant ships, but this didn't turn out well for the French. In return, the Britishers captured Mauritius in 1810. And the French period ended.
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