Sultanate of Maldive Islands

Sultanate of Maldive Islands ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ ( Dhivehi ) Dhivehi Raajje
1153–1953 1954–1968
Mohamed Fareed I
Mohamed Fareed I
Legislature	Independence from the United Kingdom	26 July 1965
• Dissolved	11 November 1968
Population
• 1960 census	91,650[1]
Currency	Maldive Rufiyaa
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Maldives Republic of Maldives United Suvadive Republic

The Sultanate of Maldive Islands^[2] was an Islamic monarchy that controlled the Maldives for 815 years (1153–1968), with one interruption from 1953–1954.

Maldives was a Buddhist kingdom until its last monarch, King Dhovemi, converted to Islam in the year 1153; thereafter he also adopted the Muslim title and name Sultan Muhammad al-Adil. Six dynasties would rule over the Maldives until the Sultanate become elective in 1932.

From the

The etymology of the term "Sultanate of Maldives" traces back to the historical and cultural roots of the Indian Ocean archipelago. The title "Sultan" denotes sovereignty and rulership, commonly associated with Islamic monarchies. In the case of the Maldives, the title was adopted during the era when the islands were governed by a succession of sultans, marking a significant period in Maldivian history. The term "Maldives" itself likely originates from the Sanskrit word "Maladvipa," meaning "garland of islands." Over time, this term evolved through various linguistic influences, including Arabic and Persian, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the Maldives. The combination of "Sultanate" and "Maldives" encapsulates the island nation's rich history, blending indigenous traditions with influences from the wider Indian Ocean world.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Maldives was called Maldiva Islands in many English records, but by the beginning of the 20th century, Maldives or Maldive Islands had become the commonly used name. However, the official name of the Sultanate was the "Sultanate of Maldive Islands".^{[citation needed]} The first Kingdom of the Maldives was known as Dheeva Maari. During the 3rd century BCE visit of emissaries, it was noted that the Maldives was known as Dheeva Mahal.^[3]

During c. 1100 – 1166, the Maldives was also referred to as Diva Kudha and the Laccadive archipelago which was a part of the Maldives was then referred to as Diva Kanbar by the scholar and polymath al-Biruni (973–1048).^[4]

On 21 January 1969, following its formation, the

Much of the history of the Maldive Islands remains shrouded in mystery, yet insights gleaned from tales and available data suggest a habitation spanning over 2500 years, as recounted in ancient folklore from the southern atolls. Allama Ahmed Shihabuddine (known also as Allama Shihab al-Din) of Meedhoo in Addu Atoll chronicled this narrative in Arabic during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar I in the 17th century. His work, titled "Kitab Fi al-Athari Midu al-Qadimiyyah" ("On the Ancient Ruins of Meedhoo"), offers a remarkable consistency with established South Asian history, including references to Emperor Asoka, the legendary Indian ruler.[5] Moreover, it corroborates aspects of information preserved in old Maldivian records and the loamaafaanu copperplates. The saga of the Maldive Islands' legacy is recounted through legends of yore, inscriptions on ancient copperplates, writings etched onto coral artifacts, and perpetuated through the language, customs, and ethnicity of its inhabitants.

In contrast to the southern islands, situated up to 800 kilometers away, the northern islands likely have a distinct migratory and colonization history.^[6]

Introduction of Islam

The importance of the

Prior to Islamic rule, the Maldives had been united under a Buddhist monarchy since the third century BCE. Maldivan exposure to Islam originated from Middle Eastern sailors and merchants; the Maldivan archipelago's strategic location in the Indian Ocean and abundance of cowrie shells, a popular currency, proved lucrative.^[10][11]

In 1153, Sunni Muslim visitor Abu al Bar-akat converted the last Buddhist monarch of the Maldives, King Dhovemi, to Islam. This would mark the beginning of the Sultanate. For the next four centuries, the Sultanate would experience an era of peace and prosperity as its important Indian Ocean location allowed it to trade with much of Asia and Africa.^[10]

Portuguese and Dutch hegemony

The Portuguese arrived in the Maldives in 1507 and forced Sultan Kalu Muhammad to deliver an annual tribute of coir rope. In 1558, a Portuguese garrison was established on Malé and the Sultan was overthrown. Thus, the Maldives were administered from Portuguese Goa for the next 15 years, during which Christianity was forcefully imposed on the locals with the threat of execution. Hands of locals in Malé were cut off for refusing to renounce Islam, and in the end many perished and died in the subsequent years of genocide. In 1573, a popular revolt led by Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam drove the Portuguese away from the islands and reestablished Maldivan sovereignty. The struggle against colonial rule left a lasting impression on the native Maldivians and was a formative moment in the realization of a Maldivan identity. The liberation of the Maldives is still celebrated as the national day of the country.^[11][12]

In the mid-seventeenth century, the

In 1796, the British Empire expelled the Dutch from Ceylon and included the Maldives as a British protected area. The status of the Maldivan sultanate as a British protectorate was confirmed in an 1887 agreement. Like the Dutch, the British left the local customs of the Maldivians alone, allowing independent internal administration of the islands. However, the British era was one in which the power and influence of the Sultan was progressively weakened; thus, the British encouraged the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.^[10][12]

In 1932, the first constitution of the Maldives was put into effect. It limited the absolute powers of the Sultan, created the

This system proved unpopular, however, and Amin Didi was ousted and later killed by a mob. A referendum resulted in the restoration of the Sultanate in 1954.^[10]

In 1959, the three Southern atolls of the Maldives (Addu Atoll, Huvadhu Atoll, and Fuvahmulah) declared independence from the Sultanate of the Maldives and established the United Suvadive Republic. These atolls seceded over the issues of the centralization of power in Malé, restrictions on travel and trade, and the presence of the British military. The republic was reannexed into the Maldives in 1963.^[14][15]

In July 1965, the Maldives gained full independence from the United Kingdom. Three years later, a final referendum was held and resulted in the establishment of a presidential republic, putting an end to the 815-year-old Sultanate.^[15]

Independence

On July 26, 1965, the Maldives achieved independence through an agreement signed with the United Kingdom, The Sultanate of the Maldive Islands gained independence from British colonial rule on July 26, 1965. The agreement was signed in the morning of July 26, 1965 at Colombo in Sri Lanka

The agreement was reached following discussions between the Maldives' representative in the Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi, and Sir Humphrey Arthington-Davy, the British representative. ^[16][17]

Amidst the tumult of the

During the reign of Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi, prime minister Ibrahim Faamudheyri Kilegefaan orchestrated a clandestine agreement with the British Empire, wherein Gan Island was leased to them for a duration of 100 years.^[19]

Ibrahim Nasir opposed Ibrahim Faamudheyri Kilegefaan's decision to lease Gan Island to the British for a century. However, due to health issues, Kilegefaan resigned as Prime Minister, paving the way for Nasir to assume the position. Nasir's ascent to power concerned the people of Addu Atoll, who felt marginalized by the government in Malé, which they perceived as authoritarian. Addu Atoll residents feared losing the benefits and opportunities provided by the British presence, known as the "ran zamaaan" or golden years. These included jobs and services that had been extended to the people of Addu Atoll. Consequently, there were aspirations among the Addu people to establish a new republic, independent from the central government, to safeguard their interests and autonomy.^[20]

On January 1, 1959, the

Sultan, Muhammad Fareed Didi

Last Prime Minister, Ibrahim Nasir

During the early 20th century, comprised a scattered archipelago of coral islands, each governed locally by appointed officials known as "atoll chiefs" or "atoll katibs." These officials acted as intermediaries between the central government and the island communities, overseeing administrative affairs and maintaining order.^[22] At the national level, the

A council was set up by Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen III to draft the constitution of the Maldives on 9 March 1931. The council completed and implemented the constitution on 22 December 1932. This constitution was the basis for the formation, of the first ever Majlis of the Maldives. The meetings of this Majlis were held in the “Hakura Ganduvaru”. The first president or the speaker of the Majlis was Al Ameer Mohammed Farid Didi. Maldives was then ruled by a sultan and the advent of the new constitution was seen as a threat to the sultanate. Thus, mobs were instigated against the constitution and it was publicly torn up. Since then the constitution of the Maldives has been revised a number of times.

Atolls

In the

In the past, there was also a small Tamil population known as the Giraavaru people. This group has now been almost completely absorbed into the larger Maldivian society but were once native to the island of Giraavaru (Kaafu Atoll), The island was evacuated in 1968 due to heavy erosion of the island.^[32]

Some social stratification exists on the islands. It is not rigid, since rank is based on varied factors, including occupation, wealth, Islamic virtue, and family ties. Instead of a complex caste system, there was merely a distinction between noble (bēfulhu) and common people in the Maldives. Members of the social elite are concentrated in Malé.

In 1911, a significant milestone occurred in the history of the

Arab interest in the Maldives also was reflected in the residence there in the 1340s of

However, certain scholars have proposed the possibility that Ibn Battuta might have misinterpreted Maldivian texts, potentially influenced by a bias or preference for the North African Maghrebi/Berber narrative surrounding this Shaykh. This theory suggests that Ibn Battuta may have overlooked or downplayed the alternative account of East African origins, which was also known during that period.^[38]

Languages

The official and national language is

The

These ancient kings may have brought Buddhism from the subcontinent, but it is not clear. In Sri Lanka, there are similar legends, but it is improbable that the ancient Maldives royals and Buddhism came both from that island, because none of the Sri Lankan chronicles mentions the Maldives. It is unlikely that the ancient chronicles of Sri Lanka would have failed to mention the Maldives, if a branch of its kingdom had extended itself to the Maldive Islands.

Since the 12th century AD, there have also been influences from

See also

• Buddhism in the Maldives
• List of Maldivian monarchs

Notes

References