The history of
the Maldives is lost in antiquity. Very little information
is available on the ancient people and their way of
life. The late H.C.P. Bell, a British archeologist states:
"Indeed it may be preferable to assign to the original
colonization of the group of dates synchronic with that
of Ceylon itself (Viz., several centuries before the
Christian era)". |
The Maldives
was certainly known among some of the classical writers.
For example Pappus of Alexandria (about the end of the
4th century (A.D) says, "It (Taprobane) is one of the
largest islands of the world, being 1,100 miles in length
by 1,500 miles broad and encompasses 1,370 adjacent
islands among its dependencies.
About the
same time as Pappus of Alexandria, Scholasticu, the
Theban who was visiting India in the company of a
priest, and reached Muziris (Cranganore) on the Malabar
coast, mentioned about a thousand islands, Maniolae
and the loadstone rocks that attracted iron-bound
vessels to their destruction.
The Chinese
too knew about the Maldives. In the Overall Survey
of the Ocean's Shores" published in 1422 A.D. it is
stated as follows. "In addition there are small narrow
liu. This place is in truth the so-called "Three Thousand
Weak Waters". The Weak Waters are the ones mentioned
in the Shu-Ching or classical History, dating perhaps
from the 5th century B.C. They have been placed in
different localities.
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Maldivian
Heroes
The Portuguese had
a keen interest in the Maldives due to the availability of
cowry shells, and ambergris, an important ingredient in perfumes,
and had been approached by the formerly expelled Sultan, Hassan
IX to help him regain his throne.
Three attempts were
repelled mainly due to Ali Rasgefaanu, who proved to be
a brave and tough fighter. He became Sultan Ali VI but only
for a few months as he was killed during another Portuguese
attack, dying a martyr’s death. His tomb, built at the very
spot where he died in the sea is now on dry land due to
the reclamation of land in Malé. Martyr’s day, a
public holiday, has been devoted to him.
The next 15 years
saw the darkest period in Maldivian history, when the Portuguese
tried to enforce Christianity upon the islanders.
Mohamed Thakurufaanu
and his two brothers from the island of Utheemu, used a
form of guerilla warfare for eight long years, during which
one of the brothers was caught and beheaded. Their strategy
was to land on an island at night, kill the Portuguese in
a surprise attack and sail off before dawn.
Thakurufaanu sought
the help of the Malabari, killed the Portuguese leader Andreas
Andre, locally known as Andiri Andirin, and recaptured Malé.
He was made Sultan
and reigned for 12 years forming a trained standing army,
introducing coins, improving trade and religious observance
and founding a dynasty that lasted for 132 years.
The
British Protectorate
On December 16, 1887
the Sultan of the Maldives signed a contract with the British
Governor of Ceylon turning the Maldives into a British protectorate.
The British government
promised the Maldives military protection and non-interference
in local administration in exchange for an annual tribute
paid by the Maldives.
In 1957 the British
established a RAF base in the strategic southernmost atoll
of Addu for £2000 a year, where hundreds of locals
were employed.
19 years later the
British government decided to give up the base, as it was
too expensive to maintain.
Independence
The Maldives gained
independence on July 26, 1965.Three years later a republic
was declared with Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir as the first
president. In 1978 President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom became
president and has been re-elected thrice since then.A coup
attempt in 1988 by Sri Lankan mercenaries was successfully
repelled.
Small as it is the
Maldives has always maintained independence and a strong
unity despite influences and threats from outside. They
are now an internationally renowned country, a member of
the UN, WHO, SAARC, Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement
and others and play an important role in advocating the
security of small nations and the protection of the environment.
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