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History of Maldives Timeline
(c. 500 BCE – Present)The Maldives is an Indian Ocean archipelago whose recorded history spans over two millennia. Originally settled by peoples from South Asia and Sri Lanka who practiced Buddhism and Hinduism, the islands converted to Islam in 1153 CE under Sultan Dhovemi. The Maldives endured periods of Portuguese (1558–1573) and Dutch influence before becoming a British protectorate in 1887. It gained full independence from Britain on 26 July 1965, became a republic in 1968 under President Ibrahim Nasir, and has since developed into a prominent tourist destination and a member of international bodies such as the UN and SAARC. More Less
Early Settlement and Buddhist Era
First human settlements on the Maldives
500 BC
Austronesian, South Asian, and Arab seafarers gradually settled the coral atolls of the Maldives. These early settlers developed a maritime culture based on fishing, coconut cultivation, and trade across the Indian Ocean.
Image source: History of the Maldives
Emergence of the Redin, early island builders
300 BC
The Redin, believed to be among the earliest settlers, constructed mounds, causeways, and harbor structures across the atolls, leaving behind megalithic remains that hint at an organized pre-Buddhist society.
Maldivian trade links with Rome recorded by ancient sources
100 AD
Roman and Greek sources such as the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mention cowrie shell exports from the Maldives, which served as currency across Asia and Africa, establishing the islands as a key trading hub.
Image source: Maldives
Buddhism becomes the dominant religion
300 AD
Buddhism arrived from Sri Lanka and India and became the principal religion of the islands for over a thousand years. Numerous stupas, monasteries, and carved artifacts from this era have been found throughout the archipelago.
Image source: Buddhism in the Maldives
Islamic Sultanates
Conversion to Islam under Muhammad al-Adil
1153 AD
The last Buddhist king, Dhovemi, converted to Islam taking the name Sultan Muhammad al-Adil after a Moroccan scholar Abu al-Barakat reportedly defeated a sea demon. Islam became the state religion, beginning nearly eight centuries of sultanic rule.
Image source: Islam in Maldives
Ibn Battuta visits the Maldives
1343 AD
The famed Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta spent time in the Maldives, serving as a judge and marrying into local nobility. His detailed writings provide one of the richest medieval accounts of Maldivian society, governance, and customs.
Image source: Ibn Battuta
Colonial Encounters
Portuguese raiding and growing European interest
1507 AD - 1518 AD
Portuguese ships began attacking Maldivian vessels and coastal settlements seeking control of the lucrative cowrie and spice trade. Early raids culminated in a brief Portuguese occupation of Male before local resistance drove them out.
Portuguese occupation of the Maldives begins
1558 AD
Portugal seized control of the Maldives, installing garrisons in Male and ruling through appointed governors. The occupation disrupted traditional Islamic institutions and imposed Christian missionary activity on the population.
Image source: Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom
Muhammad Thakurufaanu expels the Portuguese
1573 AD
Muhammad Thakurufaanu of Utheemu led a guerrilla campaign against Portuguese occupiers and liberated Male in 1573. He became Sultan and national hero, restoring independence and Islamic rule; his victory is commemorated annually on National Day.
Image source: Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam
Dutch influence over the Maldives
1654 AD - 1796 AD
After the Dutch took Ceylon from Portugal, the Maldives became a Dutch protectorate in practice, with the sultanate retaining internal autonomy while Dutch colonial authorities controlled external relations and trade.
Key Facts
- The Maldives was first settled around 500 BCE by peoples from Sri Lanka and southern India, who established Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms.
- In 1153 CE, the Maldives officially converted to Islam during the reign of Sultan Dhovemi, beginning a sultanate that lasted centuries.
- The Portuguese briefly occupied the Maldives from 1558 to 1573 until they were expelled by national hero Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al-Auzam.
- The Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 while retaining internal self-government, and gained full independence on 26 July 1965.
- The monarchy was abolished in 1968, when the country became a republic with Ibrahim Nasir as its first president, later transforming into a major global tourism hub.
Source
This History of Maldives timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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