The Maldives
The paradise on earth
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History
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For Maldivians, who love a good story, it is somehow fitting that the early history
of the country is enshrined in myth and legend. There is the story of the Rannamaari,
a tale about a sea monster than demands a virgin sacrifice every full moon, until
a brave man from Morocco, Mr Abdul Barakaath-Ul Barbary decides to confront the
monster and prohibit him from coming into the Maldives.
There is the story of Bodu Thakurufaanu, renowned for its length, who saved the
Maldives from Portuguese Invaders. These stories, while very much anecdotal, are
based on the real facts that form the history of the country. Written accounts portray
a Maldives whose people have traveled far and wide, adventurers whose geographical
isolation had not limited the boundaries of their world. Maldives today remains
very much like it had then – small, but not lacking; isolated, but not invisible.
1st Century AD - The Roman manual of Navigation, the Periplus Maris
Erythraei mentions islands that are assumed to be theMaldives
2nd Century AD - Ptolemy refers to the Maldives in his geography
362 AD Roman historian records a visit of a Maldivian delegation to Rome, bearing
gifts to emperor Julian 662 AD A historical Chinese document records that the King
of the Maldives sent gifts to the Chinese Emperor Kao-Tsung of Tang Dynasty
1153 - Maldives converts to Islam
1558 - The Portuguese invade the Maldives
1573 - Mohamed Thakurufaanu liberates the Maldives from the Portuguese
1752 - The Malabars invade the Maldives for three months
1887 - Protectorate signed with Great Britain
1932 - The first Constitution of the Republic of Maldives enacted
1953 - The first Republic with Mohamed Ameen as President
1954 - End of the first Republic as Ameen is ousted; the Maldives
reverts to Sultanate with Mohamed Fareed as ruler
1965 - Independence from the British
1968 - End of the Sultanate; second Republic begins with Ibrahim
Nasir as President
1972 - The first island resort is developed; tourists begin arriving
to the Maldives
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