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The Dutch officially claimed Mauritius in 1598 and named it after Prince Maurice of Nassau. They established a colony in 1638, bringing enslaved laborers and attempting to exploit resources. However, due to harsh conditions, cyclones, and food shortages, they abandoned the island in 1710. During Dutch rule, the dodo became extinct.
The French used Mauritius as a base for Corsairs who attacked British merchant ships, disrupting British trade in the Indian Ocean. The British conquered Mauritius in 1810 primarily to eliminate French naval threats (corsairs), secure trade routes, and gain economic benefits. They ruled the island until Mauritius gained independence in 1968.
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird endemic to Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean. It was first discovered by Portuguese sailors in the late 1500s but was not widely known until the Dutch colonized Mauritius. By 1681, the dodo was completely extinct , mainly due to human activities and introduced species.
The Dutch brought sugarcane to Mauritius from Java (Indonesia) in the 1640s.
Their main goal was to produce arrack (a type of alcohol) rather than refine sugar.
Sugarcane was also used for food and trade. By the time the Dutch abandoned Mauritius in 1710, sugarcane was growing naturally on the island.
In 1715, French naval officer Guillaume Dufresne d’Arsel claimed Mauritius for France.
However, the French did not immediately settle the island.
In 1721, the French East India Company officially colonized Île de France to use it as a strategic port.
Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais (1735–1746)
✅ Most famous and influential French governor.
Developed Port Louis into a major naval base.
Expanded sugar plantations and built the first sugar mills.
Improved roads, schools, hospitals, and fortifications.
Strengthened the island’s defense and economy.
The British captured Mauritius from the French in 1810 and officially gained control through the 1814 Treaty of Paris. Despite British rule, French culture, language, and legal systems were allowed.
Sir Robert Farquhar (1810–1823)
First British governor of Mauritius.
Abolished privateering (piracy) and integrated Mauritius into the British Empire.
Allowed French culture and language to continue.
Encouraged sugarcane production and trade.
Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act (1833), which applied to all its colonies, including Mauritius.
On 1 February 1835, slavery was officially abolished in Mauritius.
However, former enslaved people were forced into an "apprenticeship system" for four years, where they had to keep working without full freedom.
The British government compensated slave owners with £2 million (a huge sum at the time).
The enslaved people received no compensation or land, leaving them economically vulnerable.
After the abolition of slavery in 1835, the British introduced the indentured labor system to replace enslaved labor on sugar plantations. This system brought thousands of workers, mainly from India, shaping Mauritius' demographics, culture, and economy.
The first group of Indian indentured laborers arrived on 2 November 1834 aboard the ship "Atlas."
Mauritius became the first British colony to implement the indentured labor system.
Over 450,000 Indians arrived between 1834 and 1920, making it one of the largest migrations of Indian laborers under British rule.
Laborers signed contracts (indentures) for five years, promising wages, housing, and return passage to India.
They worked long hours (10–14 hours per day) in harsh conditions on sugar plantations.
Many faced low wages, poor living conditions, and mistreatment by plantation owners.
Some were misled about contract terms and were unable to return to India.
Before Mauritius became a republic in 1992, it was a constitutional monarchy under the British Commonwealth, with a Governor-General as the Queen’s representative.
On 12 March 1992, Mauritius officially became a republic, and Ringadoo became its first President.
Born: 20 October 1920
Became First President: 12 March 1992 (when Mauritius became a republic)
Term: 12 March 1992 – 30 June 1992
Previous Role: Last Governor-General of Mauritius (1986–1992)
Succeeded by: Cassam Uteem (Second President of Mauritius)
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