Sultanate of the Maldive Islands

Sultanate of the Maldive Islands
  • ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ (Dhivehi)
    Dhivehi Raajje
1153–1953
1954–1968
Flag of Sultanate of the Maldive Islands
Flag
(1926–1953)
Motto: الدولة المحمية المحلديبية (Arabic)
Ad-Dawlat Mahmiyyatul Mahaldibiyya
The Protected State of Mahal Dibiyat
Anthem: 
Salāmathī (1940–1968)
CapitalMalé
4°10′31″N 73°30′32″E / 4.17528°N 73.50889°E / 4.17528; 73.50889
Official languagesDhivehi
Demonym(s)Maldive
GovernmentHereditary absolute monarchy (1153–1932)
Elective constitutional monarchy (from 1932)
Sultan 
• 1153–1165
Adil I
• 1954–1968
Mohamed Fareed I
Prime Minister 
• 1774 (first)
Ali Ranna Bandeyri Kilegefan
• 1954–1968 (last)
Mohamed Fareed I
LegislatureHakuraa Gan'duvaru
History 
1153
1573
1 January 1953
6 March 1954
26 July 1965
• Dissolved
11 November 1968
Population
• 1960 census
Neutral decrease 91,650[1]
CurrencyMaldive Rufiyaa
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Maldives
Republic of Maldives
United Suvadive Republic

The Sultanate of the 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 16th century, the Sultanate increasingly came under European influence, starting with a 15-year period of Portuguese rule. After the expulsion of the Portuguese, the Maldives became subject to Dutch hegemony before finally becoming a British protected state in 1796.[a] Following an abortive attempt at forming a republic in 1953, the emergence of a short-lived breakaway state, and the establishment of independence from the United Kingdom, the Sultanate was abolished following a successful referendum in 1968, and the Maldives became a republic.

  1. ^ "Population of Maldives - 1960". PopulationPyramid.net. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016.
  2. ^ Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom, Barcelona 1999, ISBN 84-7254-801-5


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