Mauritius was discovered by the Portuguese in 1507 and was later occupied by the Dutch, from 1598 up until 1710. In 1715, it came into the possession of the East India Company and in 1767, that of the King of France, who christened it ‘Ile de France'. Captured by the British in 1810 and then acknowledged by the Treaty of Paris in 1814, the British allowed the French settlers to use their language and their civil code.
Many of the settlers remained and made up a group of Franco-Mauritian important property owners and businessmen.
The sugar cane cultivations first developed with the African and Malagasy slaves. Following the abolition of slavery in 1835, the important landowners turned their attention to an influx of indentured Indian labourers, a large number of whom settled on the island.
The sugar cane cultivations first developed with the African and Malagasy slaves. Following the abolition of slavery in 1835, the important landowners turned their attention to an influx of indentured Indian labourers, a large number of whom settled on the island.
The island remained a British colony until its independence on 12th March 1968, under the presidency of Dr Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.
The Dutch period
The Dutch first arrived on the island in 1516, but was unable to colonise it as the slaves that had been brought over from Africa ran away into the mountains upon their arrival. They were the first fugitive slaves in Mauritius.
In 1641, the Dutch developed the slave trade, with slaves from Madagascar, in the hope of securing a return on their installation in Mauritius. In spite of this, only a few Malagasy slaves were brought to Mauritius during the Dutch occupation. In 1598, a Dutch squadron landed on the island under the orders of the Admiral Wybrand Van Warwick. It was then that the island was named Mauritius, after the Prince Mauritius Van Nassau of Holland.
Instead of expanding the colony, the Dutch contented themselves with devastating the fauna (which led to the extinction of the dodo) and the flora that caused the extinction of ebony wood. However, they introduced sugar cane and imported Java deer. They left the island along with their slaves in 1710, following severe droughts and devastation caused by the cyclones.
The French colonisation
Abandoned by the Dutch, Mauritius became a French colony when, in 1715, Guillaume Dufresne d'Arsel landed on its shores and named it "Ile de France." The first pioneers arrived in 1721, when the island was administered by the East India Company (1722 to 1767).
This Company was founded by Louis XIV and Colbert to compete with the other European countries. In the hope of earning money, he was granted a trade monopoly across the Indian Ocean for 50 years. About a hundred slaves from Senegal and Guinea arrived in Ile de France at the beginning of the colonisation period, notably between 1721 and1735. Following the request of Colbert, the kingdom's state adviser, slavery was legalised on the 28th August 1670 in France. In the West Indies, slavery quickly ensured the economic prosperity of its regions.
The famous black code was proclaimed in March 1685, under the order of Louis XIV. It was aimed to develop and ease the slavery system and specified the duties of the masters and the slaves. However, the black code, established in all of the West Indies and in French Guinea, was seldom respected by the owners.
In 1723, the Mascarene Islands adopted the famous black code and the letters of patent of Louis XIV in the form of an edict. They were recorded in the town of Saint-Paul in Ile Bourbon (Réunion Island) on the 18th September 1724, by the supreme adviser. As of 1725, this led to the arrival of thousands of slaves, mainly from Madagascar and East Africa, to cultivate the coffee and spice plantations. This labour seemed necessary in order to allow the East India Company to pursue the economic expansion of the Indian Ocean.
It was in 1735, with the arrival of its most illustrious governor, Bertrand-François Mahé de Labourdonnais, that Ile de France (Mauritius) started its true development. Appointed by the East India Company, he governed the colony from 1735 to 1745.
Under the governorship of Mahé de Labourdonnais, the island prospered, with the foundation of several towns, including Port Louis (the County Town of the region) and with the construction of buildings, warehouses and military bases. He authorised the exploitation of forests and of the shipyard. He also, introduced sugar cane as well as coffee, pepper and indigo plantations.
Under the governorship of Mahé de Labourdonnais, the island prospered, with the foundation of several towns, including Port Louis (the County Town of the region) and with the construction of buildings, warehouses and military bases. He authorised the exploitation of forests and of the shipyard. He also, introduced sugar cane as well as coffee, pepper and indigo plantations.
Thanks to Pierre Poivre, the "administrator" and general intendant of Ile de France and Bourbon, the Mascarene Islands became the prosperous and developed colony that the British has always wished for. In 1768, Pierre Poivre introduced the printing house. This botanist and member of several science academies also introduced a wide range of spices such as pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and so on, to the archipelago islands. He also encouraged the culture of fruit trees and was one of the instigators of laws concerning the protection of Nature. It is to him that the Mauritians owe the famous Pamplemousses garden which is home to giant water lilies, more than sixty palm trees and other vegetal species.
Pierre Poivre rendered the moral and social climate of the Mascarene Islands healthier by improving the slaves' conditions across the archipelago. The population increased in Ile de France and according to historians, the Creole Mauritian originated between 1721 and 1769. This explains why the Creole Mauritian of today still has Senegalese words that evolved from the Wolof language. This Creole is also composed of a wide range of Malagasy and Comorian words as many slaves were exiled from Madagascar and the Comoros.
On 27th July 1793, the Convention of Paris forbade the trading of slaves and a few months later, on 4th February, it forbade slavery altogether. "The immediate abolition" was prescribed, but no arrangements were foreseen concerning compensation for the owners or the future of the "freed population." The colonial assembly of Ile de France was against this decree and insisted on the pure annulment of this convention. The settlers of Ile de France and Ile Bourbon simply obtained a deferment and decided not to go through the abolition decree.
The first Consul of the Republic, Napoléon Bonaparte, partially restored the slave trade on 20th May 1802. The settlers of the Mascarene Archipelago who had not adopted the decree of the national convention were obviously allayed. All the reforms made during the Revolution were also abolished, including the "Declaration of Human Rights" adopted by the National Assembly in 1789.
In 1803, the General Decaen, sent by Napoléon, arrived in the Mascarene Islands to reform the political system. The colony was immediately taken over by administrators, appointed by Napoleon, who ruled Ile Bourbon (now known as Ile Bonaparte) from Ile de France.
But the Franco-British rivalries that were already present in the West Indies, spread over to the Indian Ocean. As there was a risk that they would considerably harm British trade, the British decided to end the French hegemony in this part of the Indian Ocean.
The British started to rule over Rodrigues Island in around 1809. The British had mustered together 10000 soldiers before attacking Ile de France (Mauritius) and Ile Bonaparte (Réunion Island) in 1810. 80% of the population of 73000 inhabitants was composed of slaves, from Mozambique and Madagascar.
The British started to rule over Rodrigues Island in around 1809. The British had mustered together 10000 soldiers before attacking Ile de France (Mauritius) and Ile Bonaparte (Réunion Island) in 1810. 80% of the population of 73000 inhabitants was composed of slaves, from Mozambique and Madagascar.
The French lost the archipelago of the Seychelles and the Mascarene Islands, except for Ile Bonaparte, rechristened Ile Bourbon, which was given back to France by the British. Despite this, it was only after two generations that the language conveyed by the African and Malagasy slaves (along with French) became the language of the slaves' descendents: the Mauritian Creole.
The British Empire
Following the Treaty of Paris, Ile de France was renamed Mauritius. The new British government, ruled by Sir Robert Farquhar, agreed that the French language would remain one of the "customs." Indeed, the British authorised the inhabitants of Mauritius and Rodrigues to use their particular language, civil code, traditions and customs. Being few and far between and having no intention of settling on the island, the British were ready to make concessions.
But the most important event occurred in 1835, when, at the time of the abolition of slavery in all British colonies and against the demand of labour forces for the sugar cane exploitation, the British administration decided to call on indentured Indian labourers. From 1835 to 1968, more than 200000 Indian and Chinese immigrants flocked to Mauritius and completely changed the ethnicity of the inhabitants. The Indian immigrants soon became the majority of the agricultural workers, whereas the Chinese became the small traders.
The British Empire
Following the Treaty of Paris, Ile de France was renamed Mauritius. The new British government, ruled by Sir Robert Farquhar, agreed that the French language would remain one of the "customs." Indeed, the British authorised the inhabitants of Mauritius and Rodrigues to use their particular language, civil code, traditions and customs. Being few and far between and having no intention of settling on the island, the British were ready to make concessions.
Once the social and economic changes became apparent, the French civil servants were replaced by the British ones within the bureaucracy. From now on, all economic issues were developed within the framework of the British Empire.
Many of the Franco-Mauritians, especially the large property owners and businessmen decided to remain on the island and to continue the sugar cane exploitation with their Malagasy and African labourers. This white-skinned population continued to speak French and aided by the catholic clergy, they were against the government's stranglehold on the language.
Many of the Franco-Mauritians, especially the large property owners and businessmen decided to remain on the island and to continue the sugar cane exploitation with their Malagasy and African labourers. This white-skinned population continued to speak French and aided by the catholic clergy, they were against the government's stranglehold on the language.
As for the slaves, they remained within the inferior social ranks and continued to use the Mauritian Creole. As the British did not intend to settle in mass numbers in Mauritius, the natives continued to speak French and Creole.
In 1832, the British imposed the first linguistic policy: the English language became compulsory for all Mauritians, in all types of communication with the British authorities, and the following year, English became the unique language for administrative purposes. It was the main condition for employment in the governmental services.
In 1832, the British imposed the first linguistic policy: the English language became compulsory for all Mauritians, in all types of communication with the British authorities, and the following year, English became the unique language for administrative purposes. It was the main condition for employment in the governmental services.
But the most important event occurred in 1835, when, at the time of the abolition of slavery in all British colonies and against the demand of labour forces for the sugar cane exploitation, the British administration decided to call on indentured Indian labourers. From 1835 to 1968, more than 200000 Indian and Chinese immigrants flocked to Mauritius and completely changed the ethnicity of the inhabitants. The Indian immigrants soon became the majority of the agricultural workers, whereas the Chinese became the small traders.
The arrival of these new Asian immigrants hardly changed the social role of languages in Mauritius. The Franco-Mauritians stereotyped the new arrivals to a low social level. The Indo-Mauritians then, adopted the Creole, developed from English or Indian words, as their language. In 1841, the teaching of the English language became compulsory in all the primary schools along with French and in 1845, English became the "supreme court language." Obviously, the lower court that still abode by the Napoleonic code of law, continued to use the French language.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Mauritius had 371 000 inhabitants and most of the population was already mainly made up of Indians. The island lost its strategic point on the opening of the Suez Canal in 1870 and this event resulted in the dismissal of Mauritius from the route to India and hence, worsened the socio-economic situation.
Mauritius and the Seychelles were governed as only one colony by the United Kingdom up until 1903. From then onwards, the Chagos Archipelago, administratively independent from the Seychelles and linked to Mauritius, was used by the ‘Royal Force' as a military base against the Japanese warships in the Indian Ocean during the Second World War.
Mauritius and the Seychelles were governed as only one colony by the United Kingdom up until 1903. From then onwards, the Chagos Archipelago, administratively independent from the Seychelles and linked to Mauritius, was used by the ‘Royal Force' as a military base against the Japanese warships in the Indian Ocean during the Second World War.
The island ensured its independence more and more against the British crown. From the 1930s onwards, there was an emergence of popular movements in favour of democratisation and they gradually succeeded in obtaining a universal suffrage at the legislative elections in 1948. Several nationalist movements were formed and following a referendum, Mauritius became independent on 12th March 1968 and was endowed with a British parliamentary system.
Being a sovereign country that forms part of the British Commonwealth, the Republic of Mauritius also forms part of the French Speaking World, since its 5th summit in October 1993.
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