History & Maps

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Chagos was Never Empty. It was Maldivian

The claim of terra nullius is a colonial lie. For over two thousand years, the Chagos Islands lay within the lived, ruled, and recorded domain of the Maldives, named, mapped, and administered as part of a vast archipelagic state. From ancient chronicles to royal decrees, from Sultan Thakurufaanu to King Dom Manoel, Maldivian sovereignty was clear and continuous. Chagos was not unclaimed-it was unlawfully detached. History remembers; law must now rectify. In essence, the following timelines refute any “terra nullius” arguments and provide a robust historical narrative for the Maldives’ sovereign rights and territorial integrity.

Early Historical Names of the Maldives Timeline

Ancient Mentions (c. 200 BC – 7th Century AD):

c. 200 BC: Mahinda-dvipa (from the Mahavansa)
c. 4th century AD: Maniolae (by Palladius, Bishop of Hellenopolis)
629 to 645 AD: Na-lo-ki-lo-chou (coconut islands – by Hsuan Tsang, Chinese Buddhist monk)
658 AD and 662 AD: Mo-lai (from a Chinese Tang Dynasty document)
7th century AD: Dvipa Laksham (a hundred thousand islands – from ancient South Indian Pallava Dynasty inscriptions) 

Medieval & Trade Era (8th – 13th Century AD)

850 to 934 AD: Dyvah Kouzah (cowrie islands – by Abu Zayd, an Iraqi writer)

9th century AD: Dibajat (by Sulaiman, a Persian merchant, also used by Al Biruni & Al Idrisi)

10th century AD: Munnir Palantivu Pannirayiram (twelve thousand islands and the ocean where three waters meet – from a South Indian Chola Dynasty record)

13th century AD: Palpalamtivu (many old islands – in the Tamil commentary Tolkattiyam)

13th century AD: Panandheepu / Fanandheebu (from Kudahuvadhoo Loamaafaanu and Bodugalu Miskiiy Loamaafaanu)

Explorers & European Contact (14th – 16th Century AD)

1343 AD and 1346 AD: Dhibat Al Mahal (by Ibn Batuta, who visited the Maldives)

1349: Pei Liu (by Chinese writer Wang Ta-Yuan)

1414 AD: Liu Shan Tieh-kan (the countries of the island mountains – by Ma Huan, scribe to Chinese commander Cheng Ho)

1436 AD: Liu Shan Yang (atolls of Maldives – by Chinese writer Fei Hsin)

Early 16th century 🇵🇹: Ilha Dywe (by the first Portuguese arrivals in the East)

1573 AD: Al Daulat min al-Mahaldibiyat (Official name given by Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam)

Modern Era (Late 18th – Early 20th Centuries)

Late 18th to early 20th centuries 🇬🇧: Maldiva Islands / Maldives or Maldive Islands (Commonly used in English records)
Ancient Perceptions of the Maldivian Sphere

6th Century AD: Cosmas Indicopleustes – Noted a “number of small islands” around Ceylon, “almost all set close to one another.”

9th Century AD: Sulaiman – Identified “Dibajat” (Divehi-raja), “amounting, so it is said, to 1,900” islands, strategically placed between major Indian Ocean trade routes.

c. 1030 AD: Alberuni – Recognised “Diva islands” as “in the middle” of the Indian Ocean, observing their dynamic geomorphology and inhabitants’ sophisticated adaptation, including transporting “coco-nut palms, date palms, cereals.”

1099-1156 AD: Edrisi  – Described “El Roibahat [Dibajat]” as “very close to one another, and innumerable,” with a unified governance under a “chief” or “Queen Demhera,” and a sophisticated economy including “coco-tree and the sugar-cane” cultivation and cowrie currency.

c. 1271-1295 AD: Marco Polo – Cited “12,700 Islands, inhabited and uninhabited,” based on “charts and documents of experienced mariners.”

1292 AD: John of Montecorvino – Noted “more than 12,000 in number” of islands in the Sea of India.

1307 AD: Prince Hayton  – Described a region “to the south the Ocean extends a great way, and there is found therein a quantity of islands, whose inhabitants are black.”

1321-1330 AD: Friar Jordanus  – Reported “more than 10,000” inhabited islands in India, including “Silem (Ceylon)” with precious stones.

Ibn Battuta  – Numbered the islands as “about 2,000.”

Expanded Boundary and Cartographic Recognition

Ancient Persian and Arabic Literature (e.g., ‘Qiṣṣah-ʼi Sayf al-Mulūk va Badīʻ al-Jamāl’)  – Included the Maldives in narratives, showcasing their recognition in broader literary traditions. Largely present-day Iran

1442: Abd-er-Razzak  – Mentioned merchants from “the islands of Puha-Mahal” (Maldives) frequenting Ormuz, indicating “regular trade.”

1462 CE: Sihabudin Ahmed Ibn Majid (Hawiya)  – Identified “Qumr known islands (in the east) in the extension of al-Fal (Laccadive + Maldives)” and “Tiri-Raga* (Mascarene Islands), an extension of al-Fal (Laccadive + Maldives).” Clarified “al-Dibagat” derived from the Sanskrit “diva” (island). “Theeru Rajje”

1470: Ibn Majid – Early mention of the islands, with later analysis suggesting “Dina Mozare” (Rodrigues), “Dina Margabim” (Reunion), and “Dina Arobi” (Mauritius) as extensions of “al-Dibagat”, the Maldives.

1497: Hieron. di Santo Stefano  – Described the Maldives as “from seven to eight thousand in number, all desert, small and low,” with “an infinite number of people, all black and naked, but in good condition, and courteous,” holding the “faith of the Moors.” Muslims

1502: Alberto Cantino’s Map  – Depicted three small islands south-east of Madagascar with Arabic-Sanskrit names.

1507: Martin Waldseemüller’s Cartographic Map  – Included the Mascarene Islands within the broader Maldivian sphere, naming Mauritius as ‘dina aroby,’ Reunion as ‘diba margabin,’ and Rodrigues as ‘dina morare.’

1539: Brothers Parmentier’s Voyage  – Sailed S.S.E. and S., believing they were approaching “the archipelago near Calecut and Commori, which extends north and south,” strongly suggesting an encounter with the Maldives.

1560: Exiled Maldivian King Dom Manoel  – Asserted kingship over the Maldives and the “seven island-groups of Pullobay” (Foalavahi/Chagos), providing “irrefutable proof of Maldivian historical ownership” and Connection to Sovereignty.

1567: Ali Macar Reis’s Atlas  – Featured an extended description of the Maldives as “The Twenty-Four Thousand Islands, twelve of which are deserted and the other twelve of which are cultivated.”

1803: Mahmud Raif Effendi’s Map of Asia – Explicitly depicted atolls and named major islands in Ottoman Turkish, “underscoring the archipelago’s substantial presence in Ottoman scholarship.”

Timeline of External Influences and the Erosion of Full Sovereignty

🇵🇹 Portuguese Protectorate and Occupations (1507-1632):

1507: The Maldives were first sighted by Captain Lourenço de Almeida. 

1518-1521: Direct Portuguese occupation of Malé under João Gomes. 

1558-1573: Direct Portuguese occupation of Malé under Andreas Andre. 

1558-1632: Nominal rule by Portuguese-backed kings in exile from Goa – real power held by a resident Regent.

🇹🇷 Tributary to the Ottoman Empire (c. 1573-1597?)

c. 1573-1597? The Maldives became a tributary to the Ottoman Empire. 

🇳🇱 Dutch East India Company Protection (1658-1796)

c.1658: The Maldives fell under the protection of the Dutch East India Company administered from Dutch Ceylon. 

16 February 1796: Dutch protection ended. 🔚

🇮🇳 Malabari Occupation (1752-1753)

20 December 1752 – 9 March 1753: Brief occupation of Malé by Malabaris; Sultan Imad ad-Din III abducted. 

🇫🇷 French Influence (1754)

1754: French troops were stationed, and the French flag was raised in the Maldives. 🇫🇷

🇬🇧 British Protectorate (1796-1965)

16 February 1796: Suzerainty transferred to British Ceylon; designated a British protected area. 

1867: The British guaranteed the Maldives’ independence (though a formal protectorate followed).

December 16, 1887: A formal British protectorate is established. 

July 26, 1965: British protectorate ended, and the Maldives regained full independence. 

Maldivian Sovereignty: A Timeline’s Tale 

Historical Continuity & Statehood:

Long-standing Political Entities: Evidence of continuous governance by chiefs, queens, and sultans.

Unified Governance: Early political organisation over a vast archipelago.

Resilience: Maintained independence despite brief foreign occupations, demonstrating inherent statehood.

Effective Occupation & Control 

Population & Economy: Records of inhabited islands, cultivation, and trade show ongoing human activity and state functions.

Resource Management: Sophisticated adaptation and resource transport indicate established societal control.

Defining Territorial Claims

Early Extent Recognition: Historical accounts emphasise the vast number of islands, laying the groundwork for archipelagic claims.

Expanded Boundaries: 15th-16th century cartography links the Mascarene Islands as “extensions” of the Maldives, suggesting historical dominion.

Chagos Link: King Dom Manoel’s claim over “Pullobay” (Chagos) provides crucial historical evidence for this contentious territory.

Evidence in International Law

Historical Documentation: Maps, charts, and literary accounts serve as vital evidence for long-standing claims and effective control.

Continuous Recognition: Consistent mention across diverse cultures over centuries bolsters the Maldives’ independent existence and international legal personality.

Strategic Influence: Location on major trade routes underscores historical significance and potential influence.

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Reference Notes:

1. Abd-er-Razzak. (1442). As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval, Vol. 2. Pt 2, p. 468.
2.  Alberuni. (1888). Alberuni’s India. By Dr. Edward C. Sachau.
3.  Ali Macar Reis. (1567). Atlas. As cited in Maritime Crossroads: Unraveling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900) p.238, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
4. Brothers Parmentier. (1539). As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval, Vol. 2. Pt 2, p. 487.
5. Casale, Giancarlo. (2005). Research cited in Maritime Crossroads: Unravelling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900), p.238, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
6. Casale, Giancarlo. (2012). Research cited in Maritime Crossroads: Unraveling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900) p.238, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
7. Cosmas Indicopleustes. (6th Century AD). As cited in Montfaucon, Collectio Nova Patrum, vol. ii; and in Yule’s Cathay, p. clxvii.
8. Dom Manoel. (1560). Letters Patent from Cochin. As cited in The Voyage Of Francois Pyrard Of Laval Vol 1, p.296, fn . 1.
9. Edrisi. (1836). Geographie d’idrisi. Par P. A. Joubert.
10. Friar Jordanus. (1321-1330 AD). As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies, the Maldives, the Moluccas and Brazil, Vol 2, p. 434.
11. Hieron. di Santo Stefano. (1497). Account cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval, Vol. 2. Pt 2, p. 469.
12. Ibn Battuta. As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies, the Maldives, the Moluccas and Brazil, Vol 2, p. 434.
13. Ibn Majid, Sihabudin Ahmed. (1462 CE). Hawiya.
14. John of Montecorvino. (1292 AD). As cited in Yule’s Cathay, etc., p. 215.
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15. Lutfi Reis. (1564-1566). Intelligence report as possibly linked in Maritime Crossroads: Unravelling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900), p. 238, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
16. Mahmud Raif Effendi. (1803). Detailed map of Asia. As cited in Maritime Crossroads: Unravelling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900), p. 239, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
17. Marco Polo. (c. 1271-1295 AD). As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies, the Maldives, the Moluccas and Brazil, Vol 2, p. 432.
18. Prince Hayton the Armenian. (1307 AD). As cited in The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies, the Maldives, the Moluccas and Brazil, Vol 2, p. 434.
19. “Qiṣṣah-ʼi Sayf al-Mulūk va Badīʻ al-Jamāl.” As cited in de La Croix (1714) and Dunlop (1845), and referenced in Maritime Crossroads: Unravelling the Maldives-Turkey Relations (1650-1900), p.240, Journal of Interdisciplinary African Studies, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2023, ss. 229-251.
20. Pyrard, F. (Undated). Vingem de F. Pyrard, vol. i. p. 86.
21. Reinaud. (1845). Relation des Voyages, etc. Paris, 12mo., pp. 4, 5.
22. Sulaiman. (9th Century AD). As cited in Reinaud, Relation des Voyages, etc., Paris, 1845, 12mo., pp. 4, 5.
23. VIRE, François, & HEBERT, Jean-Claude. (Undated). Madagascar, Comores et Mascareignes à travers la Hawiya d’Ibn Magid (866 H. /1462).
24. Waldseemüller, Martin. (1507). Cartographic Map.
25. The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval, Vol. 2. Pt 2, p. 468, referring to Mr. Fhiljs’ paper in J. China Br. R. A. S., 188S (vol. i ” 2-adia in Fifteenth Cent. (Hak, Sec ), i, 6).
26. The Voyage Of Francois Pyrard Of Laval Vol 1, p.297.