And yes, for those who don’t know, it was the Portuguese who were the first to venture into the Indian Ocean. In 1502, during a second trip to India, Vasco da Gama reached the islands that today belong to the Seychelles. From 1506, the Seychelles began to appear under different names on Portuguese maps.
In 1609 an expedition of the British Indian Ocean Company landed on the islands of Mahé, Sainte Anne, Ile du Nord, Silhouette and Praslin. From the 17th century and the 18th century, the French and the Dutch also came to the Indian Ocean.
In 1742, on November 21, the French sent reconnaissance boats to the islands led by Commander Lazare Picault. The first permanent colony was built in 1770 in Ste Anne.
In 1792, a new governor, Jean-Baptiste Quéau de Quinssy, administered the island and from this period, the Seychelles became the port for stationing the ships of privateers in charge of chasing English ships in the Indian Ocean.
Between 1800 and 1810, the population rose from 2,000 to 4,000 inhabitants.
With the arrival of Barthelemy Sullivan in 1811 and following the abolition of slavery in 1812, France formally ceded the Seychelles and Mauritius to the British.
The slaves are freed there and given a piece of land on the island. Between 1860 and 1874 approximately 3,000 new inhabitants arrived in this way. As in Mauritius, the opening of the Suez Canal favors the economy, the island becoming much easier to reach from Europe. The Seychelles export coconut oil, vanilla, cocoa, coffee and cloves.
Meanwhile, the world is going through two world wars and 900 young Seychellois are fighting in North Africa in British uniform.
In 1964, two parties were created: the Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP) and the Seychelles People’s United Party (SPUP), whose orientations were opposite. James Mancham becomes Premier of the Governor. The 1974 elections brought a comparable result and in 1975 the Seychelles obtained the status of “autonomous colony”. The two parties form a coalition. Contrary to its original line, the SDP joins the fight of the SPUP for independence and the island becomes effectively independent on June 29, 1976.
Since 1977, there was a coup on June 5 led by France Albert René and the Seychelles archipelago then became a one-party republic. The multi-party system was only established in 1991. Since Seychelles has had three Presidents coming from a single political philosophy and in October 2020, Seychelles saw the historic victory of President Wavel Ramkalawan and his LDS party ( Linyon Demokratik Seselwa ) in presidential and legislative elections.
Happy Independence Day to all our readers!
Source: Seychelles Nation
