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.

In the case of the Maldives, the title was adopted during the era when the islands were governed by a succession of sultans, marking a significant period in Maldivian history.

Over time, this term evolved through various linguistic influences, including Arabic and Persian, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the Maldives.

The combination of "Sultanate" and "Maldives" encapsulates the island nation's rich history, blending indigenous traditions with influences from the wider Indian Ocean world.

Much of the history of the Maldive Islands remains shrouded in mystery, yet insights gleaned from tales and available data suggest a habitation spanning over 2500 years, as recounted in ancient folklore from the southern atolls.

His work, titled "Kitab Fi al-Athari Midu al-Qadimiyyah" ("On the Ancient Ruins of Meedhoo"), offers a remarkable consistency with established South Asian history, including references to Emperor Asoka, the legendary Indian ruler.

The saga of the Maldive Islands' legacy is recounted through legends of yore, inscriptions on ancient copperplates, writings etched onto coral artifacts, and perpetuated through the language, customs, and ethnicity of its inhabitants.

[6] The importance of the Arabs as traders in the Indian Ocean by the 12th century may partly explain why the last Buddhist king of Maldives Dhovemi converted to Islam in the year 1153[7] (or 1193, for certain copper plate grants give a later date[8]).

[8] The person traditionally deemed responsible for this conversion was a Sunni Muslim visitor named Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari.

[10][11] In 1153, Sunni Muslim visitor Abu al Bar-akat converted the last Buddhist monarch of the Maldives, King Dhovemi, to Islam.

For the next four centuries, the Sultanate would experience an era of peace and prosperity as its important Indian Ocean location allowed it to trade with much of Asia and Africa.

Hands of locals in Malé were cut off for refusing to renounce Islam, and in the end many perished and died in the subsequent years of genocide.

RAF Gan played a pivotal role as a refueling and maintenance station for Allied aircraft, facilitating crucial air operations and supply routes in the theater of war.

The establishment of RAF Gan underscored the British Empire's efforts to bolster its military presence in key regions, ensuring the defense of its interests and allies amidst the global conflict.

[18][16] During the reign of Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi, prime minister Ibrahim Faamudheyri Kilegefaan orchestrated a clandestine agreement with the British Empire, wherein Gan Island was leased to them for a duration of 100 years.

Addu Atoll residents feared losing the benefits and opportunities provided by the British presence, known as the "ran zamaaan" or golden years.

The formation of the United Suvadive Republic represented a pivotal moment in Maldivian history, reflecting simmering tensions and grievances within these atolls regarding governance and autonomy.

The decision to dissolve the United Suvadive Republic and reunite with the Maldives was likely influenced by a variety of factors, including political, economic, and strategic considerations.

This event left a lasting imprint on the collective memory of the Maldives, serving as a reminder of the complexities and challenges inherent in maintaining national unity and cohesion amidst diverse regional interests and identities.

[23][26] Overall, the Government of the nation in 1900s reflected a traditional monarchy deeply rooted in Islamic culture and customs, with power centralized in the hands of the Sultan and his appointed officials.

This system endured until the mid-20th century when the Maldives underwent significant political reforms, eventually transitioning to a modern democratic republic.

This system remained largely unchanged throughout the monarchy, with administrative divisions serving to maintain centralized control and ensure the Sultan's authority was upheld across the archipelago.

In 1911, a significant milestone occurred in the history of the Maldive Islands with the inaugural census, marking the first-ever comprehensive attempt to quantify the population of the archipelago.

[9] The renowned Moroccan traveler documented the tale of Abu Barakat Yusuf the Berber, hailing from North Morocco, who is believed to have played a pivotal role in spreading Islam in the Maldives.

[37] However, certain scholars have proposed the possibility that Ibn Battuta might have misinterpreted Maldivian texts, potentially influenced by a bias or preference for the North African Maghrebi/Berber narrative surrounding this Shaykh.

Since the 12th century AD, there have also been influences from Arabia in the language and culture of the Maldives, because of the general conversion to Islam at that time, and its location as a crossroads in the central Indian Ocean.

In the islands' culture, there are a few elements of African origin as well, from slaves brought to the court by the Royal family and nobles from their Hajj journeys to Arabia in the past.

The oldest attested inscription bears a clear resemblance to South Indian epigraphical records of the sixth-eighth centuries, written in local subtypes of the Brahmi script.

[9] The letters on later inscriptions are clearly of the cursive type, strongly reminding of the medieval scripts used in Sri Lanka and South India such as Sinhala, Grantha and Vatteluttu.