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Seychelles History in Brief

The first reliable record of the Seychelles, made by Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, dates from the 16th century. In 1609, the British were first to documented the exploration of Seychelles. As they did not settle in the islands, Seychelles was left as a base for pirates and seafarers.

In the 18th century the French discovered the Seychelles and took possession of the islands in 1742. In 1756, the Seychelles received its name after the present Controller General of Finance of France at the time. French settlers arrived in 1770, but found themselves under British occupancy in 1811, after the latter had won a battle with the French. In 1814, Seychelles officially became a British colony under the Treaty of Paris.

In 1835, slavery was abolished and later in 1853, the Roman Catholic Church was established. Both events were of significant nature and had a major impact on the way Seychelles was to be shaped.In 1903, Seychelles became a crown colony, and in 1976 it gained full independence as a Republic state. On 5 June 1977, there was a coup d'état led by Albert René which became known as the Liberation Day.

On March 1979, a constitution allowing a one party state was established, and multiple political parties were legalized in January 1992. The voters approved of the new constitution in a referendum on June 1993.