Prior to 20th century
| History of Mauritius |
|---|
 |
|
| Portuguese |
|
| Dutch |
|
| French (1710–1810) |
| British (1810–1968) |
|
| Independence (1968) |
|
| Specific themes |
- 1606 - Dutch settlers start to use this area as a harbour which they call Harbour of Tortoises, after their initial 1598 settlement at Port de Warwick in Ferney, Vieux Grand Port.[1]
- 1721 - French in power on Isle de France; Noord-Wester Haven (harbor) renamed "Port Louis."[2]
- 1729 - Hôtel du Gouvernement built.[3]
- 1735 - Development of Port Louis begins (approximate date).[4]
- 1749 - Le Réduit (fort) built near Port Louis at Moka.
- 1772 - Bagne Prison built.[5]
- 1774 - Line Barracks or Casernes Centrales is inaugurated after start of construction in 1740.[6]
- 1782 - Dyot Canal construction begins.(de)
- 1790 - Thomas Enouf becomes mayor of Town of Port Louis.[citation needed]
- 1791 - Foundation of Collège National or Collège Colonial in Port Louis. This would later become Lycée Colonial and eventually the island's first Royal College.[7]
- 1794 - Town renamed "Port de La Montagne."[citation needed]
- 1795 - Town renamed "Port Nord-Ouest."[citation needed]
- 1803 - Captain Matthew Flinders is arrested during a port call to repair his ship Cumberland as Governor De Caen believes he is a British spy.[8]
- 1805 - Mosque constructed.[2]
- 1810
- Invasion by British navy and army forces from Bombay, Madras and the Cape of Good Hope which land between Cap Malheureux and Bain des Boeufs in late November and early December.[citation needed][9]
- For 6 months after the British invasion the "Lycée Colonial" is used as a military hospital.[7]
- Town renamed "Port Louis" again.[citation needed][citation needed]
- Population: 24,000.[2]
- 1812 - Champ de Mars Racecourse opens.[10]
- 1816 - Fire.[3]
- 1822 - Political prisoner Ratsitatane (from Madagascar) is sentenced to death and is beheaded at Jardin Plaine Verte[11]
- 1838 - Citadel (Fort Adelaïde) built.[12]
- 1847 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Port-Louis established.[13]
- 1849 - Development of Coolie Ghat immigration depot begins.[12]
- 1850
- 1852 - Mosquée des Arabes established.
- 1864 - North line railway begins operating.[citation needed]
- 1866 - Municipal government headquartered in the Hôtel d’Europe building.[14]
- 1867 - Malaria outbreak.
- 1869 - Port Louis economy affected by opening of Suez Canal in Egypt.[2]
- 1870 - General Post Office built.[5]
- 1880 - Foundation of Mauritius Institute.[16]
- 1887 - Revue historique et littéraire de l'Ile Maurice begins publication.
- 1892 - 29 April: 1892 Mauritius cyclone occurs.[17]
- 1897 - 22 June: Statue of British queen Victoria unveiled.[17]
- 1899 - Due to a plague epidemic the original Royal College Port Louis is permanently closed down as people flee Port Louis to settle in the cooler highlands of Curepipe.[7]
