As-Sulṭaan al-Ghaazee Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A'uẓam () (death 26 August 1585) or As-Sultan Ghazi Muhammad Bodu Thakurufaanu ruled over the Maldive Islands from 1573 to 1585. He is known for fighting the Portuguese who ruled over the Maldives from 1558–1573 after killing Sultan Ali VI in

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

. His victory is commemorated in the Maldives as ''

Qaumee Dhuvas Maldives national day (also known as Qaumee (national) Dhuvas (day) in Dhivehi), is an important day, as it is observed to celebrate the victory of Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam over the Portuguese occupation in the year 1573. According to the I ...

'' or National Day. He was also the first Maldivian King to form the (a unified military body).

Early years

Muhammad Thakurufaanu was the son of Katheebu Hussain of

Utheemu Utheemu ( dv, އުތީމު) is one of the inhabited islands of Haa Alif Atoll administrative division and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by t ...

in Thiladhummathi Atoll and Lady Aiminaa Dhiyoa of

Ihavandhoo Ihavandhoo is an island of Ihavandhippolhu Atoll. It is located in the northernmost geographic atoll in the country, and is administratively part of Haa Alif Atoll. It is an Atoll- island-level administrative constituency governed by the Ihavand ...

. Muhammad Thakurufan learned (Martial Arts).

Defeat of the Portuguese

After killing Sultan Ali IV, the Maldives was ruled by and the Portuguese. was a

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

of the (Sultan

Hassan IX Maldives was turned into a Sultanate in 1153 when the Buddhist King Dhovemi converted to Islam. Prior to that the Maldives was a Buddhist Kingdom, a Hindu Kingdom and before that a matriarchal society with each atoll ruled by a chief queen a ...

) who was the first Maldivian and the only member of its royalty to renounce

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

and convert to Christianity, later upon his deposition he took refuge in

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

, India. After the invasion, the Portuguese ruled over the Maldives in a period which the ''history'' describes as

A time when intolerable enormities were committed by the invading infidels, a time when the sea grew red with Maldivian blood, a time when people were sunk in despair

To bring an end to this, Muhammad Thakurufaanu, left the Maldives with his brothers Ali and Hasan to

Minicoy Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on ''Maliku atoll'', the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian union territory of ...

] off the coast of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in the Laccadive Archipelago. The three Utheemu brothers built the ship '' ''. It is said that Muhammad Thakurufaanu received a help from the Maroshi (toddy-tapper) who mended and maintained the sail of the - the ship used in the battle and supply water to the vessel every time it docked at

Maroshi Maroshi (Dhivehi language, Dhivehi: މަރޮށި) is one of the inhabited islands of the Shaviyani Atoll administrative division and geographically part of the Miladhummadulhu Atoll in the Maldives. Geography The island is north of the country' ...

. The island has the tree that grew from the (a raw wooden post) used to make the sail of . It is also the largest tree of its kind in the country. Kalhuoffumi is currently dismantled, and turned into a mosqué in Kolhufushi The brothers landed on a different island every night, fought the Portuguese and set sail into the ocean before daybreak. They reached the capital island

on the night before the day fixed by the Portuguese garrison of for the forcible conversion of the inhabitants to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

, on the penalty of death for non-compliance. The Utheemu brothers along with other Maldivians, fought and killed the Portuguese garrison and regained independence for the country. was killed by a musket shot of Muhammad Thakurufaanu.Naseema Muhammad. ''As-Sultan Qazi Muhamad Thakurufaanu Auzam Siri Savaadheetha Maharadhun''. Online publication (http://www.qaumiyyath.gov.mv/history.php)

Aftermath

After killing , as per a treaty he got refuge from Ali Raja of

Cannanore Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...

. Muhammad Thakurufaanu's base of operation was

Maliku Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on ''Maliku atoll'', the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian union territory o ...

under the sovereignty of Cannanore. The Ali Raja demanded dominion over the Maldives, as promised to him by the Muhammad Thakurufaanu. The nature of the relationship between Muhammad Thakurufan and Ali Raja of Cannanore was outlined in a letter sent by a later Ali Raja, Mariambe Ali-Adi Raja Bibi, to the Sultan Muhammad Mueenuddine I of the Maldives. The letter was dated Friday 17 Jumad al-Awla Anno Hegirae 1243 (7 December AD 1827). According to the letter Muhammad Thakurufan had entered into a treaty ceding sovereignty of the Maldives to the Ali Raja of Cannanore in the event Thakurufan was established in power in Male. Muhammad Thakurufaanu concluded a

treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations An international organization or international o ...

with the King Dom Manoel who lived in

, in order to ward off the Ali Raja of

. Although Muhammad Thakurufan was made a regent of King Dom Manoel (as per the treaty), the Maldivians assigned Muhammad Thakurufaanu as the Sultan of the Maldives, no longer recognizing the sovereignty of the self-exiled Christian kings in Goa or their regents. The chronicles report him to have ruled wisely, being just and considerate, protecting all the poor, and even solicitous for the people’s interests. Muhammed Thakurufaanu died a natural death on 26 August 1585.

Death

As-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam died on 1st

Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...

993 AH, after 11 years and 6 months in power. It was on 18 August 1585. He was buried on the

Mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...

of the Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam near Bihuroazu Kamanaa Mosque in Malé.

Legacy

British author

Royston Ellis Christopher Royston George Ellis (born 10 February 1941), known as Royston Ellis, is an English novelist, travel writer and erstwhile beat poet. Biography Born in Pinner, Ellis was educated at the Harrow County School for Boys in Middlesex unt ...

's novel ''A Hero in Time'' is about the life and adventures of Muhammad Thakurufaanu. The army (lashkaru) organised by him has evolved into the

Maldives National Defence Force , image = Emblem of the Maldives National Defence Force.svg , alt = Emblem of the Defence Force , caption = Maldives National Defence Force emblem , image2 = Flag of the Maldives National Defe ...

. The Islamic Centre, the largest mosque in Maldives, ''Masjid as-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam'' is named after him.

References