King Muhammad Fareed Didi ( dv, އަލްއަމީރު މުޙަންމަދު ފަރީދު ދީދީ, Al'amīru Muḥanmadu Farīdu Dīdī) , (January 11 1901 – May 27 1969), the son of the Sultan Prince

Abdul Majeed Didi Abdul Majeed (Dhivehi: އަލްއަމީރު އަބްދުލްމަޖީދު ރައްނަބަނޑޭރި ކިލެގެފާނު) (or Al Ameeru Abdul Majeed Rannabandeyri Kilegefaanu) (29 August 1873 – 21 February 1952) served as Sultan of the Maldive ...

(Al Munthakhab Liarshi Dhaulathil Mahaldheebiyya), was the last

Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it c ...

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

and the first Maldivian monarch to assume the title of "King" with the style of "His Majesty". He was the Sultan of the Maldives from March 7, 1954, until November 11, 1968. He was deposed in 1968 from the throne when Maldives became a republic, and died the following year in Maldives.

Early years

He studied at Royal College Colombo in

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. After spending 7 years in Ceylon (

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

), he came back and became the

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

of Sultan Hassan Nooraddine II on December 16, 1932. He served as the speaker of People's Majlis from 1933 to 1942.

Reign

After the fall of President

Mohamed Amin Didi Sumuvvul Ameer Mohamed Amin Dhoshimeynaa Kilegefaanu (Dhivehi: ސުމުއްވުލް އަމީރު މުހައްމަދު އަމީން ދޮށިމޭނާ ކިލެގެފާނު) (July 20, 1910 – January 19, 1954), popularly known as Mohamed Amin Didi ...

, a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a Representative democr ...

was held and the country was again declared a Sultanate. A new '' People's Majilis'' was elected, as the former "People's Majilis" was dissolved after the end of the revolution. The members of the special ''majilis'' decided to take a secret vote to elect a Sultan, and Prince Mohammed Fareed Didi was elected as the 84th Sultan in 1954. His first Prime Minister was Ehgamugey Ibraahim Ali Didi (later Ibraahim Faamuladheyri Kilegefaan). On December 11, 1957, the Prime Minister was forced to resign and Velaanagey Ibrahim Nasir was elected as the new Prime Minister the following day. On November 15, 1967, a vote was taken in parliament to decide whether the Maldives should continue as a

constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

or become a republic. Of the 44 parliamentarians, forty voted in favour of a republic. On March 15, 1968, a national referendum was held, in which 81.23% of the votes cast favoured establishing a republic.Malediven, 15. März 1968 : Staatsform
Direct Democracy The republic was declared on November 11, 1968, thus ending the 853-year-old monarchy.

Post-deposition and death

After his deposition from the throne, the King left the royal palace and retired to his own residence (Maabagychaage, now the parliament house) in Henveru ward. He died on May 27, 1969, in Malé. He was given a state funeral and was buried in the Galolhu Cemetery.

References

{{authority control 1901 births 1969 deaths 20th-century sultans of the Maldives Prime Ministers of the Maldives Alumni of Royal College, Colombo People from Malé Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Maldivian Muslims Speakers of the People's Majlis Dethroned monarchs