Sultanate of the Maldive Islands flag (1926–1953)

The Sultanate of the Maldive Islands was an Islamic monarchy that controlled the Maldives for over eight centuries (1153–1968), with one interruption from 1953–1954. 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 of Sultan Muhammad al-Adil. Six dynasties would rule over the Maldives until the Sultanate become elective in 1932. From the 16th century, the Sultanate increasingly came under European influence, starting with a 15-year period of Portuguese rule. After the expulsion of the Portuguese, the Maldives became subject to Dutch hegemony before finally becoming a British protected state in 1796. Following an abortive attempt at forming a republic in 1953, the emergence of a short-lived breakaway state, and the establishment of independence from the United Kingdom, the Sultanate was abolished following a successful referendum in 1968, and the Maldives became a republic.