List of heads of state of Mauritius
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This is a list of the heads of state of Mauritius, from the foundation of the Mauritius in 1968 to the present day.
From 1968 to 1992 the head of state under the Mauritius Independence Act 1968 was the Queen of Mauritius, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in Mauritius by a Governor-General. Mauritius became a republic under the Constitution of 1992 and the monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President.
Dutch (1598-1718)
The Opperhoofd of Mauritius was an official who ruled Dutch Mauritius (now Republic of Mauritius) during the Dutch colonial period between 1598 and 1718. The island was under the administration of the Dutch East India Company.
French (1721-1810)
After the Dutch abandoned Mauritius, the island became a French colony in September 1715 when Guillaume Dufresne d'Arsel landed and took possession of it, naming the island Isle de France. The Governor of Isle de France was an official who ruled Isle de France (now Republic of Mauritius) during the French colonial period between 1721 and 1810. Furthermore, until 1735, Isle de France was administered from Île Bourbon, now known as Réunion.
| Incumbent | Portrait | Reign From | Reign Until | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Bourbon | ||||||||
| Louis XV | 
|
1721 | 10 May 1774 | |||||
| Louis XVI | ,_rev%C3%AAtu_du_grand_costume_royal_en_1779_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg)
|
10 May 1774 | 21 September 1792 | |||||
| Louis XVII | 
|
21 January 1793 | 8 June 1795 | |||||
| Louis XVIII | 
|
21 January 1793 | 8 June 1795 | |||||
| French First Republic (1792–1804) | ||||||||
| House of Bonaparte, First Empire (1804–1810) | ||||||||
| Napoleon I | .jpg)
|
18 May 1804 | 1810 | |||||
British
Governor (1810-1968)
The British Governor of Mauritius was an official who ruled British Mauritius (now Republic of Mauritius) during the British colonial period between 1810 and 1968. Upon the end of British rule and the creation of Mauritius (Commonwealth realm) in 1968, this office was replaced by the Governor-General, who represented the British Monarch and not the Government of the United Kingdom as did the Governor. The office of Governor-General was itself abolished in 1992 and replaced by the post of President when Mauritius became a Republic.
Monarchy (1968-1992)
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
Governors-General (1968-1992)
The Governor-General was the representative of the monarch in Mauritius and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Mauritius without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
Republic
President of Mauritius (1992-Present)
Under the 1992 Constitution, the constitution of the Republic of Mauritius, the President replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President was elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Vice President served as Acting President.
Living former heads of state
| Name | Term/Reign | Office | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth II | 1968–1992 | Queen of Mauritius | 21 April 1926 |
| Cassam Uteem | 1992–2002 | President of Mauritius | 22 March 1941 |
| Ariranga Pillay | 2002 | Acting President | 14 June 1945 |
| Karl Offmann | 2002–2003 | President of Mauritius | 25 November 1940 |
| Raouf Bundhun | 2003 | Acting President | 1937 |
| Sir Anerood Jugnauth | 2003–2012 | President of Mauritius | 29 March 1930 |
| Monique Ohsan Bellepeau | 2012, 2015 | Acting President | 1942 |
| Rajkeswur Purryag | 2012–2015 | President of Mauritius | 12 December 1947 |
