A brief History...

1507 : The island was discovered by Tristan da Cunha and named Santa Apolonia Island.

1520 : Mauritius, Rodrigues and Santa Apolonia islands were named Islas Mascarenhas (Mascarene Islands) by the Portuguese.

1642 : The island was reached for the first time by the French ship "Le Saint-Louis".

1646 : Twelve mutineers were sent into exile on the island by a governor of Madagascar. These mutineers were found in excellent health two years later, by a delegation which expected them to be dead. France thus found some interest in this island.

1649 : The island was officially claimed by the French in the name of the King of France. The island was named Ile Bourbon.

1665 : The first settlement (governor is Etienne R�gnault) was governed by the Compagnie des Indes, and located in Saint-Paul, first capital of the island.

1735 : Governor Mah� de Labourdonnais developped �le de France ( Mauritius ) to the detriment of �le Bourbon, which was too mountainous for cultivation on wide areas. However, coffee, then cloves, nutmeg and vanilla crops were to flourish.

1764 : Bankruptcy of the Compagnie des Indes. The island returned to the King of France.

1792 : The island was renamed �le de la R�union (Reunion Island) by the Convention, in memory of the union of the Marseillais with the National Guard for the assault on the Tuileries.

1806 : The island was renamed �le Bonaparte.

1810 : The British took possession of the Mascarene Islands, and again used the name of �le Bourbon for Reunion Island.

1815 : The British gave only �le Bourbon back to the French through the treaty of Paris. Mauritius and Rodrigues remained British.

1830 : Slave trade was abolished

1848 : Le 6/9 - The island took back the name of �le de la R�union (Reunion Island) for good.

1848 : 20/12 - Effective aboltion of slavery. This anniversary is now a public holiday in Reunion Island.

1870 : The Suez Canal opened. Reunion Island stopped being a port of call on the way to India and Asia.

1946 : Le 9/3 - Reunion Island became an Overseas Departement of France.

1973 : Le 2/3 - Creation of Reunion Region (Administrative)

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