Muhammad Fareed Didi

Muhammad Fareed Didi މުޙައްމަދު ފަރީދު ދީދީ
Sultan of the Maldives
Reign	March 7, 1954 – November 11, 1968
Predecessor	President of the Maldives (Mohamed Amin Didi)
Successor	President of the Maldives (Ibrahim Nasir)
Born	January 11, 1901 Malé, Maldives
Died	May 27, 1969 (aged 68) Malé, Maldives
Burial	1969 Galolhu Cemetery
Spouse	Mugurigey Waheeda
Issue	Five children (all died)
Full name Muhammad Fareed Didi
House	Huraage
Dynasty	House of Huraa
Father	Sultan Abdul Majeed Didi
Mother	Princess Veyogey Dhon Goma
Religion	Islam

King Muhammad Fareed Didi (Maldivian: އަލްއަމީރު މުޙަންމަދު ފަރީދު ދީދީ, Al'amīru Muḥanmadu Farīdu Dīdī) KCMG, (January 11, 1901–May 27, 1969), the son of the Sultan Prince Abdul Majeed Didi (Al Munthakhab Liarshi Dhaulathil Mahaldheebiyya), was the last Sultan of Maldives and the first Maldivian Monarch to assume the title of "King" with the style of "Your Majesty". He was the Sultan of 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.^[1]

Early years

He studied at Royal College Colombo^[2] in Ceylon. After spending 7 years in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), he came back and became the prime minister of Sultan Hassan Nooraddine II on December 16, 1932.

Reign

After the fall of President Mohamed Amin Didi, a referendum was held and 98% of the people voted in favour of restoration of the monarchy, so the country was again declared a Sultanate. A new peoples 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 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.^[3] 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