- Around 1510-1511 - First European visitor, Portuguese navigator Domingos Fernandez, landed on the island.
- 20 February 1507 - The name "Cerne" appears, related to Alphonse Albuquerque's fleet, replacing "Domingos Fernandez" on maps.
- 1519 to 1553 - The name "Domingos Fernandez" featured on Portuguese maps.
- 1580 - The island came under Spanish domination.
- 1598 - First Dutch expeditions arrived.
- 1638 - Dutch occupation began, island named "Mauritius" in honour of Stathouder Maurice de Nassau.
- 1639 - Introduction of cane sugar from Java by the Dutch.
- 1642 - Dutch navigator Tasman launched his voyage of discovery to Australasia from Mauritius.
- 1710 - Dutch abandoned the island, leaving it to European pirates.
- 30 September 1715 - French took possession under Capitaine Guillaume Dufresne d'Arsel, naming it 'Ile de France'.
- 1721 - Colonization by the French began under Jean-Baptiste Gamier du Fougeray.
- 1735-1746 - Bertrand Francois Mahe de la Bourdonnais' administration, significant development of the island.
- 1743 - First sugar refineries set up.
- 1767 - French royal administration took over from La Compagnie des Indes.
- 19 and 20 August 1810 - Battle of Grand Port occurred.
- 2 December 1810 - British took control, ending 89 years of French rule.
- 1814 - Treaty of Paris, British acquired the island, renamed it Mauritius.
- 1835 - Abolition of slavery under British rule.
- Mid-19th century - Expansion of sugar refineries and development of transport infrastructure.
- 12 March 1968 - Mauritius gained independence.
- 12 March 1992 - Mauritius was proclaimed a republic.
