A transit point for trade between Africa and Asia, the islands were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid on Mahé by Captain Nicholas Morphey.
Sebuah titik transit untuk perdagangan antara Afrika dan Asia, pulau-pulau tersebut kadang-kadang digunakan oleh bajak laut sampai Prancis mulai mengambil kendali sejak 1756 Kapten Nicholas Morphey meletakkan batu kepemilikan.