Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Ranavalona died in 1861, understandably unlamented by what remained of her subjects.
Her son Radama II succeeded her. He was a reformer, and he rescinded most of his moth-
er's policies and welcomed back the Europeans.
In May 1862, however, Radama II was assassinated. Rainilaiarivony, the king's assassin,
tookthepostofprimeministerandmarriedRadama'swidow,whotookthetitleRasoherina
I. He quickly issued an edict stating that the queen could act only with the consent of her
ministers - effectively leaving the real power to him, her husband.
Rasoherina survived until 1868 and was succeeded by Ranavalona II, who died in 1883
and was succeeded by Ranavalona III. Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony had married both
queensandbecame theprincipal powerbehindthethrone,buildingamagnificent residence
in Antananarivo.
When Rainilaiarivony assassinated Radama II, he strangled him with a
silken cord to avoid the
fady
(taboo) over the shedding of royal blood.
By the late 19th century, British interest in Madagascar had begun to wane, and French
influence had increased. That influence turned into outright aggression in 1883, when
French warships occupied major ports and forced the Malagasy government to sign a
treaty declaring the island a French protectorate. Further demands ensued, and in 1894
the French accused the Merina government of tyranny and demanded the capitulation
of Queen Ranavalona III. When she rejected their demands, a French army marched on
Antananarivo, taking the capital in September 1895.
On 6 August 1896 Madagascar was officially declared a French colony. A year later
Queen Ranavalona III was sent into exile in Algeria, and the Merina monarchy was abol-
ished.
JEAN LABORDE
One of the few Europeans Queen Ranavalona tolerated was a French engineer,
Jean Laborde (he was in fact her lover). Laborde was shipwrecked on the east
coast of Madagascar in 1831, at a time when Ranavalona was busy sending
Europeans packing. Laborde's engineering skills didn't go unnoticed, however,
and Ranavalona, ever the cunning ruler, sensed an opportunity: she granted
Laborde large tracts of land and access to unlimited forced labour if he could
provide her with weapons, that would in turn expedite the job of getting rid of
foreigners.
