MADAGASCAR
The Merina (or Hova) Dynasty
1810 - 1828 H.M. King
Radama I ("Radama the Great"), King of
Madagascar. b. at Ambatomanga, 1788, eldest
surviving son of King Imboasalama Andrianampoinimerina,
King of Imerina, by his wife, Queen Rambolamasoandro, educ.
privately. Appointed as Heir Apparent by his father,
invested the title of Master of Nanjakana and
formally presented to the people at Andohalo,
Antananarivo, May 1808. Succeeded on his death, 1810.
Entered into a Treaty of Friendship and Peace with Great
Britain in which he was recognised as King of Madagascar,
agreeing to prohibit the export of slaves (anyone
disobeying the order to be reduced to slavery!), 23rd
October 1817. A great statesman and warrior, he expanded
his kingdom to the limits of the island, personally
engaging in combat, subduing his enemies, and conquering
their territories. By these acts unifying the island into
a single realm, under a single ruler, for the first time
in history. He interested himself in education,
encouraged the Christian missionaries to establish
schools and ordered great numbers of children to obtain
an education and young men to learn a trade or take up
professions. He commanded the adoption of the Latin
alphabet and script, in place of Arabic, 11th
December 1822. Presented with the uniform of a Field
Marshal in the British Army by King George IV and a Sword
of Honour. m. (first) H.M. Queen
Rabodonandrianampoinimerina Ranavalona I [Ranavalomanjaka
I], Queen of Madagascar, eldest daughter of
Andriantsalamanjaka, by his wife, Princess
Rabodonandriantompo, daughter of Andriandamboranto - see
below. m. (second) Ramona, daughter of Andriamary,
Viceroy of West Imamo Amboatany, by his wife, Ramatoa
Ralombo. m. (third) (div.) Queen Ravao (m.
second, Field Marshal H.H. Prince Ramanetaka-Rivo, later
Sultan of Moheli. m. third, at Jombe Fomboni,
Moheli, 1843 (div.), General Ratsivandini,
sometime Regent of Moheli. m. fourth, 1846, Said
'Abdu'l Rahman bin Sultan Alawi, of Anjouan, and d.
by poison, at Fomboni, Moheli, 1847), daughter of
Andriantsiahofa, of Imamo West. m. (a) before
1807, H.M. Queen Ranavalona I [Ramavo] - see below. m.
(fourth) at Bondrony, Menabe, January 1823, H.M. Queen
Rasalimo (d. 24th
Asorotany 1866, bur. Menabe), placed
second in rank after Ranavalona, daughter of King
Ramitraho Andriamatantiarivo, the Sakalava ruler of
Anboina, by his wife, Queen Ramisononaka. m.
(fifth) Ramboandrenibe, from Anosimanjaka, in the West. m.
(a) 1810, Rasendrasoazokiny, a widow of Radama's father
who had had two daughters by him. m. (b) 1810,
Rasendrasoazandriny, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(c) 1810, Rasamana, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(c) 1810, Ramatoaramisa, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(d) 1810, Ravolamisa, sister of Ramatoaramisa, and a
widow of Radama's father. m. (e) 1810,
Razafitrimo, sister of Ramatoaramisa, and a widow of
Radama's father. m. (f) 1810,
Rafotisirabodomiralahy [Rabodomirahalahy] (d.
after 1868), a widow of Radama's father who had no
children by him, daughter of Rasoataolana, of Alasora and
sister of General Ravalontsalama. m. (g) 1810,
Rafotsirahety, a widow of Radama's father. m. (h)
1810, Razafinamboa, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(i) 1810, Rasoamanaoro, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(j) 1810, Ramiangaly, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(k) 1810, Ravoandriana, a widow of Radama's father. m.
(l) H.R.H. Princess Rangita [Ratiana] (m.
second, …, and had further issue, two sons and one
daughter see above), youngest daughter of
Andriantsalamanjaka, by his wife, Princess
Ratavanandriana, younger daughter of Andriandamboranto.
He d. (committed suicide) at the Tranovola, Rovan'
Antananarivo, 27th July 1828 (bur. at
the Royal Tombs, Andohalo), having had issue, one son and
one daughter: - 1) H.R.H. Prince (Printsy) Itsimandriambovoka. b. at Rovan' Antananarivo, 6th September 1823 (s/o Queen Rasalimo). He was k. by his grandmother Queen Rambolamasoandro, at Andohalo, Antananarivo, ca. January 1824.
- 1) H.R.H. Princess Raketaka Razanakinimanjaka [Razafinimanjaka Raketaka]. b. Rovan' Antananarivo, 1824 (d/o Queen Rasalimo). Appointed as Heiress Apparent by King Radama I. Affianced to her cousin Prince Rakotabe, July 1827. She was probably k. after the death of her father, August 1828 (bur. Fianarontsoa).
1828 - 1861 H.M. Queen
Rabodonandrianampoinimerina Ranavalona I [Ranavalomanjaka
I], Queen of Madagascar. b. at Rovan'
Ambatomanoina, Fokontany of Masombahiny, ca. 1778, as
Ramavo, eldest daughter of Prince Andriantsalamanjaka
[Andrianavalontsalama], of Ambatomanoina, by his wife,
Princess Rabodonandriantompo, daughter of
Andriandamboranto (see Imerina 7). Mounted a
coup d'etat after the death of her husband on 2nd
August 1828. Proclaimed as Queen Regnant, at Andohalo,
Antanarivo, 3rd August 1828. Assumed the reign
name of Rabodonandrianampoinimerina, 13th
Alakarabo 1828. Crowned at Andohalo,
Antananarivo, 12th August 1829. Something of a
reactionary who overturned many of her husband's
progressive policies. She forbade Christian practices and
was hostile to European influence. m. (first) H.M.
King Radama I, King of Madagascar (b. at
Ambatomanga, 1782; d. at the Tranovola,
Antananarivo, 27th July 1828, bur. at
the Royal Tombs, Andohalo), eldest surviving son of King
Imboasalama Andrianampoinimerina, King of Imerina, by his
second wife, Princess Rafotsirahisatra, daughter of
Prince Ramatsimanjaka, Prince of Anosiarivo - see above. m.
(a) (morganatic) at Antananarivo, 1828, Major-General
H.E. Andriamihaja (k. on the orders of the Queen,
following an accusation of reason and witchcraft, at
Antananarivo, September 1830), 9-Honours Col. and
Principal ADC to King Radama I, prom. to 11-Honours 1828,
and Cdt. Gen. of the Artillery and the Voromahery dvsn.
1828-1829, First Minister 1829-1830, from the
Tsimiambolahy clan of Namehana. m. (b)
(morganatic) 1833, Field Marshal H.E.
Ravoninahitriniarivo [Rainihiaro] (d. at
Rabodomiarana, 18th October 1852, bur.
Fasan-dRainiharo, Isoraka), 13-Honours and First Officer
of the Palace, First Minister 1830-1832, Prime Minister
and C-in-C 1832-1852, second son of
Andriantsilavonandriana, Councillor to King
Andrianampoinimerina, from the Tsimiambolahy clan of
Ilafy. m. (c) (morganatic) 1852, Field Marshal
H.E. Rainijohary [Andrianisa] (b. 1783; d.
Tsiatosika, near Mananijary, 1881, bur.
Befelatanana), 8-Honours 1820, prom. to 10-Honours 1824
for bravey in the Sakalava campaign, ADC to Prince
Ramanetaka 1824-1826, prom. Liuet-Col and 8-Honours 1826,
Gen-in-Chief of the Avaradrano Divsn. in 1829, Prime
Minister 1852-1862, prom. 14-Honours 1861, exiled to
Ambohimanga for his part in the plot against Radama II
1861-1862, prom. 16-Honours 1862, son of Rabefanonta,
from the Tsimahafotsy clan of Ambohimanga. She d.
at the Lapan' Manjakamiadana, Rovan' Antananarivo, 16th
August 1861 (bur. at the Tranomasina,
Mahandrihono, Ambohimanga, and reinterred at the Tomb of
the Queens, Rovan' Antananarivo, 1897), having had
several issue, including:- 1) H.R.H. Crown Prince (Printsy) RakotsehenondRadama or RakotondRadama, who succeeded as H.M. King Radama II, King of Madagascar (s/o Rainijohary) - see below.
1861 - 1863 H.M. King
Radama II, by the grace of God and the will of the
people, King of Madagascar, and Defender of the laws of
the country. b. at the Imasoandro Palace,
Antananarivo, 23rd September 1829, as
Rakotosehenon-dRadama or Rakoton-dRadama, only son of
H.M. Queen Rabodoandriana Impoin-i-Merina Ranavalona I,
by her second husband, General H.E. Andrianisa
Rainijohary, educ. privately. Proclaimed as the
son of King Radama I, although born fourteen months after
his death. Appointed to the rank of 12-Honours and
Officer of the Palace March 1845, and prom. to 13-Honours
10 Adijudy 1852. Proclaimed as Heir
Apparent with the title of Crown Prince (Printsy)
and 15-Honours, at Andohalo, Antananarivo, 8th
October 1860. Succeeded on the death of his mother, 16th
August 1861. Crowned at Imahamasina, 23rd
September 1862. Founder of the Royal Order of Radama II,
23rd September 1862. Instituted a system of
nobility, creating Dukes and Counts, 1862. Presented with
the uniforms of a Commodore in the Royal Navy 1855, and
Field Marshal in the British Army and an Admiral in the
Royal Navy 23/9/1862. Composer of the "Romance of
Radama II", "My Cottage - My Wood",
"Arahaba!" and other musical works. Rcvd:
GC of the Order of the Royal Hawk (1845). m.
(first) H.M. Queen Ranavalona II [Ramoma] (b. 18th
Alahamady 1829; d.s.p. at
Antananarivo, 13th July 1883, bur.
there at the Royal Tombs) - see below. m. (second)
1847, his first cousin, H.M. Queen Rasoherina
[Rabodozanakandriana], his principal wife (b.
1814; d.s.p. at Amboditsiry, 1st
April 1868, bur. Antananarivo) - see below. m.
(a) (vadykely) Mary Rasoamieja (m. at Ambohipotsy,
1863, Soamana, sometime ADC, a Hova), a former slave in
his mother's service. m. (b) (vadykely) Georgine
Rageory (m. second, 1863, Prince Rakoto
Ratefinjanahary), daughter of Georges Lambros, by a
former slave. He was k. (believed strangled during
the course of a revolt by the aristocracy), at the
Tranokambana, Rovan' Antananarivo, 12th May
1863 (bur. at Rovan' Ilafy, and reinterred at the
Tomb of the Kings, Rovan' Antananarivo, 1897), having had
issue (not in the line of succession):- 1) Johns (or Jons). b. 1854. He d. during the "Ramanenjana" epidemic, at Antanarivo, 4th May 1863.
- 2) Another son. b. at Ambohimitsimbina, Antananarivo, 7th August 1862.
- 1)
Rahamina. m. Rajoelina (d. 7th
July 1928, bur. Ankadikely), 13-Honours,
son of Field Marshal H.E Rainilaiarvony
[Radiliferatsimanosika], Mpitaiza Andriana,
Prime Minister and C-in-C, by his wife,
Rasoanalina. She had issue, one son and two
daughters:
- a) Rajoelison.
- a) Raharimina. m. Randriamanantana.
- b) Razafitsoa. m. Rakotobe, son of Randriantseheno, by his wife, Ranorovelo, daughter of Field Marshal H.E Rainilaiarvony [Radiliferatsimanosika], Mpitaiza Andriana, and had issue, seven children.
Copyright© Christopher Buyers, December 2001 - July 2008