Ranavalona I, also known as Ranavalo-Manjaka I, was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After positioning herself as queen following the death of her young husband, Radama I, Ranavalona pursued a policy of isolationism and self-sufficiency. Divisions between traditionalist and pro-European factions at the queen’s court created opportunities.
About Ranavalona I in brief
Ranavalona I, also known as Ranavalo-Manjaka I, was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After positioning herself as queen following the death of her young husband, Radama I, Ranavalona pursued a policy of isolationism and self-sufficiency. Divisions between traditionalist and pro-European factions at the queen’s court created opportunities that European intermediaries leveraged in an attempt to hasten the succession of her son,Radama II. These plans were never successful, and Radama II did not take the throne until after his mother’s death in 1861 at the age of 83. The combination of regular warfare, disease, difficult forced labor and harsh trials by ordeal using a poisonous nut from the Tangena shrub resulted in a high mortality rate among both soldiers and civilians during her 33-year reign, with Madagascar’s population reducing from 5 million in 1833 to 2. 5million in 1839. Later academic research recast her actions as those of a queen attempting to expand her empire while protecting Malagasy sovereignty against the encroachment of European cultural and political influence. She was born in 1778 at the royal residence at Ambatomanoina, about 16 kilometers east of Antananarivo, to Prince Andriantsalamanjaka and Princess Rabodonandriantompo. When Radama died without leaving any descendants on July 27, 1828, according to local custom the rightful heir was Rakotobe, the eldest son of Radama’s eldest sister. Despite her elevated rank among the royal wives, Ramavo was not the preferred wife of Radamas and did not bear him any children.
She and other court ladies spent most days socializing and drinking rum with David Griffiths and his fellow missionaries in Griffiths’ home. These visits established a deep friendship between RamavO and Griffiths that endured for three decades. In 1855, the first pupil to have studied at the first school established by the London Missionary Society in AntananARivo was RakOTobe, who later became a member of the royal family. The king’s uncle, Andrianjafy, had forced Andrianampoinimerina from the throne at the Royal City of Ambohimanga. He died in the company of two trusted courtiers who were favorable to the succession, but they hesitated to report the news to the king for fear of possible reprals against them for having been involved in denouncing them. During this time, one of the officers hid RamAVo and one of her friends in a safe location, then secured the support of several influential powerbrokers, including judges and other powerful officers – Andriamihaja, Rainohary and Rohary. The courtier discovered the truth and collaborated with other powerful military officers to keep the power of the courtier, a high-ranking military officer named Andri amamba, alive and well. In return for saving his life, Andriampoinimina betrothed Ramava to his son, Prince Radama, whom the king designated as his heir.
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This page is based on the article Ranavalona I published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 07, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
