Rainilaiarivony was a Malagasy politician who served as the Prime Minister of Madagascar from 1864 to 1895. He succeeded his older brother Rainivoninahitriniony, who had held the post for thirteen years. As Prime Minister, he sought to modernize the administration of the state, in order to strengthen and ensure Madagascar remained independent from foreign colonial empires. He legislated the Christianization of the monarchy under Ranvalona II.
About Rainilaiarivony in brief
Rainilaiarivony was a Malagasy politician who served as the Prime Minister of Madagascar from 1864 to 1895. He succeeded his older brother Rainivoninahitriniony, who had held the post for thirteen years. His father, Rainiharo, was a high-ranking military officer and a deeply influential conservative political adviser to the reigning monarch, Queen Ranavalona I. As Prime Minister, he sought to modernize the administration of the state, in order to strengthen and ensure Madagascar remained independent from foreign colonial empires who wished to absorb it. He legislated the Christianization of the monarchy under Ranvalona II. His diplomatic skills and military acumen assured the defense of Madagascar during the Franco-Hova Wars, successfully preserving his country’s sovereignty until a French column captured the royal palace in September 1895. Although holding him in high esteem, the French colonial authority deposed him and exiled him to French Algeria, where he died less than a year later in August 1896. He was succeeded by his brother, who remained in power as Madagascar’s longest-serving prime minister for the next 31 years by marrying three queens in succession: Rasoherina, Ranavalonna II and Ranavalonia III. RainilaiArivony and his relatives issued from the Andafiavaratra family clan of Ilafy who, alongside the Andrefandrova clan of Ambohimanga, constituted the two most influential hova families in the 19th-century Kingdom of Imerina.
The majority of political positions not assigned to andriana were held by members of these two families. He reportedly followed the advice of an ombii and amputated a joint from two fingers on his infant’s hand to dispel the possibility that evil might still befall the child. But rather than leave the child and its family to die, he took pity on him and adopted him within their own home. According to oral history, the infant was born on a day of the week traditionally viewed as inausicious for births. But it was believed that such unlucky children had to be subjected to a trial by ordeal, as prolonged exposure to the elements would ensure a short and cursed life. He is believed to have been born on 30 January 1828 in the Merina village ofIlafy, one of the twelve sacred hills of Iberina, into a family of statesmen. He died on 30 August 1852 in the city of Antananarivo, where his father was a prominent magistrate. His brother, Rainiv oninah itrinioni, was later deposed for his abuses of office in 1864. Rainivaiarvony’s older brother’s death in 1875 was followed by the death of his father, who died in 1852. He had a daughter, Rabodomiarana, who was later married to the queen’s consort, Raso herina. Rainihari was chosen by the queen to become her consort.
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This page is based on the article Rainilaiarivony published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
