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Merina and Madagascar Kingdom

Last modified: 2005-07-30 by jarig bakker
Keywords: merina | ranavalona iii |
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Other kingdoms: See also:

Madagascar kingdom: introduction.

There were various tribal kingdoms in Madagascar prior to the 19th dentury, at the beginning of which the Merina rulers extended their highland state to dominate the whole island. In the late 19th century, the French gained control of the kingdom, which they annexed in 1896.

Merina rulers:
Radama I - 1819-1828
Ranavalona I (Queen) 1828-1861
Radama II - 1861-1863
Rasoaherina (Queen) 1863-1868
Ranavalona II (Queen) 1868-1883
Ranavalona III (Queen) 1883-1896
Jarig Bakker, 5 Mar 2002

Merina kingdom

[Merina flag] by Jarig Bakker, 18 Jul 2005

Imerina or Merina is on the Central Highlands of Madagascar, around the capital Antananarive.
On this website two flags are reported:
1810-1885 White over red bicolor - Image based on a small image by Jaume Ollé, based on Flag Bull., X:2/3, 1971 - Lucien Philippe, Les anciens drapeaux de Madagascar, 6° ICV, IJsselmeer, 1975.
1885-6 Aug 1896 horizontal blue - white - red; on white towards the fly a red crescent pointing towards the fly - see here.

Data about the kingdom from the mentioned page:
Ambohimanga (Imernia)

c.1675 Ambohimanga kingdom under the Imernia (or Mernia) dynasty.
1797 Most of Madagascar united under Imernia dynasty.
23 Oct 1817 King Radama I of Imerina, having conquered practically the whole island, enters into a treaty of friendship and peace with Britain in which he is recognized as king of Madagascar.

Kingdom of Madagascar.
6 Aug 1896 Kingdom of Imerina under French protectorate.
28 Feb 1897 French Madagascar colony

Kings (personal names in parentheses)
c.1675 - c.1710 Andriamasinavalona
c.1710 - c.1730 Andriantsimitoviaminiandriandrazaka   (d. c.1730)
c.1730 - c.1770 Andriambelomasina                     (d. c.1770)
c.1770 - 1787   Andrianjafy (Andrianjafinandriamanitra)
1787 - 1810     Andrianampoinmerina  (Ramboasalama)   (b. c.1745 - d. 1810)
1810 - 27 Jul 1828 Radama I "the Great" (Lehidama) (b. 1792 - d. 1828)
27 Jul 1828 - 28 Feb 1897  the rulers of Madagascar

The UNESCO General History of Africa, vol. V, 1992, has this:
Imerina became a centralized kingdom in the beginning of the 17th century under Ralambo; its population consisted of the Vazimba and Hova peoples. He was succeeded by his son Andrianjaka, who founded An