This article lists the Imerina monarchs, from the earliest origins of the
Merina
The Merina people (also known as the Imerina, Antimerina, or Hova) are the largest ethnic group in Madagascar.[Merina ...]
monarchy until the
French conquest of the
Merina Kingdom
The Merina Kingdom, or Kingdom of Madagascar, officially the Kingdom of Imerina (–1897), was a pre-colonial state off the coast of Southeast Africa that, by the 19th century, dominated most of what is now Madagascar. It spread outward from ...
during the
Second Madagascar expedition
The Second Madagascar expedition was a French military intervention which took place in 1894–95, sealing the conquest of the Merina Kingdom on the island of Madagascar by France. It was the last phase of the Franco-Hova War and followed the F ...
.
Early monarchs in the Merina line
Below is a list of the line of Merina monarchs that ruled in the
Central Highlands of
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
and from whom were issued the first true monarchs of a united Madagascar in the 19th century. Before the uniting of Madagascar, succession was based on the current monarch's designation of an heir, typically from among his or her own children. As such, the list below represents a direct genealogical line from the last 19th-century queen of Madagascar to some of the earliest known rulers identified in the 15th century or before. Prior to the 16th century, detailed information about the names and dates of Merina rulers becomes less consistent. Genealogy in this early period are derived primarily from oral history, while later names and dates are verifiable from primary sources. These combined sources provide the following list of Merina rulers preceding Andrianampoinimerina's unification of Imerina in the Central Highlands and his son
Radama I's successful conquest of the majority of Madagascar, bringing the island under his rule.
Asterisks denote names drawn from oral history without substantive evidence to verify the ruler's life or reign, viz., legendary or semi-legendary monarchs.
*
Andrianerinerina According to one of several competing origin myths of the Merina people of Imerina in the central Highlands of Madagascar, Andrianerinerina is the incarnation of the son of God (''Zanahary'') from which the List of Imerina monarchs, line of Merina r ...
* (Son of God incarnate. According to popular belief, descended from the skies and established his kingdom at Anerinerina)
*Andriananjavonana*
*Andrianamponga I*
*Andrianamboniravina*
*Andriandranolava (Andranolava)*
*Andrianampandrandrandava (Rafandrandrava)*
*Andriamasindohafandrana (Ramasindohafandrana)*
*Rafandrampohy*
*Andriampandramanenitra (Rafandramanenitra)*
*Queen
Rangita
Queen Rangita (died 1530), also known as Rangitamanjakatrimovavy, was a Vazimba sovereign who ruled at Merimanjaka in the central highlands of Madagascar after her father, King Andrianmpandramanenitra (Rafandramanenitra). She was succeeded upon he ...
(Rangitamanjakatrimovavy) (1520–1530)
*Queen
Rafohy
Queen Rafohy (died 1540) was a Vazimba queen who ruled at Twelve sacred hills of Imerina#Hill of Alasora, Alasora in the central Highlands of Madagascar from 1530 until her death in 1540. Her name means "The Short One." She succeeded upon the death ...
(1530–1540)
*King
Andriamanelo
Andriamanelo (Floruit, ''fl.'' 1540–1575) was king of Twelve sacred hills of Imerina#Hill of Alasora, Alasora in the central highlands region of Madagascar. He is generally considered by historians to be the founder of the Kingdom of Imeri ...
(1540–1575)
*King
Ralambo
Ralambo was the ruler of the Kingdom of Imerina in the central Highlands region of Madagascar from 1575 to 1612. Ruling from Ambohidrabiby, Ralambo expanded the realm of his father, Andriamanelo, and was the first to assign the name of Imerina ...
(1575–1612)
*King
Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka reigned over the Kingdom of Imerina in the central highlands region of Madagascar from around 1612 to 1630. Despite being the younger of King Ralambo's two sons, Andrianjaka succeeded to the throne on the basis of his strength of cha ...
(1612–1630)
*King
Andriantsitakatrandriana
Andriantsitakatrandriana (1613-) was the king of Imerina from 1630 to 1650, acceding to the throne upon the death of his father, Andrianjaka. He took two wives: the first, Ravololontsimitovy, gave birth to his first son and successor Andriantsimito ...
(1630–1650)
*King
Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe
Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe ("the noble without equal among great nobles") was the King of Imerina in the central highlands of Madagascar from 1650 to 1670. He acceded to the throne on the death of his father, King Andriantsitakatrandriana. ...
(1650–1670)
*King
Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana
Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana or Andrianjakatsitakatrandriana was the King of Imerina in the central Highlands of Madagascar from 1670–1675. He was born in Analamanga as Lamboritakatra, eldest son of King Andriantsimitoviaminandriande ...
(1670–1675)
*King
Andriamasinavalona
Andriamasinavalona (1675–1710), also known as Andrianjakanavalondambo, was a King of Imerina in the central highlands of Madagascar. He made significant and enduring contributions to the social, political and economic life of Imerina. Chie ...
(Andrianjakanavalondambo) (1675–1710)
*King
Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka
Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka (also Andriantsimitoviaminandriandrazaka) was King of Avaradrano in the central highlands of Madagascar from 1710 to 1730, and King of neighboring Ambohidrabiby after defeating his brother, Andrianava ...
(Andriantsimitoviaminandriandrazaka) (1710–1730)
*King
Andriambelomasina
Andriambelomasina (ruled 1730–1770) was a Merina King of Imerina Avaradrano, the northern part of the central highlands of Madagascar. The kingdom's capital was located at Ambohimanga.
Early years
Born Rakotomavo ("Yellow Man") at Ambohitr ...
(1730–1770)
*King
Andrianjafy
King Andrianjafy (before -1787) also known as Andrianjafinandriamanitra and Andrianjafinjanahary, was the king of Imerina Avaradrano, the northern part of the central highlands of Madagascar with its capital at Ambohimanga. His father Andriambeloma ...
nandriamanitra (Andrianjafinjanahary or Andrianjafy) (1770–1787)
*King
Andrianampoinimerina
Andrianampoinimerina () (1745–1810) ruled the Kingdom of Imerina on Madagascar from 1787 until his death. His reign was marked by the reunification of Imerina following 77 years of civil war, and the subsequent expansion of his kingdom into n ...
(1787–1810)
Monarchs of the Kingdom of Madagascar (1810–1897)
Timeline
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from: 1810 till: 1828 color:m text:" Radama I"
from: 1828 till: 1861 color:m text:"Ranavalona I
Ranavalona I (born Rabodoandrianampoinimerina (also called Ramavo); 1778 – 16 August 1861), also known as Ranavalo-Manjaka I and the “Mad Monarch of Madagascar” was sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar from 1828 to 1861. After pos ...
"
from: 1861 till: 1863 color:m text:"Radama II
Radama II (September 23, 1829 – May 12, 1863 'contested'' was the son and heir of Queen Ranavalona I and ruled from 1861 to 1863 over the Kingdom of Madagascar, which controlled virtually the entire island. Radama's rule, although brief, ...
"
from: 1863 till: 1868 color:m text:"Rasoherina
Rasoherina (1814 – 1 April 1868) (also Rasoherina-Manjaka) was Queen regnant of Madagascar from 1863 to 1868, succeeding her husband Radama II following his presumed assassination.
Early years
Rasoherina, niece of Queen Ranavalona I, was born ...
"
from: 1868 till: 1883 color:m text:"Ranavalona II
Ranavalona II (1829 – 13 July 1883) was Queen regnant of Madagascar from 1868 to 1883, succeeding Queen Rasoherina, her first cousin. She is best remembered for Christianizing the royal court during her reign.
Early life
Ranavalona II was b ...
"
from: 1883 till: 1897 color:m text:"Ranavalona III
Ranavalona III (; 22 November 1861 – 23 May 1917) was the last sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She ruled from 30 July 1883 to 28 February 1897 in a reign marked by ultimately futile efforts to resist the colonial designs of the go ...
"
Monarchs family tree
After the fall
After the fall of the Royal House, and the death of the last ruling Sovereign, Queen Ranavalona III's heir apparent,
Princess Marie-Louise of Madagascar
Princess Marie-Louise Razafinkeriefo of Madagascar (1 May 1897 – 18 January 1948) was the last heir apparent and pretender to the throne of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She was a grandniece, and the adoptive daughter, of Ranavalona III. During ...
, remained. She died childless in 1948.
[
]
See also
*
Central Highlands (Madagascar)
The Central Highlands, Central High Plateau, or Hauts-Plateaux are a mountainous biogeographical region in central Madagascar. They include the contiguous part of the island's interior above 800 m (2,600 ft) altitude. The Central Highla ...
*
Merina people
The Merina people (also known as the Imerina, Antimerina, or Hova) are the largest ethnic group in Madagascar.[Merina ...]
*
Merina Kingdom
The Merina Kingdom, or Kingdom of Madagascar, officially the Kingdom of Imerina (–1897), was a pre-colonial state off the coast of Southeast Africa that, by the 19th century, dominated most of what is now Madagascar. It spread outward from ...
*
List of colonial governors of Madagascar
In 1882, the French Third Republic established a protectorate over the Merina Kingdom on the island of Madagascar, with the consent of the United Kingdom. The French position on the island was solidified by the First Madagascar expedition (May ...
*
List of presidents of Madagascar
*
Prime Minister of Madagascar
This is a list of prime ministers of Madagascar, since the establishment of the office of chief minister in 1828, during the Merina Kingdom.
List of officeholders
;Political parties
;Other factions
;Status
See also
* Politics o ...
References
Sources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Imerina monarchs, List of
Madagascar history-related lists
Lists of monarchs
*
African monarchs
Former monarchies of Africa
Former countries in Africa