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'Andrianampoinimerina' (ca. 1745 – 1810; born as Ramboasalama) was the King of Ambohimanga, who later extended his domain over all of the Merina, a Malagasy people from the central plateau of Madagascar. He is also referred to as 'Nampoina', possibly a nickname, while he his full title upon ascension is somewhat longer: 'Andrianampoinimerinandriantsimitoviaminandriampanjaka' ('the beloved prince of Imerina who surpasses the reigning prince').^[1] He is widely recognized as one of the three greatest Merinas to rule before the French occupation, along with Radama I and the prime minister Rainilaiarivony. His reign formed the basis for the unification of Madagascar under his son Radama I.

Contents

Early life

Reign

Legacy

See also

Notes

Early life

After the reigns of Ralambo and his son Adrianjaka around the year of 1600, the lands controlled by the Merina broke down to several principalities. Ramboasalama was born in one of these local states, Ambohimanga, in 1745. Starting from meagre means, he managed to amass sizable property, inluding herds of cattle. He incited a rebellion against the King of Ambohimanga Andrianjafy in 1783 with the help of those sold into slavery, and adopted a ruling name Andrianampoinimerina.^[2]

Reign

Following his ouster from the town of Ambohimanga, Andrianjafy continued fighting from his southern headquarters Ilafy. Andrianampoinimerina reached a treaty with the rival Merina town of Antananarivo in 1786, which allowed him to fully concentrate on reuniting Ambohimanga. This conflict was finally concluded in 1790, when Andrianjafy was either killed in Ilafy, or died in exile in Antananarivo. He conquered Antananarivo in 1792. Subsequently, the capital of Merina empire was moved to Antananarivo, however Ambohimanga remained important religiously.
^[3]
Beginning in the 1790s, he began establishing control over the a comparatively large part of the Madagascar island. Andrianampoinimerina centralized the power into his own hands and obtained European firearms realizing these were vastly superior to the traditional weaponry. This allowed him to gradually conquest the Merina principalities. It is notable that he accomplished this relying heavily on shrewd diplomacy, only resorting to military conquest when it was essential. The extension of his rule allowed Andrianampoinimerina to stop paying tribute to the Sakalava tribe, who had traditionally controlled the Malagassy central highlands.
The gradual conquest of surrounding lands by Andrianampoinimerina and his Merina tribe was opposed by the Sakalava and other tribes, who made several attempt to end Andrianampoinimerina's reign. He also faced opposition from nobles and from his own family. Early on Andrianampoinimerina's rule, an attempt on King's life by his uncle Andrianjafy was foiled by an informant, who learned about the conspiracy by chance. Later the king rewarded the informant by marrying his daughter to the Crown Prince, future King Radama I. After Radama I's death in 1828, this daughter would rule Madagascar for 33 years as the notorious Ranavalona I, during whose reign hundreds of thousands of Malagasy people were executed, starved or worked to death.^[4]
Ramavolahy, Andrianampoinimerina's eldest son, was killed by his orders near Imahazoarivo and the appointed Heir Apparent Rakotovahiny was killed for conspiracy against the King in May 1808.

Legacy

King Andrianampoinimerina transformed the Merina from a small group of principalities into the largest and most powerful empire in Madagascar.
He established civil and penal codes, distributed land, and regulated commerce. He had at least 27 children by his many wives,
^[5]
and was succeeded by his son Radama I. Following Ravanalona I's ascension to the throne, another son named Ramanetaka sailed to the Island of Moheli in Comores in 1830 and later converted to Islam ruling the island as sultan d'Abderahmane of Moheli.

See also

★ History of Madagascar

Notes

1.
Keith Laidler, ''Female Caligula: Ranavalona, the Mad Queen of Madagascar'', ISBN 0-470-02223-X, pages 17 – 21

2.
Sacred Acquisition: Andrianampoinimerina at Ambihimanga, 1777-1790, , Gerald M., Berg, The Journal of African History, 1988

3.
Royal Malagasy Hills declared World Heritage

4.
Keith Laidler, ''Female Caligula: Ranavalona, the Mad Queen of Madagascar'', ISBN 0-470-02223-X, page 2

5.
Genealogy of Merina dynasty