African Kingdoms

Madagascar

The first human settlers settlers probably arrived in Madagascar between AD 200 and 500 from South-East Asia, before written records started on the island. This explains the range of Malagasy phenotypic features, which form a mixture of Asian (Austronesian) and African racial types, as well as including elements from the Arabs, Indians and Europeans who came later.

c.1300

The Ambohidratrimo kingdom emerges on Madagascar.

1500

Pedro Alvares Cabral leads a thirteen-vessel fleet from Portugal to introduce Christianity wherever he goes, by force if necessary. Following directions given to him by Vasco de Gama and with one of his vessels captained by Vasco de Gama's companion, Nicolau Coelho, he sails to Brazil and then on round the Cape of Good Hope towards Mozambique and Madagascar, before returning to Portugal.

c.1590

The Betsileo state of Imamo emerges on Madagascar.

c.1685

The Menabe kingdom on the River Sakalava emerges.

The plains of Madagascar provide prime farming resources

c.1690

The Boina kingdom emerges.

Merina (Imernia / Ambohimanga) State of Madagascar
c.AD 1675 - 1896

The Merina clan in the central highlands of Madagascar had lived in relative isolation from the rest of Madagascar for several centuries, but by 1824 they had conquered nearly all the various clans in Madagascar - thanks to the leadership of two shrewd kings, Andrianampoinimerina and his son, Radama I.

Personal names used before individuals ascended the throne are shown in parenthesis.

c.1675 - c.1710

Andriamasinavalona

King of the Imerina clan.

c.1710 - c.1730

Andriantsimitoviaminiandriandrazaka

c.1710

The Tananarive kingdom emerges. At an unknown point in the same century, the Betsileo states of Anrindrano, Antakarana, Bara, Fisakana, Isandra, Lalangina, and Mananddriana also emerge.

1712

The Betsimisaraka kingdom is formed.

c.1730 - c.1770

Andriambelomasina

c.1770 - 1787

Andrianjafy (Andrianjafinandriamanitra)

1774 - 1786

The short-lived kingdom of Antogil is formed by a European adventurer.

1787 - 1810

Andrianampoinimerina (Ramboasalama)

United much of Madagascar.

1794

Andrianampoinimerina conquers the Tananarive kingdom.

1797

Imernia conquers Ambohidratrimo.

1810 - 1828

Radama I the Great (Lehidama)

Son.

1817

The British governor of Mauritius concludes a treaty with Radama to abolish the slave trade in Madagascar. In return for the loss of a considerable part of the clan's revenue, Britain supplies military and financial assistance.

c.1820

The Boina kingdom becomes tributary to Imernia.

1822

The Tanibe kingdom is formed.

1824 - 1828

With British support, Radama completes the Merina conquest of the Madagascan clans. He is recognised as king of Madagascar by Britain. The Menabe clan in the west, the Betsimisaraka clan on the east coast, and the kingdom of Tanibe are amongst the last to be subdued.

1828 - 1861

Ranavalona I the Cruel

Wife.

1828

The queen repudiates the treaties that her husband had signed with the British, and murders the king's heir and other relatives. In 1835 she prohibits Christianity and expels British missionaries. The queen's actions isolates the island and ruins its trade with other nations.

1840

The Boina kingdom is annexed by Imernia.

1861 - 1863

Radama II

Son. Created new ties with France. Killed by PM.

1863

Following his murder of the king, the prime minister and his cunning brother rule the kingdom from behind the throne for the remaining years of the Merina monarchy.

1863 - 1868

Rasoaherina (Rabodo)

Wife.

1868 - 1883

Ranavalona II

Made Anglican faith the official religion.

1869

The kingdom of Bemihisatra is formed on the island.

1883 - 1897

Ranavalona III (Razafindrahety)

1883

Using the excuse of a cancelled treaty and the loss of French property, France invades Madagascar in the First Franco-Hova War and conquers the island in the face of local resistance.

French vessels at Tamatave prior to the colonial period

1895

Agreements in Europe mean France can attack again without any interference from Britain, and the Second Frano-Hova War sees them capture the country's highland seventeenth century capital, Antananarivo (formerly known as Tananarivo).

1896

The French Parliament votes to annexe Madagascar. The Merina monarchy comes to an end, with the royal family being sent into exile to Algeria. French governors are appointed to control the island.

French Madagascar Colony
AD 1896 - 1960

Once the royal family had been safely exiled to Algeria, the French could concentrate on running Madagascar as a colony. Malagasy troops fought alongside French troops in the Second World War, both before the fall of France and afterwards, in Morocco and Syria. Following the conclusion of the war, the age of empires was clearly over, and Madagascar soon gained its independence.

1896 - 1905

Joseph Simon Galliéni

French military governor. Promoted to governor-general in 1897.

1905 - 1906

Charles Louis Lépreux

Acting governor-general.

1906 - 1909

Victor Augagneur

Governor-general.

1909 - 1910

Hubert Auguste Garbit

Acting governor-general.

1910

Henri François Charles Cor

Acting governor-general.

1910 - 1914

Albert Jean George Marie Louis Picquié

1914 - 1917

Hubert Auguste Garbit

Second term of office.

1917 - 1918

Martial Henri Merlin

1918 - 1919

Abraham Schrameck

1919 - 1920

Marie Casimir Joseph Guyon

Acting governor-general.

1920 - 1923

Hubert Auguste Garbit

Third term of office.

1923 - 1924

Auguste Charles Désiré Emmanuel Brunet

Acting governor-general.

1924 - 1929

Marcel Achille Olivier

1929 - 1930

Hugues Jean Berthier

Acting governor-general.

1930 - 1939

Léon Henri Charles Cayla

1939

Léon Maurice Valentin Réallon

Acting governor-general.

1939 - 1940

Jules Marcel de Coppet

1940 - 1941

Léon Henri Charles Cayla

Second term of office.

1941 - 1942

Armand Léon Annet

1942 - 1943

Due to France being occupied by Germany, and to prevent Japan from occupying Madagascar, Britain takes control of the island, although it is soon handed over to Free French governors-general.

1942

 Robert Grice Sturges

British Occupied Territories Administrator. CO of British forces.

1942 - 1943

Anthony Sillery

British Occupied Territories Administrator.

1942 - 1943

Victor Marius Bech

French acting governor-general.

1943

Paul Louis Victor Marie Legentilhomme

1943 - 1946

Pierre de Saint-Mart

1946

Robert Boudry

Acting governor-general.

1946

Madagascar becomes an Overseas Territory of France, but the following year the French suppress an armed rebellion in the east known as the Malagasy Uprising. Thousands are killed.

1946 - 1947

Jules Marcel de Coppet

French High Commissioner.

1948 - 1950

Pierre Gabriel de Chevigné

French High Commissioner.

1950 - 1954

Robert Isaac Bargues

French High Commissioner.

1954 - 1959

Jean Louis Marie André Soucadaux

French High Commissioner.

1960

Following the adoption of a constitution in 1959, Madagascar achieves independence as a republic on 26 June 1960, with Philibert Tsiranana as president.

Modern Madagascar
AD 1960 - Present Day

Madagascar is a large island off the African east coast. Its closest neighbours on the mainland are Tanzania, Mozambique, Swaziland, and South Africa, with Mauritius and Saint-Denis off its own eastern coast. The republic has seen coups, power struggles and assassinations mar its history since it achieved independence from France in 1960.

1975

A military coup sees Didier Ratsiraka seize power.

1975 - 1991

Didier Ratsiraka

Vice-admiral.

1991

Didier Ratsiraka establishes a transitional government and loses the resulting elections (although he subsequently returns as elected president in 1997-2002).

2006

Madagascar experiences an attempted coup during the lead-up to a presidential election. On 18 November, General Andrianafidisoa declares military rule and uses a site near the capital's airport as his base. However, the coup soon peters out and is disguised as an attempt to declare the unconstitutional nature of the government. The general is eventually arrested and sentenced to four years in jail.

Andry Rajoelina, former mayor of Antananarivo, effectively seized power in 2009

2006

Andrianafidisoa / Fidy

Retired army general.

2009

Andry Rajoelina forces the current president, Marc Ravalomanana, to step down, and assumes the role of acting president. He promises elections in 2011, but his government is not recognised internationally.