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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.
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c.1300 |
The Ambohidratrimo kingdom emerges on Madagascar. |
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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. |
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c.1590 |
The Betsileo state of Imamo emerges on Madagascar. |
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c.1685 |
The Menabe kingdom on the River Sakalava emerges.
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The plains of Madagascar provide prime farming resources
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c.1690 |
The Boina kingdom emerges. |
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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 |
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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. |
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1712 |
The Betsimisaraka kingdom is formed. |
c.1730 -
c.1770 |
Andriambelomasina |
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c.1770 -
1787 |
Andrianjafy (Andrianjafinandriamanitra) |
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1774 - 1786 |
The short-lived kingdom of Antogil is formed by a European adventurer. |
1787 - 1810 |
Andrianampoinimerina
(Ramboasalama) |
United much of Madagascar. |
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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. |
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c.1820 |
The Boina kingdom becomes tributary to Imernia. |
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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. |
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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. |
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1869 |
The kingdom of Bemihisatra is formed on the island. |
1883 - 1897 |
Ranavalona
III (Razafindrahety) |
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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.
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French vessels at Tamatave prior to the colonial period
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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. |
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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. |
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1896 - 1905 |
Joseph Simon Galliéni |
French
military governor. Promoted to governor-general in 1897. |
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1905 - 1906 |
Charles Louis Lépreux |
Acting governor-general. |
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1906 - 1909 |
Victor Augagneur |
Governor-general. |
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1909 - 1910 |
Hubert Auguste Garbit |
Acting governor-general. |
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1910 |
Henri François Charles Cor |
Acting governor-general. |
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1910 - 1914 |
Albert Jean George Marie Louis Picquié |
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1914 - 1917 |
Hubert Auguste Garbit |
Second term of office. |
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1917 - 1918 |
Martial Henri Merlin |
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1918 - 1919 |
Abraham Schrameck |
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1919 - 1920 |
Marie Casimir Joseph Guyon |
Acting governor-general. |
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1920 - 1923 |
Hubert Auguste Garbit |
Third term of office. |
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1923 - 1924 |
Auguste Charles Désiré Emmanuel Brunet |
Acting governor-general. |
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1924 - 1929 |
Marcel Achille Olivier |
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1929 - 1930 |
Hugues Jean Berthier |
Acting governor-general. |
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1930 - 1939 |
Léon Henri Charles Cayla |
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1939 |
Léon Maurice Valentin Réallon |
Acting governor-general. |
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1939 - 1940 |
Jules Marcel de Coppet |
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1940 - 1941 |
Léon Henri Charles Cayla |
Second term of office. |
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1941 - 1942 |
Armand Léon Annet |
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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. |
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1942 |
Robert Grice Sturges |
British Occupied Territories Administrator. CO of British forces. |
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1942 - 1943 |
Anthony Sillery |
British Occupied Territories Administrator. |
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1942 - 1943 |
Victor Marius Bech |
French
acting governor-general. |
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1943 |
Paul Louis Victor Marie Legentilhomme |
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1943 - 1946 |
Pierre de Saint-Mart |
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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. |
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1946 - 1947 |
Jules Marcel de Coppet |
French
High Commissioner. |
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1948 - 1950 |
Pierre Gabriel de Chevigné |
French
High Commissioner. |
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1950 - 1954 |
Robert Isaac Bargues |
French
High Commissioner. |
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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. |
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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. |
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1975 |
A military coup sees Didier Ratsiraka seize power. |
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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). |
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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.
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Andry Rajoelina, former mayor of Antananarivo, effectively
seized power in 2009
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2006 |
Andrianafidisoa / Fidy |
Retired army general. |
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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. |
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