African Kingdoms

French Madagascar (French Colonies) (Africa)
AD 1896 - 1960

East African States All Modern States All African States Early Africa (Intro) Egypt

In a history of Africa which can at times be difficult to uncover, some native states stand out, if only for the opposition they provided to European colonial efforts. The Tukulor empire in West Africa arose swiftly in the 1850s and early 1860s to encompass much of today's Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal. Its one early frustration came when it attempted to push west into French colonial territory.

It was the Portuguese who first reached West Africa out of all of Europe's emerging Early Modern nation states. French colonial interest in West Africa began as the slave trade grew and France established itself in the New World in the form of New France. All of the European powers began to enhance their links with African slave traders and, by the eighteenth century, slaves were an important element in trade.

After creating ties with France during much of the nineteenth century, the Merina kings of Madagascar were rather upset to find that the French parliament had unilaterally voted to annexe the island as a colonial appendage. This was despite the Second Franco-Hova War of 1895 and subsequent anti-colonial riots proving to the French that they were not wanted. The royal family and the governing structure was discarded or dismantled, with the queen and her family and also the prime minister being safely exiled to Algeria (the former in 1897 following an uprising). Now the French could concentrate on running Madagascar without royal interference. They brought the entire island under a single government. 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, it was realised that the age of empires was clearly over, and Madagascar soon gained its independence.

Part of this realisation was borne of nationalist sentiment against the French. This eventually emerged through a small group of Merina intellectuals who had been educated by Europeans and exposed to Western intellectual thought. The group was based in Antananarivo and was led by a Malagasy Protestant clergyman named Pastor Ravelojoana. He was especially inspired by the Japanese model of modernisation. A secret society dedicated to affirming Malagasy cultural identity was formed in 1913, calling itself 'Iron and Stone Ramification' (in Malagasy this was the 'Vy Vato Sakelika', which was usually abbreviated to VVS). Although the VVS was brutally suppressed, its actions eventually led French authorities to provide the Malagasy with their first representative voice in government.

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(Information by Peter Kessler & John De Cleene, with additional information from the John De Cleene Archive, from Country Studies - Area Handbook, US Department of the Army at the US Library of Congress, from Hommes et destins: dictionnaire biographique d'Outre-mer (Académie des sciences d'outre-mer, 1981), from Stars and Keys: Folktales and Creolization in the Indian Ocean, Lee Haring, and from External Links: Madagascar, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and Kings College London.)

1896 - 1905

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

1896 - 1898

Joseph Simon Galliéni has already been responsible for establishing a French military presence within the Tukulor empire in West Africa in 1879, and exiling Madagascar's Queen Ranavalona to abolish the island's monarchy, From the moment he gains command of Madagascar, Galliéni institutes the foundation of French schools and products and helps to develop the island's economy through increased trade by creating roads and railways. Most of the island's external trade is with France, and the main language soon becomes French.

French troops entered the island's seventeenth century highland capital, Antananarivo (formerly known as Tananarivo) in 1895 and the Marina kingdom fell

A rebellion is already taking place in Imerina itself, with armed guerrilla bands called the Menalamba, or 'Red Togas', resisting modernisation and French rule. Galliéni puts down the insurrection, subdues the monarchy (by sending the queen into exile in 1897), and abolishes slavery. By 1898 the Merina kingdom is fully pacified, leaving the French the lesser task of subduing the few areas that had been outside the control of Merina.

1905 - 1906

Acting governor-general.

1906 - 1909

Governor-general.

1909 - 1910

Acting governor-general.

1910

Acting governor-general.

1910 - 1914

Governor-general.

1913

A secret society that is dedicated to affirming Malagasy cultural identity is formed. It calls itself 'Iron and Stone Ramification' (in Malagasy this is the 'Vy Vato Sakelika', which is usually abbreviated to VVS). Although the VVS is brutally suppressed, its actions eventually lead French authorities to provide the Malagasy with their first representative voice in government.

1914 - 1917

Second term of office.

1917 - 1918

1918

The first of several uprisings begins in the cities, led by opposition movements to French rule. In Mauritius a similar uprising is triggered by self-determination implications in the Treaty of Versailles which has recently been signed as the concluding act to the First World War. In that case it is a return to French rule from British rule that is desired rather than the Malagasy requirement to remove French rule altogether.

1918 - 1919

1919 - 1920

Acting governor-general.

1920 - 1923

Third term of office.

1923 - 1924

Acting governor-general.

1924

Amongst the first concessions to Malagasy equality is the formation of two economic and financial delegations. One is composed of French settlers, the other of twenty-four Malagasy representatives who are elected by the 'Council of Notables' for each of the twenty-four districts. The two sections never meet together, and neither have real decision-making authority.

1924 - 1929

1929 - 1930

Acting governor-general.

1930 - 1939

1939

Acting governor-general.

1939 - 1940

Also governor of Dahomey, French Somaliland, West Africa.

1940 - 1941

Second term of office.

1941 - 1942

Also governor of French Somaliland, & Dahomey.

1942 - 1943

Due to France being occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and to prevent Japan from occupying Madagascar, Britain takes control of the island following success at the Battle of Madagascar which begins on 5 May 1942. Vichy supporter Governor Annet defends the island with 8,000 troops but is forced to surrender on 5 November. Governance of the island is initially handled by British army staff before being handed over to Free French governors-general.

This photo shows British or allied troops establishing a beachhead during the Battle of Madagascar - Vichy French control of the island was about to be replaced by British and then Free French control, heralding a seeming return to the status quo

1942

British Occupied Territories Administrator. CO of British forces.

1942 - 1943

British Occupied Territories Administrator.

1942 - 1943

French acting governor-general.

1943

1943 - 1946

1946

Acting governor-general.

1945 - 1947

In the aftermath of the war, France is finally willing to accept a form of Malagasy self-rule under its own guidance. In autumn 1945, separate French and Malagasy electoral colleges vote to elect representatives from Madagascar to the Constituent Assembly of the Fourth Republic in Paris. The two delegates chosen by the Malagasy, Joseph Raseta and Joseph Ravoahangy, both campaign to implement the ideal of the self-determination of peoples that had been affirmed by the Atlantic Charter of 1941 and by the historic Brazzaville Conference of 1944.

In 1946 Madagascar becomes an 'Overseas Territory' of France, but in the following year the French suppress an armed nationalist rebellion in the east known alternatively as the Malagasy Uprising or the Revolt of 1947. This is lead by Jean Ralaimongo and up to eighty thousand Malagasy are killed when the rebellion is put down. French military courts try those military leaders of the revolt that they can find, and twenty of them are executed.

1946 - 1947

French High Commissioner.

1948 - 1950

French High Commissioner.

1950 - 1954

French High Commissioner.

1954 - 1959

French High Commissioner.

1956

France's socialist government renews the French commitment to greater autonomy in Madagascar and other colonial possessions by enacting the loi-cadre (the enabling law). The loi-cadre provides for universal suffrage and is the basis for parliamentary government in each colony. In the case of Madagascar, the law establishes executive councils that will function alongside provincial and national assemblies, and the separate electoral colleges for French and Malagasy groups are dissolved.

Two major political parties emerge. The newly created Democratic Social Party of Madagascar (Parti Social Démocrate de Madagascar or PSD) favours self-rule while maintaining close ties with France. The PSD is led by Philibert Tsiranana, a well-educated Tsimihety from the northern coastal region who is one of three Malagasy deputies elected in 1956 to the National Assembly in Paris. In sharp contrast, those advocating complete independence from France come together under the auspices of the Congress Party for the Independence of Madagascar (Antokon'ny Kongresy Fanafahana an'i Madagasikara or AKFM). Primarily based in Antananarivo and Antsiranana, party support centres amongst the Merina under the leadership of Richard Andriamanjato, himself a Merina and a member of the Protestant clergy.

1960

Following the adoption of a constitution in 1959, Madagascar achieves independence as a republic on 26 June 1960, with Philibert Tsiranana of the PSD being elected to the post of president. Unfortunately what becomes an unpopular period in office is a sign of things to come for modern Madagascar.