History of Madagascar: the colonial period

XI. Gallieni in Madagascar (1896-1905)

Even during the period of British influence the French maintained a long-standing claim to Madagascar and in 1883 they attacked and occupied the main ports. The Franco-Malagasy war lasted thirty months, and was concluded by a harsh treaty giving France a form of protectorate over Madagascar. Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony, hoping for British support, managed to evade full acceptance of the protectorate but the British government signed away its interest in the Convention of Zanzibar in 1980. The French finally imposed their rule by invasion in 1895. For a year the country was a full protectorate and in 1896 Madagascar became a French colony. A year later, Queen Ranavalona III and the Prime Minister were exiled to Algeria and the monarchy abolished.

a. The 1896 anarchy

The French Government believed the conquest finished when Antananarivo was easily captured and it left just a few troops around the capital. Some members of the Malagasy Government took advantage of the situation and started the "Fahavalo" or rebel movement. The anti-french rebellion was supported by slaves released by France who had no means of support. The population in the other provinces rised up against the Merina (Betsimisaraka, Sakalava). It was the anarchy.

b. Gallieni

Then, Paris appointed Joseph Simon Gallieni Governor-General of Madagascar. He is well-know for the peacemaking actions undertaken in Africa and Indochina. He was an able and relatively benign administrator. He set out to break the power of the Merina aristocracy and remove the British influence by banning the teaching of English. French became the official language.

XII. Les mouvements de lutte contre l'ordre coloniale

The regret of the past, the refusal to comply to the established order and the abuses of certain colonists gave birth to the anti-colonialism movements. In addition, the Malagasy claimed the repatriation of the Queen.

The movements can be divided as follows:

• the spontaneous fights of the Menalamba (1895-1898) and of the Sadiavaha (1904-1905) and
• the organized fights of the Vy – Vato – Sakelika (VVS) (1913-1916), of Jean Ralaimongo (1918-1929) and of the "Mouvement Démocratique pour la Renovation Malgache" (MDRM).

In 1947 an uprising by the Malagasy against the French was bloodily repressed (some 80,000 are said to have been killed) but the spirit of independence lived on and in 1960 the country achieved full independence.