History of Madagascar: the royal period

I. The most important dates in the history of Madagascar

Up to the XIX^th centiry, the Malagasy chronology is very vague.

a. The Prehistory

During four ou five centuries before and after JC, settlement of the island.

b. The Middle-Ages

Around the IX^th to the XIV^th century, Arab penetration. The Malagasy population was divided into several clans and tribes.

c. Contemporary area

XVIth century	: (1500) The Portuguese discovered Madagascar.
	: Middle of the XVIth century : Reign of Rangita.
End of the XVIth - XVIIth centuries	: Reign of the « Capetians » of the Imerina
XVIIth century	: (1610-1685 ?) Reign of Andriandahifotsy
	: (1643) Fondation of Fort-Dauphin
	: (1674) Fort-Dauphin was abandonned by the French
	: (1675-1710 ?) Reign of Andriamasinavalona. The Imerina was divided.
XVIIIth century	: (1712) Ramaromanompo took Fenerive and undertook the unification of the Betsimisaraka.
	: (1745) Fondation of Majunga
	: (Around 1750) Andriamanalina, first king of Isandra
	: (1787) Andrianampoinimerina became king of Ambohimanga
	: (1794) Andrianampoinimerina captured Antananarivo.

d. Epoque moderne

1810-1828	: Reign of Radama I
1814	: End of the conquest of the Betsileo.
1817	: Anglo-Malagasy Treaty. Capture of Tamatave
1822	: Partial conquest of the Menabe
1824	: Conquest of the Boina
1825	: Fort-Dauphin was captured
1828-1861	: Reign of Ranavalona I
1830	: Fondation of Fianarantsoa
1840-1841	: The French occupied Nosy-Be. The North-West of the Island became a French Protectorate
1845	: Ranavalona drove out the Europeans.
1832-1878	: Jean Laborde, a shipwrecked sailor arrived in Madagascar
1861-1863	: Reign of Radama II
1864-1896	: Rainilaiarivony became Prime Minister.
1869	: La reine Ranavalona II converted to christianity.
1868-1881	: The 101 and 305 articles Codes
1877-1878	: The Mozambic slaves were emancipated.
1883	: Franco-merina war.
1885-1895	: Madagascar became a French protectorate.
1896	: Madagascar was annexed by France.
1896-1905	: Gallieni became Gouvernor.
1946	: Madagascar became an Overseas Territory, represented in the French Assembly. A representative Assembly was created.
1956	: The outline law instituted an elected executive power.
August 1958	: General de Gaulle came to Madagascar.
14 Octobre 1958	: he Malagasy Republic was proclaimed. The annexion law was abolished.
April 1960	: Franco-Malagasy agreement on independence.
26 June 1960	: The independence was proclaimed.
26 March 1961	: The AMU African and Malagasy Union was created
1960-1972	: 1st Republic named Malagasy Republic : President Philibert TSIRANANA
1975-1991	: 2nd Republic named Democratic Republic of Madagascar : President Didier RATSIRAKA
1993-March 2009	: 3rd Republic named Republic of Madagascar. Presidents :
	- Albert ZAFY (1992-1996)
	- Didier RATSIRAKA (1996-2001)
	- Marc RAVALOMANANA (2001-2009).
	- Andry Nirina RAJOELINA (2009-until today).

II. The origin of the Malagasy people

Madagascar's history is very difficult to tell since the information on the country is rare and dubious. On the one hand, the ground has not delivered any skeleton or object proving the existence of prehistoric men. Until proved otherwise, it seems that the settlement of the island goes back to a recent time. On the other hand, the first inhabitants, known as the vazimba left only oral traditions and legends; the oldest: Tantara ny Andriana eto Madagascar starts only in the XV^th century and concerns mainly the Merina people. Thus, Andrianampoinimerina, a king living at the time of Napoleon, is less known than Charlemagne, who reigned thousand years earlier.

Madagascar’s history starts only with the European arrival in the XVI^th-XVII^th centuries. It is then necessary to compare the local habits with those of the other people to find indications on the Malagasy’s distant past.

III. The settlement of the Island

a. The first settlement on the Island

The first population settled in isolated groups [clans] in the East coast and the North-West plains and small valleys where the winds pushed them. Disputing grounds, they always fought each other thus they lived on fortified heights which could be easily defended against their enemies’ attacks. They were mainly hunter-gatherers, but they also practised slash-and-burn cultivation. Growing in number, they went to the valleys on the other side of the island. Unfortunately, they have rudimentary production tools to develop these plots of land with broad rivers. Like the majority of Asian people, Madagascar’s first inhabitants were afraid of the Eastern thick forest: they hesitated for a long time to climb the Angavo wooded cliff which is difficult to get to. They believe that this cliff was peopled with evil spirits. Therefore, they had to use the natural ways (Androna, Ihosy).

The first centuries of Madagascar’s history were thus a period of fights, hard and primitive life and continual displacement.

b. The role of the Arabs

Coming from Africa and the Comoros, the Arabs moved in the North-West, the North-East and the South-East of Madagascar especially from the IX^th to the XIV^th centuries. Many traces of their occupation can be found in the island particularly in Vohémar.

Being well-organised, the Arabs:

1° taught new practices: trade, slavery, currencies, calendar, soothsaying (sikidy), writing.

2° designated heads who organize the clans into tribes and extend their territory thanks to the superiority of their weapons. Taimoro heads who commanded the Tanala, Bara and Betsileo tribes were called in Imerina. The South-East population and the Sakalava were the most influenced. The Arab contributions have caused many displacements in the island.

c. Settlement of the Highlands

The settlement of the highlands has been carried out in two stages at a vague date:

1. Nothing is known about the first populations called Vazimba which settlled in Imerina and Betsileo on the XII^th and the XIV^th centuries.

2° Then tribes coming from Malaysia, probably the last to arrive in the island crossed the Angavo wooded cliff, subdued the Bezanozano of Ankay and emerged in Imerina. Using force and skill, they succeeded in dominating and pushing back the Vazimba: this is the origin of the merina and betsileo kingdoms.

Those migrants have left many vestiges (raised stones, fortifications...).

IV. Madagascar and France in the XII^th and the XVIII^th centuries

The French didn’t take part in discovering Madagascar, but many French ships visited the Island in the XVI^th and the XVII^th centuries. The first sustainable European establishment was founded by a French Commercial Company.

a. Fondation of Fort-Dauphin

France needed a port of call when sailing to the Indies. Advised by sailors who had visited Africa and Mauritius’ coasts and had close ties with the Malagasy, the king of France charged, in 1642, a ship belonging to the Compagnie de l’Orient "to take possession of the Island, to found dwellings and to practise trade". Pronis, the person in charge of the expedition preferred the close peninsula (Taolankarana) where Fort-Dauphin is build instead of the Saint-Luce bay which was unhealthy.

Governor Flacourt (from 1648 to 1655) forced the inhabitants to deliver products, especially cattle to France. During the expeditions, he explored the South and the East of the Island. Certain French went even to work for local headmen, some others were sent to La Reunion which was yet uninhabited at that time. Flacourt wrote L’Histoire de la Grande Île de Madagascar, the first book on the country which is still read with interest.

His successors did not show willpower. The Company did not find in the country the expected wealth; the ships came more rarely; the colonists discouraged themselves and Fort-Dauphin was abandoned in 1674.

b. The French in Madagascar in the XVIII^th century

The Large Island became the main interest of:

1° the pirates who were attracted by the intense traffic to the Indies; they settled Sainte-Marie at the beginning of the century.

2° the French colonists from La Reunion and Maurice (called then Bourbon and France), coffee and sugar producers who needed meat and rice which they would seek at the trading post established along the East coast (Foulpointe). Madagascar was thus dropped in favour of the Mascareignes Islands. However, at the end of the century, travellers went inland and crossed Madagascar from Tamatave to Majunga. Mayeur, one of them discovered with amazement Imerina whose inhabitants can weave cotton and silk, work iron, and irrigate rice plantations...