Ranavalona III – the last queen of the Kingdom of Madagascar
Ranavalona III was the last sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She ruled over Madagascar from July 30, 1883, to February 28, 1897. In a reign marked by futile efforts to resist the colonial designs of the government of France, she was the Last Queen. As a young woman, she was selected from among several Andriana qualified to succeed Queen Ranavalona II upon her death. Like the queens before her, Ranavalona III entered a political marriage with a member of the Hova elite named Rainilaiarivony. He was the Prime minister at the time. Rainilaiarivony largely oversaw the day-to-day governance of the kingdom and managed its foreign affairs. Rainilaiarivony Ranavalona III tried to avoid colonization by strengthening trade and diplomatic relations with foreign powers during her reign. However, French attacks on coastal port towns and an assault on the capital city […]
