Andrianampoinimerina
| Andrianampoinimerina | |
|---|---|
| Andrianampoinimerina, King of Imerina (Madagascar Central Highlands) | |
 Idealized portrait painted around 1905 by Ramanankirahina | |
| Reign | ca. 1787 – 1810 |
| Predecessor | Andrianjafy |
| Successor | Radama I |
| Burial | |
| Dynasty | Merina |
| Father | Andriamiaramanjaka |
| Mother | Ranavalonanandriambelomasina |
Andrianampoinimerina (ca. 1745-Ikaloy – 1810-Ambohimanga; born as Ramboasalama), the most famous King in Madagascar island history, is considered by some historians as one of the greatests rulers and strategists of all time [1] . His achievements as a King, considering the means he has got at his time, are quite amazing: At first King of Ambohimanga, a small principality of about 5000 sq. mettres, he progressively extended his domain over all of the Merinas (litt. "Highlanders"), the Malagasy people from the central plateau of Madagascar, then over all the highlands territories from the North to the South (absorbing the Betsileo, Sihanaka, Bezanozano), and, at last, over two third of Madagascar island, all this within the 23 years of his short reign. Also referred to as Nampoina, a nickname, while his full title upon ascension is somewhat longer: Andrianampoinimerinandriantsimitoviaminandriampanjaka ('the beloved prince of Imerina who surpasses the reigning prince').[2] He is widely recognized as one of the three greatest Merinas to rule before the French occupation, along with his son Radama I and the Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony. His reign formed the basis for the unification of Madagascar under his son Radama I.
Early life
During almost a century, from the end of the reign of King Ralambo (1575-1600) to King Andriamasinavalona (1675-1710), the part of the highlands controlled by the Merina was developing and growing in a certain civil peace. However, after the reign of Andriamasinavalona, the most famous King of Imerina after Andrianampoinimerina, it broke down to several principalities. The great King, despite the warnings of his wise concelor, Andriamampandry, had the unfortunate idea of dividing his Kingdom into four states after his death, so that each of his sons could reign. This division of Imerina resulted in a global growing of insecurity and, at last, finished in civil wars which weakened the great Kingdom, which even knew starvations.
Ramboasalama ("The-healthy-dog", the child name of Andrianampoinimerina) grew up within this dark period of Imerina insecurity and poverty, in one of the four local principalities, Ambohimanga. [3] Born in the month of Alahamady, the sign of a royal birth according to the beliefs of that time, it is Andrianampoinimerina parentage that, most of all, prepared him to a great destiny. By his father, Andriamiaramanjaka, King of Ikaloy, he was Prince of the independant Kingdom of Alahamadintany, the northern part of Madagascar highlands which was not yet a part of Imerina. By his mother, Ranavalonandriambelomasina he was Prince of Imerina, as the grandson of the King Andriambelomasina (1730-1770), the grandson of Andriamasinavalona, and the son of Andriantsimitoviaminandriana, the first Merina King of Ambohimanga principality. He also was the nephew of Andrianjafy, son of Andriambelomasina, who ruled after his father's death (1770 - 1787).[3]
The insecurity within Imerina, the menace of a Sakalava invasion from the West, and from the North by the Alahamadintany Kings, lead Andrianampoinimerina's grandfather, Andriambelomasina, to conclude a strategic alliance with the border Alahamaditany state of Ikaloy, by giving his daughter to marry the King of Ikaloy. The deal was that after the reign of Andriambelomasina's son, Andrianjafy, the throne would shift to one of his daughter's son. This seemed also to be conform to a prophecy attributed to King Andriamasinavalona, who said one day: "At the end, Imerina will be unified and ruled by a white man from Alahamadintany".[3] ("white" means here "light skin", because of the probable Malay, Buginese, Javanese, and Indian origins of the Merina and Alahamadintany Nobles and Princes ".[4] ; cf. also Andriantomara/Rahadyan Tomar, or Tomar/ Tanwar, Rajput clans, practicing endogamy, they didn't mixed with more dark skinned local populations at that time, even if these local people were also from Austronesian/Nusantao origins.[5] .[6])
More a strategic wish than a prophecy, these words of Andriamasinavalona show that, since the early days, the Merina Kings intended to extend their kingdom to the North, by absorbing the great and menacing Alahamaditany kingdom. In another hand, the Kings of Alahamadintany had also the ambition to extend their land to the South, by absorbing the Merina kingdom. Thus, this weddings seemed to be a fair and peaceful compromise for the two parts: the prince who will born would become the King of the two states of Ambohimanga and Ikaloy, which would, at last, unify the two great kingdoms without bloodshed.
Andrianampoinimerina spent his early childhood time in his father's court at Ikaloy. There, he received an Alahamadintany education, which notably included the Alahamadintany Mythology (mainly the Ibonia myth which carries the concept of Andriambahoaka afovoanitany "the rulers are those in the center of the earth"), Astrology, Medicine, Military Strategy (including the Fanorona boardgame, a kind of Alquerque mixed with Go rules), Music (he learned to play the valiha, originally an instrument for the prince and noblemen), and Economics. After that, at the age of 12, according to the deal, he was educated by his Merina grandfather, Andriambelomasina, at Amboatany and, at last, in Ambohimanga court, where he received a Merina education, mainly on Political Science, Military Strategy, Commandement, and Economics.[3]
Starting from meagre means in his own business, Andrianampoinimerina managed, by intelligence and hard working, to amass a sizeable property, including ricefields and herds of cattles. Thus, he became, at the age of 30, the richest Prince of Ambohimanga kingdom. Regarded as a "self made man" who wouldn't rely on his privileges as a Prince, his independance temper, his tenacity, and his sense of justice made him very popular among the commoners and the slaves of Ambohimanga, contrary to his uncle, the King, whose unpopularity grew up, because of a lot of power abuses. In 1787, at 42 years old, Andrianampoinimerina incited a rebellion against Andrianjafy, with the help of the commoners Council of Elders, and those sold into slavery. After the success of the coup, who compelled Andrianjafy to fly away, the new King adopted a ruling name, Andrianampoinimerina (litt. "The-king-in-the-heart-of-the-Merina").[7]
Reign
Following his ouster from the town of Ambohimanga, Andrianjafy continued fighting from his southern headquarters Ilafy. Andrianampoinimerina reached a treaty with the rival Merina town of Antananarivo in 1786, which allowed him to fully concentrate on reuniting Ambohimanga. This conflict was finally concluded in 1790, when Andrianjafy was either killed in Ilafy, or died in exile in Antananarivo. He conquered Antananarivo in 1792[7]. Subsequently, the capital of Merina empire was moved to Antananarivo, however Ambohimanga remained important religiously. [8]
Beginning in the 1790s, he began establishing control over the a comparatively large part of the Madagascar island. Andrianampoinimerina centralized the power into his own hands and obtained European firearms realizing these were vastly superior to the traditional weaponry. This allowed him to gradually conquest the Merina principalities. It is notable that he accomplished this relying heavily on shrewd diplomacy, only resorting to military conquest when it was essential. The extension of his rule allowed Andrianampoinimerina to stop paying tribute to the Sakalava kingdom, the western tribe who had continuously menaced the Malagasy central highlands by slaves hunting.[2]
The gradual conquest of surrounding lands by Andrianampoinimerina and his Merina tribe was opposed by the Sakalava and other tribes, who made several attempt to end Andrianampoinimerina's reign. He also faced opposition from nobles and from his own family. Early on Andrianampoinimerina's rule, an attempt on King's life by his uncle Andrianjafy was foiled by an informant, who learned about the conspiracy by chance. Later the king rewarded the informant by marrying his daughter to the Crown Prince, future King Radama I.[2] After Radama I's death in 1828, this daughter would rule Madagascar for 33 years as the notorious Ranavalona I, during whose reign hundreds of thousands of Malagasy people were executed, starved or worked to death.[9] Ramavolahy, Andrianampoinimerina's eldest son, was killed by his orders near Imahazoarivo and the appointed Heir Apparent Rakotovahiny was killed for conspiracy against the King in May 1808.[10]
Legacy
King Andrianampoinimerina transformed the Merina from a small group of principalities into the largest and most powerful empire in Madagascar. He established civil and penal codes, distributed land, and regulated commerce. He had at least 27 children by his many wives, [10] and was succeeded by his son Radama I. Following Ravanalona I's ascension to the throne, another son named Ramanetaka sailed to the Island of Moheli in Comores in 1830 and later converted to Islam ruling the island as sultan d'Abderahmane of Moheli.
See also
Notes
- ^ Deschamps, Hubert (1977). "Andrianampoinimerina ou la raison d'Etat au service de l'unité malgache". Jeune Afrique (ed.). Les Africains (II): 73–89.
- ^ a b c Keith Laidler, Female Caligula: Ranavalona, the Mad Queen of Madagascar, ISBN 0-470-02223-X, pages 17 – 21
- ^ a b c d Callet, R.P. (1908). Tantara ny Andriana (Histoire des rois),. Imprimerie Catholique, Edition 1878-1881, 1943 p. Cite error: The named reference "Callet" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^
Adelaar, K.A (2006). "The Indonesian migration to Madagascar: Making sense of the multidisciplinary evidence". Vol. LIPI PRESS.
{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help) - ^ Ramilison, Pasteur (1951). Ny loharanon'ny andriana nanjaka teto Imerina : Andriantomara-Andriamamilazabe. Imprimerie Ankehitriny.
- ^ Rasamimanana, & Razafindrazaka (1930). Ny Andriantopokooindrindra : Fanasoavana ny tantaran'i Madagasikara. Librairie Mixte.
- ^ a b Berg, Gerald M. (1988). "Sacred Acquisition: Andrianampoinimerina at Ambohimanga, 1777-1790". The Journal of African History. 29 (2): 191–211.
- ^ Royal Malagasy Hills declared World Heritage
- ^ Keith Laidler, Female Caligula: Ranavalona, the Mad Queen of Madagascar, ISBN 0-470-02223-X, page 2
- ^ a b Genealogy of Merina dynasty