Radama II.
Radama II. ( September 23, 1829 - May 12, 1863 ) was ruler of the Kingdom of Madagascar and ruled from 1861 to 1863 .
He was the son of Ranavalona I. and heard the maiden name Rakoto. Although he was born only 14 months after the death of Radama I , he was considered his son. After the death of Radama I, Ranavalona I took over the throne of Madagascar. In 1861 he succeeded her to the throne.
He ruled mildly and during his short reign began to establish contacts abroad again. He granted the French , by whom he was recognized as King of Madagascar, special rights (“ Charte Lambert ”) and thus laid the foundation for the later French colonization of the island, but also favored the British . He proclaimed freedom of religion, which enabled the French Catholic missionaries and British Protestant missionaries to become active again. However, his liberal stance met resistance from the aristocrats who had held true power during his mother's reign, and he was murdered after just two years in office by being knocked down and strangled with a silk scarf.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Radama II. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Rakoto (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | King of Madagascar |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 23, 1829 |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 12, 1863 |