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Government flags used from 1810 to 1885. The Kingdom of Merina, also known as the Kingdom of Madagascar and officially the Kingdom of Imerina (Malagasy: Fanjakan'Imerina; c. 1540 –1897), was a pre-colonial state off the coast of Southeast Africa that, by the 18th century, dominated most of what is now Madagascar.
King Andrianampoinimerina (1785–1810) and his son, Radama I (1810–1828) succeeded in uniting nearly all of Madagascar under Merina rule. These kings and their successors descended from a line of ancient Merina royalty who ruled the lands of Imerina in the central Highlands of Madagascar since at least the 16th century. Even prior to their ...
Below is a list of the line of Merina monarchs that ruled in the Central Highlands of Madagascar and from whom were issued the first true monarchs of a united Madagascar in the 19th century. Before the uniting of Madagascar, succession was based on the current monarch's designation of an heir, typically from among his or her own children.
Ralambo's many enduring and significant political and cultural achievements of his reign have earned him a heroic and near mythical status among the greatest ancient sovereigns of Merina history. [citation needed] [3] Ralambo was the first to assign the name of Imerina ("Land of the Merina people") to the central highland territories where he ...
The Merina then reversed the historical enslavement their people had faced, and began supplying slaves. [16] Though the Merina were never to annex the two last Sakalava strongholds of Menabe and Boina ( Mahajanga ), the Sakalava never again posed a threat to the central highlands, which remained under Merina control until the French ...
Extent and expansion of Merina Kingdom on the island of Madagascar under Ranavalona I, 1828–1840. Queen Ranavalona continued the military incursions initiated under Radama I to pacify neighboring kingdoms and maintain their submission to Merina rule. These policies had a strongly negative effect on economic and population growth during her reign.
Andrianampoinimerina was born Ramboasalamarazaka (short form: Ramboasalama) [1] around 1745 in Ikaloy, in central Madagascar, to Princess Ranavalonandriambelomasina, daughter of King Andriambelomasina of Imerina (1730-1770), and her husband Andriamiaramanjaka, an andriana (noble) of the Zafimamy royal family in the independent kingdom of Alahamadintany to the north of Imerina.
The Merina were probably the early arrivals, though this is uncertain and other ethnic groups on Madagascar consider them relative newcomers to the island. [12] The Merina people's culture likely mixed and merged with the Madagascar natives named Vazimba about whom little is known. [13]