Andrianampoinimerina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andrianampoinimerina |
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Idealized portrait painted around 1905 by Ramanankirahina
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| King of Imerina | |||||
| Reign | ca. 1787–1810 | ||||
| Predecessor | Andrianjafy | ||||
| Successor | Radama I | ||||
| Born | 1745 Ikaloy |
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| Died | 1810 (aged 64–65) Antananarivo |
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| Burial | 1810 Ambohimanga |
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| Dynasty | Hova dynasty | ||||
| Father | Andriamiaramanjaka | ||||
| Mother | Princess Ranavalonanandriambelomasina | ||||
Andrianampoinimerina (1745–1810) was a powerful king who ruled the Kingdom of Imerina in Madagascar. He reigned from 1787 until his death. His time as king was very important for Madagascar. He brought peace after 77 years of civil war. He also made his kingdom much bigger. This started the process of uniting all of Madagascar under Merina rule.
Many people see Andrianampoinimerina as a great hero. He is one of the most important leaders in Madagascar's history. He became king by removing his uncle, King Andrianjafy, from power. Before Andrianampoinimerina, the Imerina kingdom was split into four parts. He made his main city Ambohimanga, a very special place. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Ambohimanga, he slowly took control of all of Imerina. Then he expanded his rule over the central highlands. He brought in the Betsileo, Sihanaka, Bezanozano, and Bara lands.
Andrianampoinimerina ruled for 23 years. He successfully reunited Imerina and made the kingdom much larger. His goal was to unite all of Madagascar. His son, Radama I, continued his father's work. Radama I largely achieved this goal in the next two decades.
Contents
Early Life of the King
Birth and Family History
Andrianampoinimerina was born around 1745. His birth name was Ramboasalamarazaka. He was born in Ikaloy, central Madagascar. His mother was Princess Ranavalonandriambelomasina. She was the daughter of King Andriambelomasina of Imerina (1730-1770). His father was Andriamiaramanjaka, a noble from the Zafimamy royal family. This family ruled a kingdom north of Imerina.
His mother's brother, Andrianjafy, became king of Imerina Avaradrano (Northern Imerina). This was from 1770 to 1787. Ramboasalamarazaka was born when Imerina faced many problems. There was conflict and not enough food. For almost a century, Imerina had been peaceful and growing. But King Andriamasinavalona (1675–1710) divided the kingdom among his four sons. This led to 77 years of civil war.
The marriage of Ramboasalamarazaka's parents was a political deal. It was meant to stop attacks from the northern Zafimamy kingdom. The agreement said that after King Andrianjafy, the throne would go to Ramboasalamarazaka. This was a peaceful way to unite the two kingdoms.
Childhood and Learning
Ramboasalamarazaka spent his early years at his father's court in Ikaloy. He learned many traditional skills there. He became good at fanorona, a board game that helps with strategic thinking. Young nobles also learned kabary, a special way of public speaking. They used ohabolana (proverbs) to make their points well. Many young princes also learned to play the valiha, a bamboo instrument. Around age 12, Ramboasalamarazaka continued his education. He studied under his grandfather, King Andriambelomasina, at Amboatany and the royal court in Ambohimanga.
Becoming a Merchant
As a young man, Ramboasalamarazaka worked as a merchant. He traded various goods. During this time, he became known as a defender of common people. He protected them from attacks by Sakalava warriors. He also fought against corruption. People saw him as someone who achieved success on his own. He did not just rely on being a prince. His strong will and sense of fairness made him popular. This was especially true among the commoners and servants in Ambohimanga.
His popularity was a contrast to his uncle, King Andrianjafy. People saw Andrianjafy as a harsh and weak ruler. Ramboasalamarazaka often made promises to the people about his future rule. King Andrianjafy saw this as a threat. He even punished people who talked about these promises. But this only made people dislike Andrianjafy more.
Conflict with King Andrianjafy
King Andrianjafy might have first planned for Ramboasalamarazaka to be his successor. But this changed after his own son was born. His wife convinced him to name their son as the next king. This went against an earlier agreement. Andrianjafy then tried to have his nephew killed several times. But each time, Ramboasalamarazaka was warned by Andrianjafy's brother. He always managed to escape.
In 1787, when Ramboasalamarazaka was 42, the conflict became very serious. Andrianjafy sent killers to Ambohimanga. Andrianjafy's brother warned Ramboasalamarazaka again. Instead of running away, Ramboasalamarazaka followed an elder's advice. He sacrificed a ram for protection. The elder then gathered twelve respected men and thirty soldiers. They decided to remove Andrianjafy from power. They swore loyalty to Ramboasalamarazaka. After this successful takeover, the new king took his ruling name: Andrianampoinimerina. The people of Ambohimanga helped defend the city. This stopped Andrianjafy from taking back his capital.
Andrianjafy gathered his army from his village, Ilafy. They fought against the people of Ambohimanga. Both sides had spears and guns. The Ilafy army lost the first battle. They fought again at night, but neither side won clearly. The next morning, they fought for two days. The Ilafy army lost again and went back to their village. After these losses, the people of Ilafy decided to support Andrianampoinimerina. They encouraged Andrianjafy to leave and find allies. Once he left, they closed the city gates. They announced their support for Andrianampoinimerina. Andrianjafy tried to find allies in other towns, but no one helped him. The conflict ended in 1787. Andrianampoinimerina sent his uncle away. Some say Andrianjafy died in exile, others say he was killed by Andrianampoinimerina's followers.
Expanding the Kingdom
Uniting Imerina
In the 1790s, Andrianampoinimerina continued his conquests. He began to control a large part of the central highlands. This included the twelve sacred hills of Imerina. He conquered Antananarivo in 1793. He made agreements with the kings of Antananarivo and Ambohidratrimo. In 1794, he moved the kingdom's main city back to Antananarivo. By 1795, he had gained loyalty from all the areas that were once part of Imerina. This effectively reunited Imerina.
The former kings sometimes fought against his rule. So, Andrianampoinimerina launched new campaigns to defeat them. Antananarivo was fully under his control by 1797. Ambohidratrimo was reconquered soon after. By 1800, he had brought several other independent parts of Imerina into his kingdom. He made alliances with powerful nobles in conquered areas. He did this by marrying local princesses. It is said he married 12 women in total. He built a house for each wife at one of the twelve sacred hills. After moving the capital to Antananarivo, he declared Ambohimanga the spiritual capital.
Conquering More Lands
From around 1800, Andrianampoinimerina worked to unite all 18 ethnic groups on the island. He first sent messengers to other kingdoms. They were invited to join his rule peacefully. If they refused, they would face military conquest. He first focused on lands historically lived in by Merina people. These were controlled by the Sihanaka and Bezanozano peoples.
Then, he strengthened Merina power in the southern central Betsileo areas. He set up military outposts to protect Merina settlers. Some kingdoms joined Imerina peacefully through diplomacy. These included the Betsileo around Manandriana and Betafo. The western region of Imamo also joined. However, the Sakalava of Menabe and Manangina refused. They actively fought against Merina rule. The Bezanozano territories also resisted.
The Sakalava people strongly opposed Andrianampoinimerina's conquests. They remained a big threat. Throughout his rule, Sakalava groups raided Imerina for people to trade. They brought captured Merina to the coast to sell to European traders. Sakalava armies often attacked Imerina. They almost reached the capital city more than once. Andrianampoinimerina launched several campaigns to calm the Sakalava, but none fully succeeded. He also tried to make peace through marriages to form alliances. But this did not bring lasting peace or stop the raids.
Some Merina nobles and royal family members also threatened Andrianampoinimerina. After he removed Andrianjafy, the former king tried to kill him. This attempt was stopped by someone who heard about the plan. Andrianampoinimerina rewarded this person. He married their daughter to his son, the future King Radama I. He also said any child from this marriage would be next in line after Radama. This marriage did not have children. After Radama's death in 1828, this royal wife ruled Madagascar for 33 years as Queen Ranavalona I. Andrianampoinimerina's adopted son, Rabodolahy, also tried to kill Radama. When that failed, he tried to kill Andrianampoinimerina. But he was caught and punished.
Governing the Kingdom
From 1797, Andrianampoinimerina ruled his growing kingdom from Antananarivo. This was the traditional capital of Imerina. He is known for greatly developing and organizing the city. He wanted the capital to be a small example of his kingdom. It would be a model for city planning in new territories. He kept the royal compound, the Rova of Antananarivo, on the highest hill. This was important for Merina beliefs about height and direction.
He also expanded the sacred rova compound and improved its old buildings. This included rebuilding Besakana in 1800. Besakana was the "throne of the kingdom" built by King Andrianjaka in the early 1600s. It was one of several houses Andrianampoinimerina used at the palace. He placed representatives of conquered ethnic groups in specific city neighborhoods. Each Merina social class had its own areas. Servants lived to the southeast. Important commoner clans lived west of the palace. Noble families were assigned to the sacred north and northeast. People today imagine Antananarivo in his time as a perfect and peaceful city.
Andrianampoinimerina strengthened his rule. He said other Merina rulers were just commoners. Their family lines were not as strong as his. Like earlier Merina kings, he also used the power of the sampy (royal idols). He believed his success came from respecting these idols. He also included common people. He made several commoners into powerful and trusted advisers. He also consulted ombiasy (royal advisers) from the Antaimoro clan. These advisers could read sorabe script. This script was used for ancient texts with special knowledge.
The people of Imerina were governed using old traditions and new ideas. All land belonged to the king. But it was managed by nobles called andriana. They were given a menakely (land subdivision) to govern. Royal advisers checked on these administrators. Commoners farmed the land. They were given a plot based on their family size. Each family paid taxes to the king. Andrianampoinimerina made laws to help the poor. Children could claim unsold meat from butchers at the end of the day. Poor people could eat cassava from others' fields. But they could only take what they could cook and eat right away. This helped ensure most citizens had enough food.
Social Structure and Customs
Andrianampoinimerina updated the noble classes. He gave new rights and duties to the nobles. For example, they could put sculptures of the voromahery (black kite) on their homes. This showed their noble status.
To make family and community ties stronger, he ordered families to build large stone tombs. These tombs would hold all family members. Building these tombs was a shared duty for the family.
He also changed and expanded royal rituals. This helped him create a state religion where he was the main figure. The fandroana festival became a much bigger event. It was meant to renew the nation. It also showed the cosmic power that made his rule strong and right. This helped unite his citizens and strengthen his power.
Public Projects
The old royal tradition of fanompoana (labor as a form of tax) continued under Andrianampoinimerina. Many big public projects were done during his rule. This included expanding irrigated rice fields around Antananarivo. He organized work teams and made them compete. He punished those who did not do their share. He also used hiragasy musicians to entertain workers. Later, these musicians traveled to towns and villages. They shared news, announced new laws, and promoted good behavior.
Laws and Justice
Andrianampoinimerina created a legal system for all his lands. He was the first Merina king to set up formal civil and criminal laws. His son Radama later improved and wrote down the criminal laws. He declared twelve crimes punishable by death. Many other crimes led to punishment for the guilty person and their family. This included forced labor and becoming a servant. These harsh punishments were meant to stop people from doing bad things. To decide if someone was guilty, the king often used tangena. If an accused person survived drinking a poison, they were considered innocent.
Economy and Trade
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Under Andrianampoinimerina, rules were made for trading goods, including people. Estimates suggest he traded about 1,800 people each year. This was mainly for firearms. These were mostly sold to French merchants who then sold them to Mauritius and Reunion. This brought order to the kingdom's economy. It made the crown rich. It also allowed the king to control trade in valuable goods. This made it harder for rivals to gain wealth and challenge him. While some nobles disliked this, it made him more popular with commoners and servants. He often sided with commoners in disputes with nobles. This made him seem like a fair ruler.
Andrianampoinimerina controlled trade and the economy. He created official markets (tsena). He also standardized market scales (fandanjana) and other measurements. King Andrianampoinimerina set up the first marketplace in Antananarivo. It was on the land where the Analakely market stands today. He declared Friday (Zoma) as market day. Merchants would come to Analakely and set up stalls with white parasols. This huge market was once called the largest open-air market in the world. In 1997, the market was split up and moved to other areas because of traffic and safety issues. During his reign, common people in Imerina became more prosperous. This led to an increase in population.
Military Power
Andrianampoinimerina created a citizen army called the foloalindahy (the "100,000 soldiers"). Men who could serve in the military were recruited. They took part in his conquest campaigns. This happened between times when they worked on public projects. These campaigns helped Imerina by capturing people for labor and service. Some were also traded to coastal communities for firearms. His army had many weapons that he got from traders on the western coast of Madagascar.
Death and What Came Next
Andrianampoinimerina died on July 6, 1810, at age 65. He died in the Mahitsielafanjaka house at the Rova of Antananarivo. He had eleven sons and thirteen daughters. Following an old tradition, his body was placed in a silver canoe. He was buried in a royal tomb at Ambohimanga. After the French took control of Madagascar in 1896, they destroyed his original tomb in 1897. They moved his remains to the rova of Antananarivo. There, they were buried in his son's tomb.
His 18-year-old son, Radama I, became king after him.
Legacy and Impact
Historians see Andrianampoinimerina as the most important of Imerina's kings. He is greatly admired by people today. A French trader in 1808 said he was "without doubt the richest, the most feared, the most enlightened, and has the largest kingdom, of all the kings of Madagascar." Malagasy textbooks describe him as a hero. They say he started the idea of a unified Malagasy nation.
Most of what we know about Andrianampoinimerina comes from Tantara ny Andriana eto Madagasikara. This is a Malagasy language book of oral histories of Merina kings. It was collected by a missionary in the late 1800s.
Andrianampoinimerina's new ideas had a lasting impact on Malagasy society. One historian believes that his idea of a state religion, with the ruler as its head, influenced later events. This included the widespread conversion to Christianity in 1869. His decision to empower commoners and certain adviser families also led to the rise of the commoner middle class. This class became very important in trade, crafts, farming, and administration.
Ambohimanga, which Andrianampoinimerina declared the spiritual capital, is still one of Madagascar's most important spiritual and cultural sites. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. A major street in Antananarivo is named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Andrianampoinimerina para niños
