"Queen Ranavalona III"{November 22,1861-May 23,1917}

Was the last. sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar.She ruled from July 30,1883-February

28,1897 in a reign marked by ongoing and untimely futile efforts to resist to colonial designs of the government of France.As a young woman,she was selected from among several Andriana qualified to succeed Queen Ravalona II upon his death.Like both preceding queens,Ravalona entered a political marriage with a member of the Hova elite named Rainilaiarivony,who in his role as Prime Minister of Madagascar,largely oversaw the day-to-day governance of the kingdom and managed its foreign affairs.She tried to stave off colonization by strengthening trade and diplomatic relations with the U.S. & Great Britain throughout her reign.French attacks on coastal port towns and an assault on the capital city of Antananarivo ultimately led to the capture of the royal palace in 1895,ending the sovereignty and political autonomy of the century-old kingdom.The newly installed French Colonial government promptly exiled Rainilaiarivony to Algiers,Ravalona and her court were initially permitted to remain as a symbolic figureheads.The outbreak of a popular resistance movement-the menalamba rebellion-and of anti-French political intrigues at court led the French to exile the queen to the island of Reunion in 1897.Rainilaiarivony died that same year and shortly thereafter Ranavola was relocated to a villa in Algiers,along with several m(embers of her family.The queen,her family and the servants accompanying here were provided an allowance and enjoyed a comfortable standard living of living including occasional trips to Paris for shopping and sightseeing.Despite Ranavolona's repeated requests she was never permitted to return to Madagascar.She died of an embolish at her villa in Algiers at the age of 55 her remains were buried in Algiers but were disinterred 21 years later and shipped to Madagascar,where they were placed within the tomb of Queen Rasoherina on the grounds of the Rova  of Antananrivo.

Ranavalona III,daughter of  Andriantismianatra and his wife Princess Raketaka,was born Princess Razafindrahety on November 22,1861,at Amparibe,a rural village in the district of   Manjakazafy  outside Antananarivo.Razafindrahety's lineage,as niece to Queen Ranavalona II
and    great-granddaughter of  King Andrianampoinimerina,qualified her to potentially inherit the throne of the Kingdom of  Madagascar.Her parents assigned the care of the infant Razafindrahety to a slave who    served   the family.

When she was old enough to attend  school,Razafindrahety was taken into the custody of her  aunt, Queen Ranavalona II,who ensured she began receiving a private    education from a London
Missionary Society (LMS) teacher.She was described as   an industrious and inquisitive child     with a strong love of   studying  the bible,learning and reading,and she developed affectionate relationships with her teachers.She continued  her  education throughout her adolescence   at   the
Congregational School of  Ambatonakanga,the Friends High School for Girls,and the LMS Girls'
Central School.She  was baptized  as a protestant at Ambohimanga on April 5,1874.Her teachers
consistently described her as ranking among their strongest students.

As a young woman,Razafindrahety narried Andriana (nobleman) named Ratrimo Razafindrahety
a premature widow.According to rumor,Prime Minister Rainilaiiarivony may have arranged Ratrimo poisoned for political reasons.The Aristocratic Revolution of  1863,which had been orchestrated by Rainilairivony's  older brother Prime Minister Rainivoninahitriniony,had replaced
the absolute rule   of the Andriana with a  constitutional  monarchy in which power was shared
between an   Andriana monarch and a (freeman) prime   minister.This arrangement was to be cemented   by a political marriage between the prime  minister and   a  ruling queen effectively selected by him.As Queen Ranavalona II  neared death and   the search for her successor began,
Rainilaiarivony may have had   Ratrimo deliberately poisoned so that Razafindrahety,the most eligible successor,would be free to marry the prime minister and succeed to the throne.

Ranavalona III was proclaimed queen upon the death of  her predecessor,Queen Ranavalona II,on July 13,1883,and moved into Tsrahafatra, a wooden house on the grounds of the royal Rova complex in Antananarivo.Her coronation took place in the Mahamasina neighborhood Antanarivo on November 22,1883, her 22nd  birthday,where she was given the title "Her Majesty
Ranavalona III by the grace of  God and  the will of the people,Queen of  Madagascar,and   Protectoress of   the laws of the  Nation.She   chose   to break with tradition by  supplementing   the    customary retinue of   soldiers  at  her ceremony with a group of 500 male and  400 female pupils  from the capital's best schools.The girls were dressed in white while  the boys wore soldiers'
uniforms and performed traditional  military drills with spears.Ranavalona was crowned  wearing a
white silk gown with a   red train featuring embroidery and gold embellishments.The queen was  
described in the American press in the following terms:"She is a little above the ordinary height and   has delicate features,her complexion is a little darker than most of her subjects.She appears
quite timid and she presides well at the solemn functions of    her court.

Like her two predecessors,Ranavalona concluded a political marriage with Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony.The young queen's role was largely ceremonial  as    nearly all important political
decisions continued  to be the much older and  more experienced prime minister.Ranavolana   was
frequently called upon (Kabary) to the public on behalf  of  Rainilairivony and would make appearances to inaugurate new public buildings,such as a hospital at Isoavinandriana and a girls'
school at  Ambodin'Andohalo.Throughout her reign,Ranavalona's aunt Ramisindrazana,acted  an
adviser and exercised considerable influence at court.Ranavalona's older sister,Rasendranoro,
whose son Rakatomena and daughter Razafinandriamanitra   lived with with their mama at the Rova,was also a close companion.An American journalist who visted her palace reported that
Ranavalona spent much of her leisure time flying kites or playing lotto,a parlor game,with her
relatives and other ladies at her court.She also enjoyed knitting,needlework and crocheting and would frequently bring her latest craft project to work on at cabinet meetings.She had a great love of fine garments and was the only Malagasy soverign to import the majorty of her clothing from Paris rather than London.

As sovereign of  Madagascar,