Ranavalona III of Madagascar

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Ranavalona III
Ranavalona III, by the grace of God and the will of the people, Queen of Madgascar, and Defender of the laws of the country

Reign	30 July 1883 – 28 February 1897
Coronation	22 November 1883
Full name	Ranavalona III (Ranavalo Manjaka III) Razafindrahety (Razafy)
Born	22 November 1861
Birthplace	Ambohipiara
Died	23 May 1917
Place of death	Algiers, Algeria
Buried	Tomb of the Queens, Rovan' Antananarivo
Predecessor	Ranavalona II
Successor	Monarchy abolished
Consort	Rainilaiarivony
Dynasty	Merina
Father	Andriantsimianatra
Mother	Raketaka

Ranavalona III (22 November 1861 - 23 May 1917) (also known as Ranavalo Manjaka III) was the last Queen of Madagascar from 1883 to 28 February 1897, when she was deposed by France, who subsequently ruled the island as a colony.

The Queen, the daughter of Andriantsimianatra, was born at Amparibe as Princess Razafindrahety. She was proclaimed Queen on the death of her predecessor, Queen Ranavalona II on 30 July 1883. Her coronation took place at Imahamasina on 22 November 1883. Her full title as Queen was "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". Like her two predecessors, she married the prime minister Rainilaiarivony, who together with his brother Rainivoninahitriniony was the leader of the Madagascar Aristocratic revolution, in which the last male Monarch, King Radama II, was killed.

She had the misfortune to be caught up in the endgame of the maneuvering that had been going on between the British and French since the beginning of the century. In 1885, she signed a treaty with France giving them various rights and concessions, which was deemed sufficient excuse to declare a protectorate over the entire island, which was recognized by Britain in the Anglo-French agreement of 1890. In 1886, the queen tried to enlist the support of the United States by sending gifts to then-President Grover Cleveland, including silk akotofahana cloths, an ivory pin, and a woven basket. However, US was neither able nor inclined to assert itself in favor of Madagascar's independence. Her reign also saw the defeat of Madagascar by France in First Franco-Malagasy War, which weakened her position and on 12 December 1887 this was formally concluded by forcing the Queen to sign a pro-French treaty.

In 1894, the queen and her government refused to follow French orders, and in 1895 the French sent an expeditionary force, which occupied Antananarivo with very little resistance. Prime minister Rainilaiarivony was sent into exile immediately and died the following year, but the queen and much of her administration remained, even after the official declaration of Madagascar as a French colony in August 1896. An insurrection followed soon after, the queen's court was accused of encouraging it, and Joseph Gallieni abolished the monarchy in February 1897.

Ranavalona was deposed and sent to the island of Réunion, then in March 1899 to Algiers, where she died in 1917. She was buried at the Royal Tombs in Andohalo in 1938. Some sources state that she had a daughter also called Ranavalona who may have been recognised by some as the exiled Queen. However, the only known living descendant of a king of Madagascar is Charles Randrianarisoa, born 1918 who has issue, eight children. He is (if alive) the great-great-grandson of King Andrianampoinimerina who ruled 1787-1810 [1]. Another interesting member of the royal house is the late jazz musician Andy Razaf (born 1895 died 1973) whose father was Prince Henri Razafinkarefo a nephew of Ranavalona III.