Madagascar: Queen Ranavalona III (r. 1883-1897) with royal sceptre, photographed at Antananarivo c. 1895

Ranavalona III (November 22, 1861 – May 23, 1917) was the last sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She ruled from July 30, 1883, to February 28, 1897, in a reign marked by ongoing and ultimately futile efforts to resist the colonial designs of the government of France. As a young woman, she was selected from among several andriana (nobles) qualified to succeed Queen Ranavalona II upon her death.

Like both preceding queens, Ranavalona entered into a political marriage with a member of the Hova (freeman) 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. Throughout her reign, Ranavalona utilized diverse tactics such as strengthening trade and diplomatic relations with the United States and Great Britain in the hope of staving off impending colonization. However, 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 1896, thereby ending the sovereignty and political autonomy of the century-old kingdom.

The newly installed French colonial government promptly exiled Rainilaiarivony to Algiers (in Algeria), while Ranavalona and her court were initially permitted to remain behind as symbolic figureheads. However, the outbreak of a popular resistance movement, called the Menalamba Rebellion, and discovery 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 Ranavalona, along with several members of her family, were relocated to a villa in Algiers. The queen, her family and the servants accompanying her were provided an allowance and enjoyed a comfortable standard of living including occasional trips to Paris for shopping and sightseeing.

Despite Ranavalona's repeated requests, they were never permitted to return home to Madagascar. Ranavalona died of an embolism at her villa in Algiers in 1917 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 Antananarivo.

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