Andriamasinavalona
Encyclopedia
King Andriamasinavalona (1675–1710), also known as Andrianjakanavalondambo, was a King of Imerina in the central part of the highlands of Madagascar.
capital of Alasora to his father King Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe
and mother Rampanambonitany. He was made Prince of Alasora upon his father's death in 1670; his older brother, Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana
, was named king.
kingdom to the west and attempted unsuccessfully to secure military support there to regain the throne. Andriamasinavalona married thirteen wives and produced nine sons and one daughter.
As king, Andriamasinavalona aggressively expanded the borders of his kingdom. He increased the number of andriana
(noble) ranks from four to six, assigning the most deserving nobles the title of tompon-menakely (master of the fief).
The greatest point of controversy in Andriamasinavalona's reign was his decision to divide his kingdom among his four favorite sons: Andrianjakanavalonamandimby, Adrianmanotronavalonimerina
, Andriantomponimerina I and Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka
, who received the largest share of the land and was the most powerful of the four young sovereigns. The two northern principalities had their capitals at Ambohimanga
and Ambohidrabiby, while the capital of the western principality was located at Ambohidratrimo. The southern principality was ruled from Antananarivo
by Andriantomponimerina.
The controversial decision to divide Imerina into four sub-kingdoms may have been rooted in the desire to reorganize the Kingdom of Imerina in accordance with traditional notions of symbolic unity as represented by the four cardinal points surrounding a unifying center termed the "heart of Imerina" (Imerina efa-toko). However, in opposition to Andriamasinavalona's intentions, his sons forsook the concept of unity and instead fought one another in an effort to expand their realms. As a consequence of this decision, Imerina was to remain fragmented and wracked with conflict among principalities until it was once again united during the reign of Andrianampoinimerina
(1787–1810).
.
Early life
Andriamasinavalona was born Prince Ralambo Andriantsimotovy in the historic MerinaMerina
The Merina are an ethnic group from Madagascar. The Merina are concentrated in the Highlands and speak the official dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in southern Borneo. Their ancestors, the...
capital of Alasora to his father King Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe
Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe
King Andriantsimitoviaminandriandehibe was the King of Imerina in the central highlands of Madagascar from 1650 to 1670. He acceded to the throne on the death of his father, King Andriantsitakatrandriana...
and mother Rampanambonitany. He was made Prince of Alasora upon his father's death in 1670; his older brother, Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana
Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana
King Andrianjaka Razakatsitakatrandriana or Andrianjakatsitakatrandriana was the King of Imerina in the central Highlands of Madagascar from 1670–1675...
, was named king.
Reign
Andriamasinavalona ascended to the kingship of Imerina upon the deposition of his brother in 1675. The deposed king fled to the SakalavaSakalava
The Sakalava are an ethnic group of Madagascar numbering approximately 700,000 in population. Their name means "people of the long valleys." They occupy the Western edge of the island from Toliara in the south to Sambirano in the north. The Sakalava denominate a number of smaller ethnic groups...
kingdom to the west and attempted unsuccessfully to secure military support there to regain the throne. Andriamasinavalona married thirteen wives and produced nine sons and one daughter.
As king, Andriamasinavalona aggressively expanded the borders of his kingdom. He increased the number of andriana
Andriana
Andriana is a title of nobility in Madagascar and often traditionally formed part of the names of noblemen, princes and kings. Historically, many Malagasy ethnic groups lived in highly stratified caste-based social orders in which the andriana were the political and/or spiritual leaders...
(noble) ranks from four to six, assigning the most deserving nobles the title of tompon-menakely (master of the fief).
The greatest point of controversy in Andriamasinavalona's reign was his decision to divide his kingdom among his four favorite sons: Andrianjakanavalonamandimby, Adrianmanotronavalonimerina
Adrianmanotronavalonimerina
King Andrianmanotronavalonimerina was the King of Ambohidrabiby in the 18th century, following the death of his father, King Andriamasinavalona in 1710, though he held Ambohidrabiby as a principality even before this date...
, Andriantomponimerina I and Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka
Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka
Andriantsimitoviaminiandriana Andriandrazaka was King of Avaradrano in the central highlands of Madagascar from 1710 to 1730, and King of neighboring Ambohidrabiby after defeating his brother...
, who received the largest share of the land and was the most powerful of the four young sovereigns. The two northern principalities had their capitals at Ambohimanga
Ambohimanga
The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga is a site of cultural and historical significance located approximately 24 kilometers to the east of the capital city of Antananarivo in Madagascar...
and Ambohidrabiby, while the capital of the western principality was located at Ambohidratrimo. The southern principality was ruled from Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
by Andriantomponimerina.
The controversial decision to divide Imerina into four sub-kingdoms may have been rooted in the desire to reorganize the Kingdom of Imerina in accordance with traditional notions of symbolic unity as represented by the four cardinal points surrounding a unifying center termed the "heart of Imerina" (Imerina efa-toko). However, in opposition to Andriamasinavalona's intentions, his sons forsook the concept of unity and instead fought one another in an effort to expand their realms. As a consequence of this decision, Imerina was to remain fragmented and wracked with conflict among principalities until it was once again united during the reign of Andrianampoinimerina
Andrianampoinimerina
Ruling between 1787–1810, Andrianampoinimerina , born Ramboasalama or Ramboasalamarazaka at Ambohimanga around 1745 , initiated the unification of Madagascar under Merina rule and is considered one of the greatest military and political...
(1787–1810).
Death and succession
Before his death, Andriamasinavalona was humiliatingly imprisoned for five years by his own son, Andriantomponimerina I, then ruler of the western principality. Andriamasinavalona died in 1710 and was buried in the royal tombs located at the Rova of AntananarivoRova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century...
.