| Monarchy of Madagascar | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms (1896–97) | |
 | |
| Details | |
| First monarch | Radama I |
| Last monarch | Ranavalona III |
| Formation | 6 July 1810 |
| Abolition | 28 February 1897 |
| Residence | Ambohimanga (spiritual) Rova of Antananarivo (political) |
This article lists the Imerina monarchs, from the earliest origins of the Merina monarchy until the French conquest of the Merina Kingdom during the Second Madagascar expedition.
Below is a list of the line of Merina monarchs that ruled in the Central Highlands of Madagascar and from whom were issued the first true monarchs of a united Madagascar in the 19th century. Before the uniting of Madagascar, succession was based on the current monarch's designation of an heir, typically from among his or her own children. As such, the list below represents a direct genealogical line from the last 19th-century queen of Madagascar to some of the earliest known rulers identified in the 15th century or before. Prior to the 16th century, detailed information about the names and dates of Merina rulers becomes less consistent. Genealogy in this early period are derived primarily from oral history, while later names and dates are verifiable from primary sources. These combined sources provide the following list of Merina rulers preceding Andrianampoinimerina's unification of Imerina in the Central Highlands and his son Radama I's successful conquest of the majority of Madagascar, bringing the island under his rule.
Asterisks denote names drawn from oral history without substantive evidence to verify the ruler's life or reign, viz., legendary or semi-legendary monarchs.
| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Radama I
| 1793 – 27 July 1828 (aged 35) | 6 July 1810 | 27 July 1828 | Son of Andrianampoinimerina | Merina |  |
| Ranavalona I | 1778 – 16 August 1861 (aged 83) | 1 August 1828 | 16 August 1861 | Wife of Radama I | Merina |  |
| Radama II | 23 September 1829 – 12 May 1863 (aged 33) | 16 August 1861 | 12 May 1863 (murdered) | Son of Ranavalona I | Merina |  |
| Rasoherina | 1814 – 1 April 1868 (aged 54) | 12 May 1863 | 1 April 1868 | Wife of Radama II | Merina |  |
| Ranavalona II | 1829 – 13 July 1883 (aged 54) | 1 April 1868 | 13 July 1883 | Wife of Radama II | Merina |  |
| Ranavalona III | 22 November 1861 – 23 May 1917 (aged 55) | 30 July 1883 | 28 February 1897 (deposed) | Niece of Ranavalona II Granddaughter of Radama I | Merina | |
| Andrianampoinimerina 1745–c. 1787–1810 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radama I King of Madagascar 1793–1810–1828 | Ranavalona I Queen of Madagascar 1778–1828–1861 | Andriamihaja | Rainiharo d. 1852 | Rainijohary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radama II King of Madagascar 1829–1861–1863 | Ranavalona II Queen of Madagascar 1829–1868–1883 | Rainilaiarivony Prime Minister of Madagascar 1828–1864– 1895–1896 | Ranavalona III Queen of Madagascar 1861–1883– 1897–1917 | Raharo Prime Minister of Madagascar 1824–1852– 1865–1868 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rasoherina Queen of Madagascar 1814–1863–1868 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After the fall of the Royal House, and the death of the last ruling Sovereign, Queen Ranavalona III's heir apparent, Princess Marie-Louise of Madagascar, remained. She died childless in 1948.[2]
