17 July 1896(1896-07-17) (aged 68) Algiers, French Algeria
Spouses
Rasoanalina
Rasoherina
Ranavalona II
Ranavalona III
Children
16
Parent
Rainiharo (father)
Rainilaiarivony (30 January 1828 – 17 July 1896) was a Malagasy politician who served as the prime minister of Madagascar from 1864 to 1895, succeeding his older brother Rainivoninahitriniony, who had held the post for thirteen years. His career mirrored that of his father Rainiharo, a renowned military man who became prime minister during the reign of Queen Ranavalona I.
Despite a childhood marked by ostracism from his family, as a young man Rainilaiarivony was elevated to a position of high authority and confidence in the royal court, serving alongside his father and brother. He co-led a critical military expedition with Rainivoninahitriniony at the age of 24 and was promoted to commander-in-chief of the army following the death of the queen in 1861. In that position he oversaw continuing efforts to maintain royal authority in the outlying regions of Madagascar and acted as adviser to his brother, who had been promoted to prime minister in 1852. He also influenced the transformation of the kingdom's government from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one, in which power was shared between the sovereign and the prime minister. Rainilaiarivony and Queen Rasoherina worked together to depose Rainivoninahitriniony for his abuses of office in 1864. Taking his brother's place as prime minister, Rainilaiarivony remained in power as Madagascar's longest-serving prime minister for the next 31 years by marrying three queens in succession: Rasoherina, Ranavalona II and Ranavalona III.
As prime minister, Rainilaiarivony actively sought to modernize the administration of the state, in order to strengthen and ensure Madagascar remained independent from foreign colonial empires who wished to absorb it. The army was reorganized and professionalized, public schooling was made mandatory, a series of legal codes patterned on English law were enacted and three courts were established in Antananarivo. Rainilaiarivony exercised care not to offend traditional norms, while gradually limiting traditional practices, such as slavery, polygamy, and unilateral repudiation of wives. He legislated the Christianization of the monarchy under Ranavalona II. His diplomatic skills and military acumen assured the defense of Madagascar during the Franco-Hova Wars, successfully preserving his country's sovereignty until a French column captured the royal palace in September 1895. Although holding him in high esteem, the French colonial authority deposed the prime minister and exiled him to French Algeria, where he died less than a year later in 1896.
Rainilaiarivony (30 January 1828 – 17 July 1896) was a Malagasy politician who served as the prime minister of Madagascar from 1864 to 1895, succeeding...
entered a political marriage with a member of the Hova elite named Rainilaiarivony, who largely oversaw the day-to-day governance of the kingdom and managed...
organizing the coup, headed by the brothers Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, invited Rabodo to succeed to the throne on the condition that she...
churches here from 1863 to 1872. From 1864 to 1894, Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony governed Madagascar alongside three successive queens, Rasoherina,...
position of prime minister was then filled by his younger brother Rainilaiarivony, who married Queen Rasoherina and then, upon her death, helped to designate...
projects. This agreement, which was later revoked by Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony, was key to establishing France's claim over Madagascar as a protectorate...
Minister Rainilaiarivony, who would go on to marry Queen Ranavalona II and Queen Ranavalona III in succession. Over the course of Rainilaiarivony's 31-year...
sovereigns Ranavalona II and Ranavalona III and their Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony, rejected the claim of French protectorate status and consistently...
capital city of Antananarivo, was the residence of Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony of Madagascar, who governed the island kingdom in the late 19th century...
Rainiharo Rainijohary [nl], husband of Ranavalona I Rainivoninahitriniony Rainilaiarivony Monaco: Jacques I, Prince of Monaco – He was first a male consort of a...
religion under Queen Ranavalona II and her powerful prime minister Rainilaiarivony. Political wrangling between Britain and France in the 1880s resulted...
his position and replaced as Prime Minister by his younger brother Rainilaiarivony. Rainivoninahitriniony died in exile on May 5, 1868, shortly after...
a political transition. Pfeiffer blamed the failure of the plot on Rainilaiarivony, then Commander-in-Chief of the army who reportedly had been unable...
hold the bodies of Rainiharo's two sons, Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, who would each succeed him as Commander-in-Chief, Prime Minister and...
bin Khalifa Al Thani. Africa Rainiharo, Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, Commander-in-Chief of the military and the prime minister of the Merina...
Rainivoninahitriniony revoked the Lambert Treaty in 1863. From 1864, Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony endeavored to modernize the state by putting an end to slavery in 1877...
Autumn of 1895, the Merina Kingdom's Prime Minister for 31 years prior, Rainilaiarivony, was removed from his post and placed under house arrest by the French...
1867. She replaced the incumbent Prime Minister with his brother, Rainilaiarivony, who retained the role for three decades and married each successive...
1864 (deposed.) 12 years, 155 days Independent Radama II Rasoherina 4 Rainilaiarivony (1828–1896) 14 July 1864 14 October 1895 (deposed.) 31 years, 92 days...
political influence of the British missionaries, led Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony to legislate the conversion of the royal court. This prompted widespread...
Menalamba rebellion. Queen Ranavalona III, her husband and Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony, and a core group of Hova courtiers were held responsible. Rainandriamampandry...
of them French. The Malagasy Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Rainilaiarivony tried to resist at Tsarasaotra on the 29 June 1895, and at Andriba...
capture the royal palace in September 1894 and exiled Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony upon officially colonizing the island in February 1895. Queen Ranavalona...
tested on Christmas Day 1892. Following this experiment, Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony and Queen Ranavalona III began working with a contractor to purchase...
catholique. Chapus, G.S.; Mondain, G. (1953). Un homme d'etat malgache: Rainilaiarivony (in French). Paris: Editions Diloutremer. Cousins, William Edward....
Madagascar Museum of the Armed Forces (Musée des Forces Armées) Museum Rainilaiarivony in Amboditsiry, Antananarivo. Antsirabe Akamia Museum Nosy Be Oceanographic...
Madagascar 1829–1861–1863 Ranavalona II Queen of Madagascar 1829–1868–1883 Rainilaiarivony Prime Minister of Madagascar 1828–1864– 1895–1896 Ranavalona III Queen...
Global Information