Rasoherina of Madagascar

Infobox Monarch
name =Rasoherina
title =Rasoherina, by the grace of God and the will of the people, Queen of Madgascar, and Defender of the laws of the country


caption =Queen Rasoherina in about 1865
reign =12 May 1863 – 1 April, 1868
coronation =30 August 1863
othertitles =
full name =Rasoherina Rabodozanakandriana
predecessor =Radama II
successor =Ranavalona II
heir =
queen =
consort =Rainivoninahitriniony
spouse 1 =
spouse 2 =
spouse 3 =
spouse 4 =
spouse 5 =
spouse 6 =
issue =
royal house =
dynasty =Merina
royal anthem =
father =Andriantsalama
mother =Rafaramanjaka
date of birth =1814
place of birth =Rovan' Ambatomanoina, Fokontany of Masombahiny
date of death =1 April, 1868
place of death =Amboditsiry
date of burial =
place of burial =Tomb of the Queens, Rovan Antananarivo|

Rasoherina (1814 – April 1, 1868) (also Rasoaherina) was Queen of Madagascar from 1863 to 1868, succeeding her assassinated husband Radama II.

She was born as Rabodozanakandriana in 1814, the daughter of Prince Andriantsalamanandriana, of Ambohitraina and Princess Rafaramanjaka (Ramirahavavy), and was a niece of Queen Ranavalona I. She was married to Ranavalona's son and heir Rakoto and when he succeeded his mother in 1861 as King Radama II, she was crowned with him as queen consort. After Radama II was assassinated in 1863, a council of princes headed by Rainilaiarivony approached Rabodo, on the day after the death of her husband. They gave her the conditions under which she could succeed to the throne. These conditions included the suppression of trial by ordeal as well as the monarchy's defense of freedom of religion. Rabodo was crowned on May 13, 1863 under the throne name of Rasoherina. [ Frédéric Randriamamonjy, "Tantaran'i Madagasikara Isam-Paritra" (The history of Madagascar by Region), pages 529 - 534.]

The real power of the kingdom at the beginning of her reign was the prime minister Rainivoninahitriniony, who married her few weeks after the crowning. A year later, Rasoherina appointed Rainilaiarivony as prime minister, who succeeded his half brother Rainivoninahitriniony as the real ruler of Madagascar and later also as her husband. [Keith Laidler, "Female Caligula: Ranavalona, the Mad Queen of Madagascar", ISBN 0-470-02223-X, pages 210 - 213]

The Malagasy people remember Queen Rasoherina for sending ambassadors to London and Paris and for prohibiting Sunday markets. On June 30, 1865, she signed a treaty with the United Kingdom giving British citizens the right to rent land and property on the island and to have a resident ambassador. With the United States of America she signed a trade agreement that also limited the importation of weapons and the export of cattle. Finally, with France the queen signed a peace between her descendants and the descendants of the "Emperor of France". [ Frédéric Randriamamonjy, "Tantaran'i Madagasikara Isam-Paritra" ("The history of Madagascar by Region"), pages 529 - 534] She was receive into the Roman Catholic Church on her deathbed.

Rasoherina was succeeded by Ramako, another of Radama II's wives, who took the throne name Ranavalona II.

References