Andriambelomasina

Andriambelomasina ("Andriana-velona-masina" 'The-King-alive-saint', born Rakotomavo 'The-yellow-man', also known as Andriamaheritsialainolotany 'The-powerful-King-whose-land-cannot-be-stolen'; ca. 1700 Ambohitrontsy –1770 Ambohimanga) was a Merina King of Imerina Avaradrano ("Northern Imerina), which capital was Ambohimanga, in Madagascar island.

Birth and lineage

Born at Ambohitrontsy (also Ambohitrosy), he was the son ofAndriamifonozozoro and Princess Rangorinimerina. Through his mother, he was the grandson of King Andriamasinavalona of Imerina. He was later adopted by the childles King of Imerina Avaradrano, Andriantsimitoviaminandriana Andriandrazaka, to whom he succeeded in 1730 on the throne of Ambohimanga. cite book
last = Callet
first = F.
year = 1908
title = Tantara ny Andriana (Histoire des rois)
publisher = Imprimerie Catholique, Edition 1878-1881, 1943 p ]

Descendants

He had two wives: the first, his principal wife was Queen Rasoherimananitany, the secund was Queen Renidrodonimerina. He died ca. 1770 at Ambohimanga. Among his sons were:

* Andrianjafy (Andrianjafinandriamanitra), who succeeded on the death of his father in 1770 on the throne of Imerina Avaradrano at Ambohimanga.
* Prince Andriantsimitoviaminandriana
* Prince Andriantsimitovizafinitrimo, Prince (Printsy) of Ambatomanoina

Andriambelomasina was also the grandfather of the great Merina King, Andrianampoinimerina. Feeling that the part of the Merina Kingdom he was ruling was menaced, Andriambelomasina had the strategical idea to marry his daughter Ranavalonanadriambelomasina to the King Andriamiaramanjaka of Ikaloy and Anjafy, a Zafimamy/Alahamadintany Kingdom in the North of Ambohimanga border. This historical wedding gave birth to the greatest King in Madagascar history,Andrianampoinimerina, who unified the Merina Kingdom during his reign, and extended it to the whole highlands of Madagascar. The resulting conquests of Andrianampoinimerina set up the basis of the unification of all the Madagascar clan Kingdoms, continued by Andrianampoinimerina's son, King Radama I (1810-1831), and was almost realized at the end of the 19th century.

References

External sources

[http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Madagascar/madaga5.htm]