History of Africa

The economic progress made under Ranavalona's early reign was seemingly awe-inspiring. The country had rapidly transformed from a feudal state pumping endless sums of cash into per…

Ranavalona hires a new group of foreign artisans like Jean Laborde and James Cameron to hasten the transformation of Madagascar into a modern, industrialized economy. Will the Meri…

When Radama I died without a clear heir, his wife, Ranavalona I, allied with a group of military officers to secure her place as the new queen of Madagascar. Almost immediately, sh…

An industrial revolution in Southeast Africa? Following the abolition of the slave trade in 1817, the future of the economy of Imerina was in flux. Looking for a replacement for th…

Prior to his coronation, the king of Imerina, Radama, promised to his father that he would expand the kingdom towards the coast. In 1817, he accomplished this goal, conquering the…

If his father is the most remembered king in Madagascar, Radama is probably the best-known Malagasy king in the rest of the world. Radama is famous not only for leading the first m…

In our last episode, Andrianampoinimerina reunited the warring kingdoms of Imerina after seven decades of intermittent civil war. While this alone is a significant achievement, And…

Andrianampoinimerina is the most famous monarch in Malagasy history, and for good reason. At a young age, Andrianampoinimerina, still then known by his birth name Rambosalamarazaka…

After Andriamasinavalona's passing, his sons' feud will blossom into a 70-year long civil war. Communities will tear each other apart, slave raiding will reach new heights, and fam…

The 18th century will be a painful time for the people of Imerina. The once proud kingdom will devolve into a deadly multilateral civil war, splitting into dozens of smaller kingdo…

The class conflict of Imerina comes to a head, as the free peasants of central Madagascar overthrow the hated king Razakatsitakatrandria. In his place they elevate Andriamasinavalo…

As Andrianjaka passes his stable but poor kingdom to his grandchildren, they undertake an enormous project to improve the agricultural output of Imerina. Their largest project, con…

Despite being the younger of Ralambo's sons, Andrianjaka inherited the kingdom of Imerina due to his brother's board gaming addiction. He would make the most of this time, with som…

In the early 17th century, a raiding party of Sakalava soldiers entered Imerina. King Ralambo, faced with an existential threat, was forced to rely only on a combination of his own…

While Imerina is our primary focus this season, they were far from the pre-eminent power in 18th Century Madagascar. In today's show, let's learn about the first empire to truly do…

Of all seven of the king's children, Ralambo was the only son to survive into adulthood. Emerging into a world through a miraculous birth, Ralambo's rule would be miraculous in its…

With Rangita deceased, it is now time for her sons to live up to her promise to cooperate and share power. Which lasts about as long as you'd expect. With his brother dead, Andriam…

In today's episode, we examine the Vazimba, the mysterious original inhabitants of inland Madagascar. Are they fact, fiction, or somewhere in between? Support the show

This episode charts the numerous hypotheses and perceptions of Madagascar's confusing early history of migrations, its place in the economic system of the ancient Indian Ocean, and…

Today, we take our first steps into the history of Madagascar by looking at some unique features of the island itself, including the various topological and climatic regions within…