Rasoherina | |||||
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Queen Rasoherina in about 1865
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Queen of Madagascar | |||||
Reign | 12 May 1863 – 1 April 1868 | ||||
Coronation | 23 September 1862 30 August 1863 |
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Predecessor | Radama II | ||||
Successor | Ranavalona II | ||||
Born | 1814 Rovan' Ambatomanoina, Fokontany of Masombahiny |
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Died | 1 April 1868 (aged 53–54) Amboditsiry |
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Burial | Tomb of the Queens, Rovan Antananarivo | ||||
Spouse | Raharolahy Radama II Rainivoninahitriniony Rainilaiarivony |
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Issue | Ratahiry Rasoaveromanana |
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House | Merina | ||||
Dynasty | Hova dynasty | ||||
Father | Prince Andriantsalamanandriana | ||||
Mother | Princess Rafaramanjaka |
Full name | |
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Rasoherina-Manjaka Rabodozanakandriana |
Rasoherina (1814 – 1 April 1868) (also Rasoherina-Manjaka) was Queen of Madagascar from 1863 to 1868, succeeding her husband Radama II following his presumed assassination.
Rasoherina, niece of Queen Ranavalona I, was born Princess Rabodozanakandriana in 1814, the daughter of Prince Andriantsalamanandriana, of Ambohitraina and Princess Rafaramanjaka (Ramirahavavy). As a young woman, she married Raharolahy (Raharola), a successful statesman in his own right who received 15 state honors and served as Secretary to the Embassy to Great Britain (1836–37), Second Minister for Foreign Affairs in French matters (1862), Minister for the Interior (1862–64), Counselor of Government (1864–65) and Governor of Toamasina (1865). The couple divorced in 1847 and that same year she was married to Ranavalona's son and heir, Rakoto. When he succeeded his mother in 1861 as King Radama II, she was crowned with him as queen consort.
Rasoherina acted as queen consort for only two years before her husband's political decisions succeeded in displeasing his ministers to such an extent that a coup was organized in which Radama II was believed assassinated. A study conducted in the 1960s provides evidence that Radama in fact survived the assassination attempt and lived to old age as a regular citizen outside the capital, although rumors to this end were never proven to be true at the time, and the evolution of life at court pursued its course as if Radama had died. The day of his believed death in 1863, the council of Hova government officials responsible for organizing the coup, headed by the brothers Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, invited Rabodo to succeed to the throne on the condition that she sign a contract stipulating conditions that in effect created a constitutional monarchy placing the real ruling power in the hands of the Prime Minister. These conditions included the suppression of tangena (a traditional 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.