Rainiharo

Rainiharo (died 10 February 1852) was from 1833 to 1852 Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Madagascar.

Biography

Rainiharo was born into the Hova (freeman) class of the Merina people. His father served as an adviser to the great king Andrianampoinimerina. After distinguishing himself as a military officer in a series of campaigns of pacification in the southeastern part of the island, he was chosen as a spouse by Queen Ranavalona I following the death of her first husband in 1833,^[2] and was thereupon promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the military and Prime Minister of Madagascar.^[3] He retained these roles until his death in 1853,^[1] when he was interred in a distinctive tomb constructed in central Antananarivo by Frenchman Jean Laborde.^[4] This tomb would later hold the bodies of Rainiharo's two sons, Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, who would each succeed him as Commander-in-Chief, Prime Minister and consort.^[3]

Literary

Rainiharo is mentioned in The Fugitives by R.M. Ballantyne.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b University of Southern California archive, accessed 15 August 2008
^ Non European Royalty, accessed 15 August 2008
^ ^a ^b Madagascar prime ministers, rulers.org, accessed 15 August 2008
^ Tourist guide, hotel-palissandre.com
^ The Fugitives, R.M.Ballantyne, athelstane.co.uk

Persondata
Name	Rainiharo
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	10 February 1852
Place of death