Radama I, King of Madagascar (1793-1828) to James Hastie
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04466.02 Author/Creator: Radama I, King of Madagascar (1793-1828) Place Written: Madagascar Type: Autograph note signed Date: 18 June 1821 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 9.5 x 19.7 cm. Order a Copy
Written by Radama I "the Great," the first king of Madagascar, to Hastie, the British agent to his court. Document is in Radama's language, probably Malagasy, and is translated and transcribed by Hastie above Radama's words. He is inviting Hastie to visit him, saying the rice is boiled and the birds are cooling. Hastie was in Tananarivo, the capital. Translation of address says "I salute you."
At the end of the 18th century the disunited Merina kingdom (a small area in the central plateau of the island, around Antananarivo) was unified by Andrianampoinimerina (1787-1810). Imerina was soundly organized and the Sakaiava incursions checked. Turning his attention to expansion, Andrianampoinimerina brought the Betsileo into subjection. At his death he bequeathed to his son Radama I a single political ambition: "The sea will be the boundary of ricefield" (i.e., of his kingdom).
In 1810, Radama I succeeded his father Andrianampoinimerina as king of Merina. An ambitious ruler, he first took over the Betsileo area in the southern part of the central highlands, then the Sakalava. Radama also received help from the British governor of Mauritiu, Sir Robert Farquhar, who, failing to obtain the backing of the British government to replace the French in Madagascar, adopted a policy of supporting the Merina. For some years British agent, James Hastie, resided at Radama's court. By playing off competing British and French interests, Radama acquired British aid for his military, which he then used to conquer most of the rest of the island by 1824. Radama also encouraged social and political change; he organized a cabinet, and invited the Protestant London Missionary Society to establish schools and churches. The Society also brought a printing press, and devised a written form of the Malagasy language. He officially abolished the slave trade in 1817, although slave-dealing continued.
Radama died at the age of 36 and was succeeded by his wife, Queen Ranavalona I who seized royal authority.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.