Twelve sacred hills, twelve royal wives… When counting them up, it turns out there are more than twelve sacred hills and more than twelve royal wives. Taking the case of King Andrianampoinimerina, he reportedly had around twenty. It is worth remembering that he used many of these unions to pacify and unify the Kingdom of Imerina, as well as to prevent unsuitable alliances. According to the ‘Tantara ny Andriana eto Madagascar’ by Father Callet, he also had ‘inherited wives’ under his care.
His ‘vadibe’ (principal wife) was Rabodonimerina, a cousin of the king. She had no children and adopted a nephew, Rabodolahy, who rebelled when the king named Laidama as his successor. The plot was discovered, and both he and his mother were sentenced to death. Other wives, such as Rafotsirahisatra, Ratsimihantasoa, and Ramiangaly, played strategic roles in the pacification and administration of various regions like Avaradrano, Ambohidrabiby, and Ambohipoloalina.
Ramanantenasoa, another wife from Alasora, supported the king in the conquest of Vakinisisaony. After the unification of Imerina, she briefly left the king to remarry, only to be recalled later. Her son, Ramavolahy, was eventually executed for conspiracy. Rambolamasoandro, from Ambohidratrimo, bore the king five children, including Radama I. Her eventual infidelity, discovered through a clever metaphor by her son, led to her departure from the royal court.
The king also utilized marriages with women from Alasora, such as Ramatoaramisa, Rasoamananoro, and Ravaonimerina, to stabilize and control different parts of the kingdom. The story of Rabodozafimanjaka, who was installed at Antsahadinta, highlights the complexities of royal land management and the severe consequences of family conflicts within the Imerina hierarchy.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-31 05:38:55 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/des-collines-sacrees-et-epouses-royales.html