Highland kingdom that unified most of Madagascar before the French conquest.
Conquered by France following the Second Franco-Hova War: French forces captured Antananarivo in 1895, and Madagascar was formally annexed as a French colony on 6 August 1896; Queen Ranavalona III was deposed and exiled to Réunion on 27 February 1897, ending the Merina kingdom's sovereignty.
A full narrative history of Madagascar and the Merina kingdom's unification.
Shillington's survey covers Madagascar's state formation and the rise of the Merina and Sakalava kingdoms.