Ranavalona III (22 November 1861 - 23 May 1917) was Queen of Madagascar from 1883 to 28 February 1897, when she was deposed by France, who subsequently ruled the island as a colony.
Like her predecessors, she married the prime minister Rainilaiarivony upon succeeding Ranavalona II.
She had the misfortune to be caught up in the endgame of the maneuvering that had been going on between the British and French since the beginning of the century. In 1885, she signed a treaty with France giving them various rights and concessions, which was deemed sufficient excuse to declare a protectorate over the entire island, which was recognized by Britain in the Anglo-French agreement of 1890.
In 1886, the queen tried to enlist the support of the United States by sending gifts to then-President Grover Cleveland, including silk akotofahana cloths, an ivory pin, and a woven basket. However, US was neither able nor inclined to assert itself in favor of Madagascar's independence.
In 1894, the queen and her government refused to follow French orders, and in 1895 the French sent an expeditionary force, which occupied Antananarivo with very little resistance. Rainilaiarivony was sent into exile immediately and died the following year, but the queen and much of her administration remained, even after the official declaration of Madagascar as a French colony in August 1896. An insurrection followed soon after, the queen's court was accused of encouraging it, and General Gallieni abolished the monarchy in February 1897.
Ranavalona was deposed and sent to the island of Réunion, then in March 1899 to Algiers, where she died some years later.
