Ambohimanga - History

History

The earliest settlement at the height of Ambohimanga was most likely established in the 15th century, with rice paddies having taken the place of the original valley forests by the 16th century. The community inhabiting the villages around the rova, known as the Tsimahafotsy, were an elite clan of hova (commoners). The Tsimahafotsy family known as the Andafiavaratra would become one of the two most powerful hova families in the 19th century, including the first Queen Ranavalona's consort Rainijohary, as well as the brothers Rainivoninahitriniony and Rainilaiarivony, who would successively serve as Prime Ministers between 1861 and 1896.

In 1710, Merina king Andriamasinavalona (1675-1710) divided the central highland Kingdom of Imerina into four quadrants, which were given to his four favorite sons to rule. His son Andriantsimitoviaminandriana (1710-1730) was given control of the eastern quadrant, Avaradrano, and the town of Ambohimanga that it contained. Andriantsimitoviaminandriana established the first rova at the site, ordering the construction of its defensive walls and the site's first set of seven gates. He was succeeded by his adopted son, Andriambelomasina (1730-1770), who ruled Avaradrano from the capital at Ambohimanga, as did his own successor and eldest son, Andrianjafy (1770-1787).

Andrianampoinimerina dethroned Andrianjafy in a violent conflict that ended in 1787. In keeping with his new position as king of Avaradrano, he ordered the construction at Ambohimanga of new city walls and gates, as well as a rosewood palace called Mahandrihono, which he had built in the traditional style. He mobilized representatives of the numerous noble castes to participate in this reconstruction effort in a successful attempt to consolidate their support for his rule. The young king then initiated a successful campaign to bring under his rule the twelve sacred hills of Imerina, including the hill city of Antananarivo, to reunite the four quadrants of the Kingdom of Imerina under his sovereignty. Following the conquest of Antananarivo in 1793, Andrianampoinimerina shifted the political capital of Imerina to its original site at Antananarivo, while pronouncing Ambohimanga the kingdom's spiritual capital. Important traditional rituals continued to be held at Ambohimanga, and the king regularly stayed in Mahandrihono.

Ambohimanga was known to visiting foreigners as a "forbidden city" until 1897 when the French colonial administration transferred all the relics and significant belongings of the royal family to Antananarivo to break the spirit of resistance and ethnic identity inspired by these symbols. The city nonetheless retains its symbolic significance in Imerina to this day.

"Ambohimanga is the source of all goodness
Antananarivo, the vessel that stores it
Ambohimanga gave birth to our kings
Antananarivo, the city that united their people
Ambohimanga has love in abundance
Antananarivo, the pleasures of the world"

Ambohimanga and Antananarivo are centrally placed within the the Kingdom of Imerina and are the most important in symbolic, political and historical terms. While Antananarivo is viewed as the political capital, the role of spiritual capital was held by Ambohimanga. In keeping with the two coexistant cosmological notions predominant in traditional Imerina that valued the center with its radiating cardinal points as well as the conceptualization of the northeast as sacred, Antananarivo was viewed as the center of Imerina, and Ambohimanga is located to its northeast.

Upon the accession of Queen Ranavalona I to the throne in 1828, swine were forbidden at Ambohimanga due to their association with Europeans, who had propagated pork as a food source in the decade prior. The French removed the forests remaining on the neighboring hilltops in the early 20th century.