second Madagascar expedition
{{Short description|1894–1895 French conquest of the Merina Kingdom}}
{{redirect|Madagascar expedition|the earlier expedition|First Madagascar expedition}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Madagascar Expedition
| partof = the Franco-Hova Wars
| image = FrenchTroopsMadagasgar.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = French infantry landing at Majunga, May 1895.
| date = December 1894 – September 1895
| place = Madagascar
| result = French victory
- Establishment of the Malagasy Protectorate
| combatant1 = {{flagcountry|French Third Republic}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Merina Kingdom}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|French Third Republic}} Jacques Duchesne
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Merina Kingdom}} Rainilaiarivony
| strength1 = 15,000 soldiers
6,000 porters
| strength2 = 30,000
40,000 reservists
| casualties1 = 25 killed in combat
6,000 died of disease
| casualties2 = 4,500 killed in combat
| casualties3 =
}}
The Second Madagascar expedition was a French military intervention which took place in 1894–1895, sealing the conquest of the Merina Kingdom on the island of Madagascar by France. It was the last phase of the Franco-Hova War and followed the First Madagascar expedition of 1883–1885.
Background
Madagascar was at the time an independent country, ruled from the capital of Antananarivo by the Merina dynasty from the central highlands.Vichy in the Tropics: Petain's National Revolution in Madagascar, Guadeloupe ... by Eric Jennings p.33 [https://books.google.com/books?id=j9m__e68gaUC&pg=PA33] The French invasion was triggered by the refusal of Queen Ranavalona III to accept a protectorate treaty from France,Musée de l'Armée exhibit, Paris despite the signature of the Franco-Hova Treaty of 1885 following the First Madagascar expedition.France overseas: a study of modern imperialism by Herbert Ingram Priestley p.308 [https://books.google.com/books?id=BOopmtvrsOAC&pg=PA308] Resident-general Charles Le Myre de Vilers broke negotiation and effectively declared war on the Malagasy monarchy.[https://books.google.com/books?id=xh-QcHRG3OwC&pg=PA529 The Cambridge history of Africa J. D. Fage p.529]
The expedition
File:Madagascar Expedition - Petit Journal.jpeg, with the legend: "Events of Madagascar. M. Le Myre de Vilers and the colons leaving the coast."]]
File:Map of the Second Madagascar Expedition.jpg
An expeditionary corps was sent under General Jacques Duchesne.Musée de l'Armée exhibit, Paris First, the harbor of Toamasina on the east coast, and Mahajanga on the west coast, were bombarded and occupied in December 1894 and January 1895 respectively.Disease and empire: the health of European troops in the conquest of Africa by Philip D. Curtin p.186 [https://books.google.com/books?id=jVRF8hDyhpgC&pg=PA186] Some troops were landed, but the main expeditionary force, however, arrived in May 1895, numbering about 15,000 men, supported by around 6,000 carriers.Curtin, p.186Priestley p.308 The campaign was to take place during the rainy season, with disastrous consequences for the French expeditionary corps.Cambridge history of Africa, p.529
As soon as the French landed, revolts erupted here and there against the Merina government of Queen Ranavalona III. The uprisings were variously against the government, slave labour, Christianisation (the court had converted to Protestantism in the 1860s).Curtin, p.187
As the French force advanced towards Antananarivo, they had to build a road along the way.Curtin, p.186 By August 1895, the French were only mid-way at Andriba where there were numerous Malagasy fortifications but only limited fighting.Curtin, p.186 Disease, especially malaria, but also dysentery and typhoid fever, was taking a heavy toll on the French expeditionary corps.Curtin, p.186 The expedition was a medical disaster: about 1/3 of the force died of disease.Curtin, p.187 Altogether, there were 6,000 deaths in the expedition, four-fifths of them French.Priestley p.308
The Malagasy Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Rainilaiarivony tried to resist at Tsarasaotra on the 29 June 1895, and at Andriba on the 22 August 1895. He again attacked the Duchesne "flying column" in September, but his elite gunner troops were decimated by the French.Cambridge history of Africa, p.530
Duchesne had to send a "flying column" from Andriba on the 14 September 1895, formed of Algerian and African soldiers as well as marines and accompanied by pack mules, to the capital. They arrived at the end of September.Curtin, p.186 An artillery battery was trained on the royal palace from the heights around the capital, and high-explosive shells were fired on the palace, killing many.Cambridge history of Africa, p.530 The Queen promptly surrendered.Curtin, p.186Cambridge history of Africa, p.530
In the whole conflict, there were only a few skirmishes, and only 25 French soldiers died from fighting.Curtin, p.186
On 1 October 1895, the Merina Kingdom signed a treaty with France wherein it became a French protectorate.{{Cite journal|last=Mutibwa|first=Phares M.|date=1980|journal=Transafrican Journal of History|volume=9|issue=1/2|pages=134–152|issn=0251-0391|jstor=24328554|title=Resistance to Colonialism: The Revolt of 1904—5 in South-East Madagascar}}
Aftermath
File:Medal of the Second Madagascar Expedition law of 15 January 1896.jpg. Law of 15 January 1896. Musée de la Légion d'Honneur.]]
The conquest of the island was formalized by the 6 August 1896 vote at the French National Assembly, which resulted in favor of the annexation of Madagascar.Musée de l'Armée exhibit, Paris
Despite the success of the expedition, the quelling of the sporadic rebellions would take another eight years until 1905, when the island was completely pacified by the French under Joseph Gallieni.Curtin, p.187Jennings p.33 During that time, insurrections against the Malagasy Christians of the island, missionaries and foreigners were particularly terrible.Priestley p.309 Queen Ranavalona III was deposed in January 1897 and was exiled to Algiers in Algeria, where she died in 1917.Musée de l'Armée exhibit, Paris
{{Gallery
|width=120
|File:Madagascar French expeditionnary troops Henri Gallichet 1850 1923 La Guerre a Madagascar 1896.jpg|Madagascar French expeditionary troops.
|File:Merina troops in ambush Henri Gallichet 1850 1923 Louis Charles Bombled 1862-1927 La Guerre a Madagascar 1896.jpg|Merina troops in ambush.
|File:Merina troops Henri Gallichet 1850 1923 Louis Charles Bombled 1862-1927 La Guerre a Madagascar 1896.jpg|Merina troops standing guard.
|File:Merina artillery in ambush Henri Gallichet 1850 1923 Louis Charles Bombled 1862-1927 La Guerre a Madagascar 1896.jpg|Merina artillery.
|File:Merina troops raising the alarm Henri Gallichet 1850 1923 Louis Charles Bombled 1862-1927 La Guerre a Madagascar 1896.jpg|Merina troops raising the alarm.
|File:Malagasy troops sur rending to French expeditionary army in 1895.jpg|Merina troops surrender to the french colonial army.
}}
Notes
{{reflist|2}}
References
- Curtin, Philip D. Disease and empire: the health of European troops in the conquest of Africa by Philip D. Curtin [https://books.google.com/books?id=jVRF8hDyhpgC&pg=PA186]
- Ingram, Priestley Herbert France overseas: a study of modern imperialism [https://books.google.com/books?id=BOopmtvrsOAC&pg=PA308]
{{French colonial campaigns}}
Category:French Third Republic
Category:Madagascar expeditions