Ranavalona III (November 22, 1861 – May 23, 1917) was the last sovereign of the
Kingdom of Madagascar. She ruled from July 30, 1883 to February 28, 1897 in a reign marked by ongoing and ultimately futile efforts to resist the colonial designs of the government of France. As a young woman, she was selected from among several
Andriana qualified to succeed Queen
Ranavalona II upon her death. Like both preceding queens, Ranavalona entered a political marriage with a member of the
Hova elite named
Rainilaiarivony, who in his role as
Prime Minister of Madagascar, largely oversaw the day-to-day governance of the kingdom and managed its foreign affairs. Ranavalona tried to stave off colonization by strengthening trade and diplomatic relations with the United States and Great Britain throughout her reign. French attacks on coastal port towns and an assault on the capital city of
Antananarivo ultimately led to the capture of the
royal palace in 1895, ending the sovereignty and political autonomy of the century-old kingdom.