Robert Lyall: from scottish radical to imperial british agent at the court of imerina
Journal: Tsingy - Sciences Humaines - Sud-Ouest de l océan Indien
Year: 2014

This article examines the little-known background of Robert Lyall, appointed as the second Resident British Agent to the Merina Court. It reveals that he was born in the southern Scottish city of Paisley, a political hotbed of radicalism. Unsurprisingly, he developed into a staunch supporter of political reform, a sentiment strengthened by his time in Manchester (another centre of radicalism) and Russia. When he returned to Britain from Russia in 1823, Lyall published a number of books that crit