father predecessor successor succession mother birth_place death_date death_place birth_date coronation spouse image article_title name reign
andrianampoinimerina andrianampoinimerina ranavalona i king of madagascar rambolamasoandro ambohimanga 27 july 1828 -lrb- age 35 -rrb- rova of antananarivo 1793 1810 ramavo radama i , portrait by ramanankirahina.jpg radama i
 radama i 1810 -- 1828
radama i

radama i `` the great '' -lrb- 1793 -- 1828 -rrb- was the first malagasy sovereign to be recognized as king of madagascar -lrb- 1810-1828 -rrb- by a european state .
he came to power at the age of 17 following the death of his father , king andrianampoinimerina .
under radama 's rule and at his invitation , the first europeans entered his central highland kingdom of imerina and its capital at antananarivo .
radama encouraged these london missionary society envoys to establish schools to teach tradecraft and literacy to nobles and potential military and civil service recruits ; they also introduced christianity and taught literacy using the translated bible .
a wide range of political and social reforms were enacted under his rule , including an end to the international slave trade , which had historically been a key source of wealth and armaments for the merina monarchy .
through aggressive military campaigns he successfully united two-thirds of the island under his rule .
abuse of alcohol weakened his health and he died prematurely at age 32 .
he was succeeded by his highest-ranking wife , ranavalona i.
