Last modified: 2004-02-07 by jarig bakker
Keywords: madagascar | royal | ranavalona iii | benyowszky |
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Merina rulers:
Radama I - 1819-1828
Ranavalona I (Queen) 1828-1861
Radama II - 1861-1863
Rasoaherina (Queen) 1863-1868
Ranavalona II (Queen) 1868-1883
Ranavalona III (Queen) 1883-1896
Jarig Bakker, 5 Mar 2002
by Paige Herring 1 January 1999
This flag is recreated from a picture of a German Cigarette card which
reproduced the flag of Queen Ranavalona III. The flag was shown in reverse;
therefore, I have reproduced it as such. I'm not sure if the lettering
on the obverse would have been in mirror form or in a readable form.
Paige Herring, 1 January 1999
The last indigenous monarch, Queen Ranavalona III, used a flag of diagonally
red over white with her royal cipher (crown over R M) over all (Crampton,
The
World of Flags, 1990, p65)
Roy Stilling, 11 October 1996
According "Les drapeaux de Madagascar" by Lucien Philippe, book made
from a comunication in an International Congress, the queen Ranavalona
I (first) used white flag with name (in red) and below the name the word
"manjaka" (Queen). Several flags are quoted in time of Ranavalona II but
anyone is white whit red name edged black.
Also several flags in the era of Ranavalona III, but anyone according
the one posted.
But in the book by D. Ruhl "Die Flagge des kriegs und handelsmarinen"
(1885, 1887) is quoted the ensign posted. But, in opinion of Karl Fachinger,
was an error, and the real flag was B-W-R with the golden name. Later the
queen Ranavalona III has a personal standard: the french flag with golden
royal crown in the white band, and below the crown, the letters R M.
Jaume Ollé, 7 January 1999
The source from which I got the image is Crampton's
Flags of the World, 1990. The image is under the Malagasy (I've done
my research into adjectives) section. I've read other descriptions, the
Ranavalona III image is the first picture. My assumption, based on what
little I know of the cigarette card heyday, would be that the image would
be from prior to World War II. My last thought is that I doubt that the
flag could be hers since was she deposed in 1897.
Paige Herring, 6 January 1999
by Ivan Sarajcic 6 January 1999
I've detected the flag that is evidently related to Calvin Paige Herring's
Queen Ranavalona's flag. Yellow letters "RANAVALO" (black outline) are
on the white background. This is the only unfamiliar flag to me from the
little guidebook called "Taschenbuch für die Kriegsmarine mit Kalendarium"
(Adolf Sponholz Verlag - Hannover 1944). It is listed in section "Die wichtigsten
Flaggen der Welt (Forsetzung)" among the other flags of independent countries.
As far as I know, Madagascar was French colony at that time (1944), wasn't
it? Maybe "Ranavalo" flag was Queen Ranavalona's personal flag?
Ivan Sarajcic, 6 January 1999
Ivan found it in a small handbook for the German Navy, dated 1944. Actually,
there is an earlier evidence in an Italian encyclopedia published in 1938.
On table 377 of "Enciclopedia Pratica Bompiani", vol.1, there is
exactely the same flag attributed to Madagascar, a French colony at the
time. I always considered it to be a mistake, even if all the other pictures
in the table are a common sight in the flag plates of the time. As a matter
of fact, yellow characters on a white background are indeed scarcely visible
and it would be a very poor choice for any real flag. So, it is a surprise
they appear again six years after in a German publication: a case of carbon
copy? And what was it for? Now, I have in mind a possible explanantion.
Does anybody know if the word "ranavalo" has a meaning in a local
language? I remember of some cases, in a few modern Italian flag plates,
where a state had a white flag with the words "non disponibile" on it.
Indeed a strange pattern, even with black capital characters - a great
improvement over a yellow motto, though. One point, yet: for those
not too knowledgable in Italian, "non disponibile" means "unavailable"...
Pier Paolo Lugli, 13 Oct 2003
The author reports the story of the count Benyowszky, who related his life in an autobiography where quite good observations are mixed with enormous lies. Please don' t read the following lines as pure truth.
Count Benyowszky was born in Verbowa (Hungary (?)) in 1741. He told
he fought as a general in imperial army in 1756, but it seems to be wrong
because he was only 15 or 16. His brothers stole his legacy, he tried to
punish them but was then forced to leave. He went to Poland, fought with
Confederation of Bar, was arrested by Russians, deported to Kazan, where
he conspired against the russian government. He was then deported to Kamtchatka.
He arrived in 1770 at Bolcherjezk, where he seduced the daughter of the
Governor. He leads a rebellion and one of the fighters kills the
Governor. Benyowszky leaves to Formosa with the Governor's daughter (who
dies meanwhile in Macau). Their vessel flies "the flag of the polish Confederacy".
Benyowszky wrote that he became king of Formosa. He and his friends decided
to establish a colony there, and went to Macau, Madagascar (Fort-Dauphin),
and arrived in Lorient, France in 1772 to find some help. He tells France
did not want to help him make an expedition in Formosa, and sent him to
Madagascar. He arived in 1774 in the Bay of Antongil, where he founded
Louisbourg. People of Madagascar see in Benyowszky the grandson of Ramimi,
the last "ampansacabe". He put up a Supreme council, a pemanent council
with local people and Europeans, and tried to be recognized as a King.
At the same time, French of Ile de France (Mauritius) wanted to defeat
him so that Madagscar does not become a much important place for business
in the Indian ocean. Benyowszky leaves Madagascar for Europe and America;
he is finally supported by a business firm in Baltimore thanks to Benjamin
Franklin and George Washington. He comes back in Madagascar in 1785. France
decides to fight against him. He is killed during the assault of his small
fort, in 1786, May 23rd.
There was on the fort *a blue flag, with two white stars and a white
crescent*.
Nota Bene : The source for the flag is not quoted by Bruno Fuligni.
I don't know how much such a story is reliable...
Olivier Touzeau, 20 Dec 2000
History related by Fuligni is well known. In his history of Malgache
flags, Lucien Philippe, many years ago, also reported this facts. Kingdom
was named "Royaume d'Antongil"
Flag is described with some differences according sources:
a) Blue flag with white crescent pointed to fly
b) Blue flag wit two white crescent, one at side of other, first one
pointed to hoist and the second pinted to fly
c) Blue flag with crescent pointed to fly (a bit near to hoist) and
two white five pointed stars, one above the other (one in each point of
the crescent)
I have images but only in the size of my old collection (4 x 6 cms)
Jaume Ollé, 6 Jan 2001
Count Benyowszky, King of Madagascar is of Slovak origin and sometimes is he mentioned as “Benovský”. He was born in Vrbové Town, Trnavský kraj, Slovakia (and he was Hero of Slovak TV Serie ”Vivat, Benovský”). Arms of his family (barons Benyovszky) were “Azure in base a tripple hill Vert (an obligatory part of many Hungarian Arms) surmounted by (ducal) coronet Or (this was considered as sign of Hungarian Baronate/Lordship) with a Crescent Argent pointed upwards, in chief two six-pointed Stars Or. This can explain mysterious flags with crescent and two stars reported on Madagascar during Benyowsky era. I can add a short quotation from Grant of Arms from the year 1787:
„Maria Theresa, Empress (etc.), to Thee, Our loyal, beloved, noble Móric
Benovszky, at this time in service of the french King, Brigade-General,
Knight of the Military Order of St. Louis, Colonel and Governor of Madagascar,
Our Greeting and Grace ... By our benevolent Decission and Grace, although
you are in King of Frence service as a ...governor of Madagascar ...(we
want to lead you) to the Commonwealth of these, who are asigned by title
of Count, in German Graf, noble and gentle, in German Hoch- und Wohlgeboren,
including your heirs of both sex, which are legitime born for all times...
we are granting Your old Arms and improving this way: The shield is quartred;
first Gules a Griffin Or conturnee... with queue between legs (coward),
langued Gules, holding a sable natural, hilted Or; second and third Argent
a Hand vested Purple with Wreath Vert,
holding a Standard Azure charged with six-pointed Mullet (star) Or;
fourth... a ship with three sails on wawes of the sea. In base there is
a pile Azure with three Fleurs-de-lys Or (of the France). An Escutheon
Azure on Coronet of Hungary (?) Or a Crescent pointed upwards Argent under
in chief two six-pointed Stars Or...
Motto on a scroll: IN ADVERSIS ET PROSPERIS. ...
In Vienna, 3th October 1778, in 38th year of Our Reign.“
Aleš Krízan, 21 May 2002
Could it also explain the crescent and two stars shown on the coat of
arms of Mayotte, as recently described by me?
It might be pure coincidence, but Mayotte is not that far from Madagascar.
Ivan Sache, 22 May 2002
Libertatia/Libertalia is on a site now being reclaimed by the bush,
called in Malagasy "Marodoka", 7 km east of Andoany (old name Hell-Ville)
the capital of the small island of (several spellings) Nosy Be, just off
the NW coast of Madagascar. Local legends have it that it was built
by shipwrecked Indian sailors in the 17th/18th century.
An Dor, 26 Jan 2004
At the end of the 19th Century the island of Nossi-Bé issued
its own postage stamps. It had an apparently autonomous political existence
from Madagascar during the 1890s. The stamps are of the standard so-called
'large numeral on tablet' design common to most French colonies of the
period, but with 'Nossi-Bé' inscribed beneath the numeral.
Ron Lahav, 27 Jan 2004
Yes it had, reflecting the early ages of poorly organized colonization.
Madagascar was declared a French colony by a law dated 6 August 1896, following
the lack of 'respect' of the protectorate treaty (1885), by Queen Ravalona.
However, not all Madagascar was included in the protectorate, since
there existed an 'établissement de Diego-Suarez'. I don't
have all the details, but it is very probable that this 'settlement' was
set up 'privately' and not directly on behalf of the French state. The
islands of Nossi Bé and Sainte-Marie were incorporated into the
Diego-Suarez settlement in 1896, short before the set up of the colony
of Madagascar, which means that they also had a certain autonomy before.
The situation was very complicated and the inhabitants of Sainte-Marie
still claim they are French citizens because the island was formally not
incorporated to Madagascar at the independence. The French Ministry of
Foreign Affairs recently refused to back up their claim.
To make the situation ever simple, the colony of Madagascar was later
renamed Madagascar et dependances, when incorporating Mayotte and the Comoros
(1914), and what is now the French Austral and Antarctic Territories (1924)
Other 'etablissements' were the 'établissements francais
de l'Oceanie' and the 'établissements francais de l'Inde',
and the 'établissements francais de la Côte des Somalis',
today the republic of Djibouti.. They seem to reflect a colonization process
older than the great wave of 'civilizating colonization' which started
at the end of the 19th century.
Source: the Grand Larousse Illustre du XXe siecle.
Ivan Sache, 29 Jan 2004