Rainilaiarivony (1828–1896) was the Prime Minister of Madagascar from 1864 to 1895. Named Commander-in-Chief of the Army by King Radama II upon the death of Queen Ranavalona I in 1861, Rainilaiarivony played a key role in transforming Madagascar's government from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. He was promoted to Prime Minister in 1864 and remained in power for the next 31 years by marrying three queens in succession: Rasoherina, Ranavalona II and Ranavalona III. As Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony modernized state administration and legislated the Christianization of the monarchy. His diplomatic and military acumen preserved Madagascar's sovereignty from colonial interests until the French capture of the royal palace in September 1895. Although holding him in high esteem, the French colonial authority deposed the prime minister and exiled him to French Algeria, where he died less than a year later in August 1896.
Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainilaiarivony
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1770:
British explorer James Cook and the crew of HMS Endeavour became the first European ship to land on Australia on the coast of Botany Bay near present-day Sydney. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Endeavour
1862:
American Civil War: Union forces under David Farragut captured New Orleans, securing access into the Mississippi River. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_New_Orleans
1968:
The controversial musical Hair, a product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, opened at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway, with its songs becoming anthems of the anti-Vietnam War movement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_%28musical%29
1970:
Vietnam War: The South Vietnamese Army launched incursions into Cambodia to attack communist jungle bases. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_Campaign
2011:
A worldwide television audience of 300 million people watched the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Prince_William_and_Catherine_Middleton
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
bestride (v): To be astride something, to sit on with legs on either side, especially to sit on a horse http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bestride
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
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--Henri Poincaré http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henri_Poincar%C3%A9