io8 
MADAGASCAR 
fluence. Broken up in earlier times into small states, 
they were united into a single state by the chieftain, 
Andrianimpoina, the founder of the later Hova dynasty, 
and they endeavoured to extend their power. In i8io 
his son succeeded to the throne as Radama I. He is 
represented as an energetic king, who carried on his 
father’s policy of conquest, subdued the Betsileo in the 
south and the Sihanaka in the north, and by his power 
and his skilful diplomacy reduced even the Sakalava to 
dependence. 
Farquhar formed the idea of playing off King Radama I. 
against the French; he sent ambassadors to the court 
of Imerina with rich presents and brought about a “ Treaty 
of Friendship” in which Radama was recognized as king 
of Madagascar, but England reserved the right of main¬ 
taining a diplomatic representative in the Hova kingdom. 
Such a representative accordingly made his appearance 
a few years later in the person of James Hastie. This 
man displayed feverish activity. A Hova army after the 
European pattern was created by his influence, the rights 
of the popular assembly, or Kabary, were curtailed, and 
the dependence upon Mauritius was constantly drawn 
tighter. When, in the twenties, the Erench again at¬ 
tempted to settle on the coast of Madagascar it was 
signified to them from Mauritius that Madagascar was 
an independent kingdom, recognizing no claims on 
the part of any European power. The Erench settle¬ 
ments were attacked by the Hova, Fort Dauphin was 
taken and the French flao^ was torn down. An official 
decree promulgated on the other hand, by Radama I., in 
the year 1825, guaranteed to the English merchantmen 
the right of entry to the harbours of Madagascar and 
to all English merchants the free right of settlement in 
the island. Farquhar had thus carried out his plans 
boldly and skilfully, while France remained inactive. 
Radama I. died in 1828, and a revolution broke out; 
